Ayuba Sanusi
KEBBI State government has cited the involvement of three key functionaries of the Adolescence Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) as the reason for the suspension of the World Bank-funded project by the immediate past administration in the state.
The Chief Press Secretary to Kebbi State governor, Mallam Ahmed Idris, while reacting to an open letter published on Kebbi Trust, maintains that the action of the suspended official was culpable of undermining the purpose for which the project was introduced and the unnamed officers were accordingly suspended by the former administration.
The World Bank, he points out, was equally misinformed of the unhealthy development and their subsequent suspension so as to, according to him, enable an unimpeded investigation. “A committee was thus constituted by the former administration to address the situation.
“Indeed, the act of serious misconduct perpetuated by the officers is to the extent of processing the award of contract to the tune of Eight Billion, Eight Hundred and Eighty-Seven Million, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Six Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty-Two Naira, Twenty-Seven Kobo (N8,887,986,332.27) with neither the consent of the governor nor significant compliance with due process.
“In the prevailing circumstances, I am to affirm that the AGILE project and its operation has not been tempered and AGILE as a programme is still subsisting in Kebbi State. The suspension of the officers is, therefore, without prejudice to the sustainability and performance of the AGILE project.
“Furthermore, the government is determined to consolidate the gains of AGILE projects (even though AGILE is only a complementary outfit in our strive to improve the educational standard) and to look for more avenues that will seek to improve the quality of education and the girl child in specific terms. It will not be out of place to mention that Kebbi State is in the hands of teachers and as teachers we are committed to improving the educational standard of Kebbi State.
While emphasizing that the state government is not unmindful of the fact that the AGILE project in Kebbi State had attained a significant level of accomplishment, Mallam Idris noted that the infractions were too grave to be ignored, “and we determined to correct it in consonance with our mandate”.
Mallam Idris also said the state is not averse to any developmental strides and would gladly welcome productive suggestions geared toward improving its status.
“To crown it all, it is pertinent to note that the AGILE funds from World Bank are not grants but recoverable loans from our state resources. We, therefore, have the obligation to ensure prudent utilisation of such meagre”.
Eighteen-Eleven Media