Kwara faults EFCC’s claims over N12 bn fraud

Governor Bukola Saraki

The Kwara State government yesterday faulted reports  that N12 billion was mismanaged by Oke-Ero and Irepodun Local Government Areas of the state. The state Commissioner for Finance Barr. Abdul-Razak Atunwa who said this while addressing newsmen on the development confirmed the arrest of the chairmen of the two affected local government areas.

Atunwa who said the alleged mismanagement of N12bn was baseless, unfounded and cannot be true, added that the two men were assisting the EFCC to correct the erroneous impression about the local government areas and the state.

“It would be illogical to say that the administrations of the affected local government mismanaged the said amount because the fund accruing to the administrations since inception was not up to the amount,” he said.

Atunwa explained that the amount Oke-Ero Local Government under the present administration received from the Federation Account annually amounted to about N1.2 billion in the last three years while Irepodun Local Government received about N1.7 billion in the last three years. He said since the total amount of the money of the two local governments was about N2.9billion, the allegation of mismanagement of N12billion could be regarded ‘as holding no water.’

“When you add up the total money received, it will give you N2.9 billion. So where did the allegation of mismanagement of N12 billion come from?” he asked.

The commissioner recalled that the EFCC under the administration of its former chairman, Nuru Ribanu, gave the state a clean bill of health when it investigated financial activities under the Governor Bukola Saraki administration.

He said the Saraki’s administration was confident of achieving same at any other time  because it adopts transparency and accountability in the management of state funds.

He said the state government also ensures that the local governments are transparent and not reckless in the handling of public funds.