Pandora’s Box: Tinubu’s Minister Matawalle Accused of Embezzlement in Zamfara Cargo Airport Project

• The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has been greeted with fresh allegations over his activities as governor of Zamfara State.
• A statement from the government house in Zamfara alleged that the ex-governor embezzled billions of naira in the Gusau In'tl Cargo Airport project.
• The state government released at least six documents containing evidence of how funds were diverted.

Gusau, Zamfara - The Zamfara State government has put forth some evidence regarding the prior administration led by Alhaji Bello Matawalle, now the Minister of State for Defence, and their involvement with the Gusau International (Cargo) Airport project.

Matawalle, on the previous Friday, refuted accusations of misappropriating substantial funds from the Zamfara cargo airport project.

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In a statement released in Gusau on Sunday, October 22 and made available to Legit.ng, the Spokesperson for the Zamfara Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, pointed out that Matawalle's response has revealed a "clear breach of trust, opening up a complex situation."

According to him, the current administration's financial troubles in Zamfara State are attributed to the past government under Bello Matawalle.

How Matawalle sanctioned withdrawal of N1bn

He alleged that the former governor instructed the Ministry of Local Government to withdraw one billion Naira from the Local Government Joint Account on October 25, 2021, and pay N825 million Naira to the contractors without proper evaluation, disregarding established procedures.

The statement reads:

“To avoid doubt, the embezzlement of resources from the people of Zamfara through the airport was just a tiny part of many other acts of theft and financial banditry committed against the people in various incomplete projects.

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“It is doubtful that the project's cost was reduced from N28 billion to N11 billion in round figures. No reputable bidder would agree to a drastic reduction of 61% in cost without a corresponding reduction in the scope of work. This raises questions about the integrity of the bidding process. Matawalle is seemingly trying to cast doubt on the credibility of their contractor."

According to the statement, Matawalle had asserted that the airport project was funded through what he terms ‘contract financing.’

Idris said the former governor ought to have inquired before making such statements.

He said the financing method called the ‘Contract Financing Facility (CFF)’ involves an arrangement between the bank and the contractor, with no government involvement.

Zamfara govt points out irregularities in monetary records

Contrary to his (Matawalle) claim, all available documents indicate that the state government’s funds, not the Contract Financing Facility (CFF), were used to pay the contractors. It’s essential to stress that the assertion that payments were based solely on certificates issued by the supervising ministry or agency is incorrect.

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He stated that the Zamfara State government’s records indicate that the three payments to the contractor were not accurately assessed and certified by the supervising ministry.

“Available records show that Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) were only involved in the project after it had already begun, which goes against the standard practice in the aviation industry. Usually, they must be involved in all project stages, including planning, design, and implementation.

“Matawalle’s claim that the project was 50-100 per cent completed, while in another paragraph, it was reported as 30 per cent completed, equivalent to N3.47 billion, raises the question of why the contractor was paid the sum of N6.78 billion if the project was only 30 per cent completed.

Insecurity: Pressure piles on Zamfara gov as calls for resignation heightens

In another report, Governor Dauda Lawal has been under pressure amid the insecurity challenge in Zamfara state since his emergence in office.

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According to the spokesperson to the former Zamfara State Governor, Comrade Abdullah Anas Kaura, insecurity has worsened since Gov Lawal's emergence in office.

He accused the 57-year-old of running a cabal of non-indigenes who have been in control of his administration.

Source: Legit.ng