The Zamfara State Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Abdulmalik Gajam, has accused the immediate former governor of the state, Bello Matawalle, of misappropriating the state’s resources while he was in office.
Gajam said the incumbent governor, Dauda Lawal, inherited a “completely” collapsed state.
Matawalle, who is the incumbent minister of state for defence, was governor between 2019-2023.
He lost his bid for a second term in March to Dauda of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking in a video interview broadcast by his office, Gajam said critical sectors like water, health, education and the economy suffered serious neglect under Matawalle.
He said that based on the statistics released by the Analysts Data Services and Resources (ADSR), Zamfara State was placed at 36 out of 37 states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“We met Zamfara State in security crisis. When we talk about economic output, Zamfara is 32 out of 37. Importation, Zamfara is 32 out of 37, business competition and industrialization, Zamfara is 35 over 37. When we talk about healthcare, Zamfara is 26 out of 37, when we talk about education, Zamfara is 30 out of 37. When we talk about ICT, Zamfara is 34. This is based on the statistics that were done by ADSR, the scorecard of the Nigerian states.
“Overall, the average mark was 45 but Zamfara State was under 40. We were 36 over 37. That means we are last, we’re taking the Z status,” Gajam said.
He said the state government would pay over N30 bn as debt servicing, adding that the current administration has paid over N20bn to date.
Gajam accused Matawalle’s administration of misappropriating money meant for healthcare services in the state.
“There is nothing to show in healthcare. Even those primary healthcare centres when you go around now you can’t even take animals into those structures. You built a primary healthcare centre with World Bank money and did substandard work. At the end of the day, there is no equipment, no manpower, there is no planning and no policy.
“We still have emergencies in Mafara Local Government, in Anka Local Government, children are dying of cholera.
“We don’t have a functioning education system. What will amaze you is the idea that the past administration spent three years without paying for WAEC or NECO for our students.
“The past administration spent more than 15 billion in naira in the Government House alone and now if you go to Zamfara State there is no government office that’s functioning; we’re even renovating them. They bought massage chairs of 50 – 50 million naira when people were hungry, when they were dying of insecurity and illiteracy and malnutrition,” he said.
The commissioner said Matawalle also failed to construct roads. He said the former governor didn’t build any road as long as five kilometres in the four years he was in office.”
On Bandits
“The legacy the past governor left: he bought Hilux vehicles and dashed them away to bandits. The evidence is there. He was giving asylum to bandits in the Government House. People that killed…even in the barbaric era, there had never been a time where an Emir or a king would give asylum to somebody that kills people,” Gajam added.
Matawalle’s former aide responds
Our correspondent could not reach the former governor to respond to the allegations. He does not have a known personal spokesperson.
This newspaper, however, spoke to Anas Abdullahi, his former aide on Urban and Regional Planning, who said Gajam was a liar.
“When we came, our administration took measures to curtail insecurity. For over nine months, no one was killed or abducted in the state.
“Matawalle also initiated measures including shutting down of mobile network and banning of selling fuel in some areas to cut off activities of informants and the terrorists themselves.”
Despite these claims, Zamfara was arguably the most terrorised state in Nigeria with terrorists locally called bandits attacking travellers, rural communities and educational institutions.
Thousands of people were kidnapped and several million others were displaced.
“We believe the governor and his commissioners are fond of concocting lies against Matawalle because they’ve failed to achieve anything in the last five months. If he (Gajam) is saying Matawalle is guilty of all the offences he mentioned, why did the state government not take us to court? I think the Governor should pay attention to fulfilling his campaign promises and stop deceiving people with cheap and social media talks,” Mr Abdullahi said.