By Idibia Gabriel
The embattled chairman of Kagarko local government is facing more trouble as the Auditor General’s investigation into allegations of his involvement in a multi-million naira contract scam has found him guilty.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly, which had earlier suspended Hon. Nasara Rabo following the allegations, has now demanded that he repay approximately 86 million Naira.
The chairman is also accused of conducting direct labour worth N80 million without proper documentation and maintenance of financial project records.
According to a copy of the Auditor General’s report obtained by the Saturday Times, it stated: “Outrageous and untimely review of contract sums paid within two months of award. Out of the contracts awarded in the mentioned period, ten of them (list attached) awarded on 18/03/2022 were reviewed by N86,221,618.26 and paid on 18/05/2022. In other words, you inflated the contract by N86,221,618.26, and the entire contract sum was paid without adhering to financial rules and regulations, such as the deduction of retention money.
“Lack of deduction of retention money is a blatant violation of financial memoranda (F.M 1724),” the letter stated.
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“You embarked on direct labor worth N80,329,000.00 without proper documentation and maintenance of financial project records,” it further stated.
The suspended Chairman is alleged to have committed serious financial irregularities and fraudulent activities. He has been directed in the same letter to immediately refund the sum of N86,221,618.26, representing the contract inflation awarded and paid within a two-month period.
Hon. Rabo has also been instructed to submit to the office of the Auditor General an advance/deposit ledger for the year 2022, payment vouchers, and all receipts related to the aforementioned direct labor, amounting to N80,329,000.00, along with the reasons that necessitated his undertaking direct labour.
The letter was signed by the Kaduna State Local Government Auditor General, Atiku Musa.
In a related development, Nasara is alleged to have received approval for N12 million from the State Ministry for Local Government Affairs to purchase a car for the Dnata Gbagyi, but he reportedly bought an E-Class Mercedes Benz valued at about N4 million while pocketing the difference of N8 million.
It was further revealed that Nasara has allegedly refused to comply with an official letter from the State Ministry for Local Government Affairs directing him to return all government vehicles in his possession while on suspension. At the time of filing this report, he was said to still have three official vehicles belonging to Kagarko Local Government in his possession.
Some staff members of the Kagarko LGA treasury department, who spoke anonymously, accused the suspended Chairman of high-handedness, pride, and arrogance, adding that he has a penchant for flagrant disrespect of financial regulations.
Efforts to contact the local government Chairman to tell his side of the story proved abortive as of the time of filing this report.
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