The Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, (CHRCR), Idris Miliki Abdul, has urged members of Kogi State House of Assembly, despite the lingering crisis among the lawmakers, not to pass the 2016 appropriation budget as submitted by the outgoing governor of the state, Idris Wada.
Abdul in a statement explained that the budget proposal as submitted by the governor is full of contradictions and lies as several roads claimed to be ongoing does not exist, particularly the Lokoja township roads.
“We challenge the Governor to mention three on-going township roads in Lokoja town as claimed in the budget,” he said. Abdul further stated that the people of the state are disappointed that despite the huge amount spent on rice project since the inception of the government, the people are yet to see a bag of rice from the project.
“Under the Ministry of Agriculture despite several billions claimed to have been expended since the inception of this failed government on rice production, no single bag of rice could be cited anywhere in the state,” he fumed.
The human rights activist regretted that the governor after losing the November 21 governorship election in the state withdrew the mass transit buses under SURE-P projects. He therefore urged the incoming administration to set up judicial inquiry to probe Wada’s administration.
“On SURE-P, the buses that were purchased in the name of SURE-P and were applauded by the citizens have since left the roads three days after this failed governor lost election on the November 21, 2015. The question therefore is the where about of these buses which the government claimed as part of its achievements during electioneering campaign,” he queried.
He described Wada as the worst governor in the history of the 24-year old state. “It should be noted that this government and governor is the worst in the history of the state. Despite his four years in office, the governor did not commission single project since the inception of his non-performing administration and is leaving behind huge debts and several abandoned projects across the state,” he concluded.
By Pita Ochai