From Maiharaji Altine
The Zamfara state chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has kicked against the claim by Governor Dauda Lawal that his predecessor, Bello Mattawalle embezzled billions of Naira from the Gusau cargo airport project during his tenure.
Recall that, Governor Dauda Lawal has accused the immediate past administration of Bello Matawalle of embezzling billions of Naira from the Zamfara Cargo Airport project, which was subsequently abandoned.
Lawal accused the previous administration of Matawalle of a dubious transaction of N6.7 billion for an abandoned Cargo Airport project in the state capital.
But in a sharp reaction the APC said the claim by Governor Dauda Lawal was baseless, unfounded and political vandetta aimed at ridiculing the reputation of the former Governor, Alhaji Bello Mattawalle.
The APC in a statement signed by its Publicity secretary Yusuf Idris expressed surprise on the allegation by governor Lawal that, billions of Naira was siphoned by the past administration of former governor Matawalle and the project was said to be abandoned.
The statement explained that over 30% of the said Cargo airport project was completed by the administration of former governor Matawalle before his mandate was allegedly stolen, calling on Governor Lawal to concentrate on security challenges affecting the state instead of wasting his time.
The statement reads in parts as follows:-
“The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was surprised to see a recent writeup emanating from the PDP led government in the state under a stolen mandate and saw the desirous need to make some corrections to put the records in the right perspective”.
It is always perplexing when a supposed leader fails to give the right information to the people he is responsible to lead especially in politics where a leader is blinded by political vendetta like the case of the current governor of Zamfara, Governor Dauda Lawal is emersed in”.
The recent of his unfounded noise is the attack on his predecessor and Minister of (State) Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle over the multi-billion naira Zamfara Cargo Airport project being executed by Matawalle before his mandate was stolen from him in favour of the current governor”.
“We will want to categorically state that since government is a continuous process, Governor Lawal is aware of the actual and true position of things on the matter but chose to deceive the people of the state due to the unconfessed hate and disdain he has for Matawalle and also using misinformation to coverup his failure especially in squarely addressing insecurity in Zamfara where bandits have virtually taken control of the state in bloodletting spree of innocent citizens”.
As a retired banker, Governor Lawal knows very well that the cargo airport contract was based on what is called ‘Contract financing’ which in this case is between Zamfara State government and private entities whereby funding banks have to assess every step in the progress of work being carried out, raise certificate therefrom before payment is effected”.
“Before Matawalle left office, significant progress was recorded on the project, thus while Governor Lawal was saying that only his imaginable 19 percent of progress was achieved. He forgot that there are different components of the project”.
“To put the records straight therefore, our people need to know that payment was made on the project through which comprised many components, making a composite attainment of over 30 percent stage of work completed”.
“Since the project is open for public scrutiny, Zamfara people are free to go and see for themselves”.
“However, let’s delve into this for the sake of our people who might not have time to visit the site, on the Runway, there had been excavation, filling, and compaction of two kilometres out 3.4 kilometres completed, one kilometre clearance- completed, Taxing way of 500 metres, clearance, excavation,filling and compaction completed, Apron area 200/2 metres of 190 metres, with clearance, excavation, filling, and compaction completed”.
“Similarly, the Terminal-Level iron rafter is at 50 per cent stage of completion, Water pool is at 90 per cent completion while water reservoir has been fully completed with all Boreholes drilled and completed”.
“The cargo itself is at 75 per cent stage of completion, fire station, 75 per cent completed”.
“On Mast, NCAA was urged to advise the neighbouring Air Force Base to move it from the current location in order to avoid interruption at the airport”.
“Wire fence is 75 per cent completed, Link road of 1.5 kilometres clearing, filling, and compaction completed, unfortunately the governor directed for the scrapping of the road after it was completed for reasons that only him can tell our people”.
“Airport access dual road, Gate and Drainages have all been completed with Environment assessment by the Federal Ministry of Aviation carried out and completed”.
“It must also be noted that the Matawalle led government never ventured into this project blindly or ignorantly because it was aimed to upgrade Zamfara to higher pedastal, so it involved all concerned authorities from the Federal Ministry of Aviation to the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority NCAA to the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency NAMA as well as the engagement of competent consultant who all have all the documents involved”.
If per chance, the present administration refuses to make these true satisfied documents available in all public domain, we will bring them out so that the people can be the judge in the matter”.
“With the foregoing, therefore, we challenge Governor Lawal to bring out the true documents as well as give reasons on why he is destroying structure at the airport, he should also tell the tax payers why he has vehemently refused to look into the contractor’s call for variation of the project from N11 billion to N25 billion which was necessitated by the high cost of materials”.
“The governor must explain to us how he feels when his people are massacred on a daily basis but he chooses not to even visit to sympathize with victims and their families but could travel to other places and release his videos dancing in public”.
