In the interest of probity and accountability in public offices, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been asked not to overlook the Zamfara State government fraud allegations against the minister of state for defence, Dr Bello Matawalle.
The state government recently accused the minister of failing to account for N6.7 billion of the N11 billion it spent on the Gusau International Cargo Airport.
In a reaction yesterday to the development, the Civil Society Advocacy Groups for Accountability and Probity called on Tinubu to relieve the minister of his job until he is exonerated of the charges.
The group’s national coordinator, Comrade Danesi Momoh, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, said the EFCC should step in and bring Matawalle and his co-travellers to justice over the alleged misuse of the public funds.
Momoh said the recovery of the funds would facilitate the development of the state after the horrendous attacks of bandits and the poverty it had caused the people.
He said, “We are also aware that in his capacity as minister of state for defence, Matawalle has decided to politicise the banditry and terrorism attacks in his home state of Zamfara.
“He has not officially visited the state to assess the security situation but rather chose to embark on military tourism in faraway Turkey while blocking the governor of Zamfara State from meeting Mr. President on this burning issue.
“On the heels of these unsavoury developments, we call on Mr. President to demonstrate the right action in promoting the fight against corruption and theft in public office.
“People like Bello Matawelle must be shown the exit from public service and made to pay for their wrongs to serve as a deterrent to others. Allowing him to remain in office is like rewarding corruption by an administration that has shown both the determination and political will to fight corruption.
“Such a contradiction will not augur well for our democracy and the renewed hope agenda of the administration. We therefore call on Mr. President to salvage the good image of the administration and help Zamfara State recover her looted funds by sacking Bello Matawelle and submitting him to the EFCC to answer for his misdeeds,” Momoh said.
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