Bala tasks assets, funds recovery committee on objectivity

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has charged members of the assets and funds recovery committee constituted by his administration to be unemotional and objective while discharging their responsibilities.

The governor gave the charge on Friday when he inaugurated the committee at the banquet hall, Government House in Bauchi.

Gov. Bala, who said that the committee is saddled with the responsibility of recovering assets and funds illegally taken away by individuals or groups, added that the move was aimed at moving the state forward.

He said the committee’s terms of reference include identifying and compiling a comprehensive list of government properties such real estate, shares, funds or other movable and immovable assets and the review of all land allocations from May, 2007 to May 2019 without due process.

Other terms of reference the governor said are ascertaining of all cases of lands developed or disposed off, liaising with federal government agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) amongst others.

The governor assured that the exercise is not meant to witch-hunt or settle old scores, maintaining that the committee was constituted to recover the misappropriated commonwealth of the state and reset the baton for integrity, probity and accountability to thrive.

While lamenting that the previous administration was characterised by corruption and impunity which further pushed the state into abject poverty, said his government will not bear the situation and will work to reverse the trend.

He revealed that the state government received more than N2 trillion from May 2007 to May 2019 from the federation account in form of allocations and interventions.

“From 2015 to 2019 alone, the state’s total revenue collection stood at over N400 billion. The most rudimentary audit will show how these funds were scandalously mismanaged with little or nothing to show for it,” the governor said further.

He said the number of out of school children in Bauchi state stood at more than1.3‎ million with another 1.3 million unemployed, pointing out that the resources to solve those problems were either diverted or out rightly, squandered while the citizens grapple with poverty.

Governor Bala further noted that recent statistics show that Bauchi state alone accounts for a combined profile of 783 per cent domestic and 32 per cent external debts, asserting that “translate this in naira and kobo; our state has a total debt profile of more than N150 billion. For example, the first four years of Buhari administration, the state got N47 billion as bailout from the federal government mainly to off-set salaries, gratuities and pensions.

“The state got N17 billion as Paris Club refund, totalling N62 billion in all. It is embarrassing that today we have N27 billion unpaid gratuity bills. It is sad, very sad.”

He said that the committee has three months from the date of its inauguration within which to submit its report.

Responding, the Chairman of the committee, Senator Isa Hamma Misau promised to discharge their duties with the fear of God and without embarrassing anybody.

The committee chairman who pledged to carry out their responsibilities within the confines of the laws of the land, assured members of the committee that he will run an all-inclusive affair.

“I think I am even the youngest in the committee, I will be equal with you. I will not be your chairman, but all of us will be the chairmen, so that together we can work for the progress of Bauchi state. I assure you that, with the fear of God, I will make this committee the pride of this state and the pride of this nation,” Misau said.

Daily Times recalls that the immediate past administration had few weeks to the end of its tenure sought for the repeal of the Public Property and Funds Recovery Tribunal Law.

The 13 APC lawmakers led by the Speaker of the 8th state House of Assembly, Kawuwa Shehu Damina ‎hurriedly gave the bill first, second and third reading without objection from any of the 13 members of the assembly present.

‎The Bauchi state Public Property and Funds Recovery Tribunal Act was signed by ex-Governor Abubakar in 2017, but he sought for its repeal after losing the 2019 gubernatorial election.