The Elites Network for Sustainable Development (ENetSuD) has called for the establishment of an anti-corruption agency in Kwara State.
ENetSuD’s demand followed a forensic report indicating that the administration of the immediate-past governor of the state, Abdulfatah Ahmed, looted N11.9bn from the coffers of the state.
The anti-corruption civil society organisation made the call in a statement signed by its press secretary, Saeed Tijjani, a copy of which was made available to LEADERSHIP in Ilorin on Monday.
LEADERSHIP recalls that the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, had last Thursday received a forensic audit report conducted by SSAC Advisory and Professionals Services, which indicted the administration of former Governor Ahmed of financial malfeasance.
The audit report alleged that some actors in the past administration between 2011 and 2019 carted away public fund amounting to ₦11.9 bn without any lawful tie to any project or programme .
“Even though we have not read the said report, we commend Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq for initiating the forensic audit of the books of Kwara State between 2011 and 2019.
“Auditing previous spending by past administration(s) should always be encouraged, as this practice will reveal any form of mismanagement and loot that might have been covered or hidden in the past by the actors and their accomplices.
“We are also reminding the Kwara State government of the need to immediately establish a Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (PUCACC) in the State, as there is a need to fight corruption institutionally.
“Corruption is the major reason the level of growth and development does not commensurate with public fund spent by successive administrations since the return of democracy” the statement added.
