The Plateau State Government has began probing staff of the
17 local government councils over their activities during the
Administration of Former Governor Jonah Jang.
Investigations showed that virtually all the Directors of Personnel
Management (DPMs) have been queried with regards their past activities.
Also queried are the Directors of Finance and Services (DFSs) and
some other key staff for their roles in some transactions in the
councils.
A reliable source, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “in
Pankshin Local Government alone, about nine persons received such
queries along with the DPM and DFS.’’
“All those who received queries were given only 48 hours within which
to reply the queries that emanated from the Ministry for Local
Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs.
“These probes you see going on in the LGAs was a fall out of report
of the Justice Stephen Adah-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry recently
submitted to Gov. Simon Lalong, ’’ the source disclosed.
As part of the probe, a six-Man state assembly Standing Committee led
by Alhaji Ibrahim Baba-Hassan (Jos North), has began scrutinizing the
activities of the councils’ Chairmen.
The committee began with the Southern Zone Senatorial District where
six councils books were checked in Shendam LGA to ascertain their level
of works based on the monies given to them from the federation account.
The committee is presently in Pankshin LGA for the checks of the five
councils within the central zone, which included Mangu, Bokkos, Kanke,
Kanam and Pankshin LGAs.
Investigations revealed that the chairmen converged along with some
of their directors especially in the works, accounts and Social services
to answer questions from the committee.
It is however gathered the Lalong-led administration was leaving
nothing to chance at riding alleged corruption at the local government
level.
Mr Stephen Jings, Pankshin Management Committee Chairman and also the
state ALGON Chairman, told NAN that, “we have nothing to hide as our
activities were in therecord for anybody to see”.
Jings, described the visit of the House Standing Committee on Local
Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs as “ a welcome development’’ and the
probes as “a good omen’’
( NAN).