Stop bankrupting Plateau, PDP queries Governor Lalong

From Daniel Dauda, Jos

With barely a few months left for the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) to exit power in Plateau, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has raised alarm over unwarranted spending by Governor Simon Lalong to further plunged the state into a huge financial burden.

Findings revealed that the financial debt profile of Plateau is within the range of over two hundred billion Naira (N200 billion).

PDP alleged that Lalong’s action is an elaborate plot to further bankrupt the state, and complicate governance under the new administration.

A press statement issued to newsmen in Jos Wednesday by the Plateau state publicity secretary of PDP, John Akans accused Lalong for conniving with his appointees to continued looting and diverting Plateau assets into their personal properties.

According to Akans, “The attention of the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) has been drawn to unwholesome criminal activities by some government functionaries and appointees under the watch of the outgoing Governor Lalong’s directives towards, looting and conversion of public assets into private ownership, illegal awards of contracts and incurring of superfulous loans and expenditure.

“We have it on good authority that Plateau state assets within the state ministries, kaduna, Lagos and Abuja are being tampered with for private acquisition. We have detailed reports of several properties currently being processed for ownership transfer involving serving commissioners and top government officials, hence serious warning to those involved in this illegal deals.”

Plateau PDP mouthpiece, Akans,further challenged commissioner and permanent Secretary of ministry of lands and surveys should take note saying they are aware of the missing of photoprammetry surveying and remote sensing machine procured by Jang’s administration.

He said permanent Secretary ministry of Agriculture should take note of what is happening at kuru livestock farm. As well as permanent Secretaries of government house, policy and cabinet office should equally take note that PDP are aware of vehicles and other government properties in the hands of political appointees.

In his words, “Reliable information available to us also indicate that several shady conducts ongoing within the state finance ministry through the accountant general of the state, aside billions of loan allegedly taken by the Governor to prosecute the lost election, we are inundated with credible reports of emergency contract awards, hurried processing of payments vouchers and a grand agenda to incurred further debt under the guise of project implementation.

“We want to use this medium to warn all those involved in this criminal endeavour to desist from these nefarious activities as we will hold permanent Secretaries and Directors of various ministries and  other government agencies accountable for their conduct.

” Let it be known to the Governor and his team that we have the complete records and inventory of Plateau state assets…..

” We are in possession of records of what was handed over to the Governor by his predecessor  in 2015 as well as true state of government properties. Therefore, we put on notice that any attempt to divert state properties and muddle up Plateau finances will be visited with full measure of accountability.

“Every government official from top to bottom will be called to account for their deeds and handling of government’s assets. We specifically warn bureaucrats to safeguard their career by refusing to collaborate with any appointed and elected officials engaging in such criminal conduct.

“We also wish to alert the public on this subject matter. Let the public be aware that our common patrimony is being tampered with by an administration they just voted out of office. We promise to follow this matter closely and ensure that Plateau state assets remain secure and protected for the benefits of the public”, Akans mentioned.