Nasarawa Assembly probes alleged diversion of palliatives

The Nasarawa State House of Assembly on Tuesday, set up a seven-man committee to investigate the alleged diversion of palliatives by government officials and stakeholders in the state.

The House said the committee is to ensure that all those involved in diverting palliatives meant for the poor are punished according to the laws of the land.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Abdullahi set up the committee under matters of public interest brought by Hon. Musa Ibrahim Abubakar (NNPP- Doma South) during the House proceedings in Lafia.

According to him, the seven-man committee includes Hon. Abel Bala, the Deputy Speaker of the House as Chairman, Hon. Musa Ibrahim, Hon Barr Esson Mairiga, Hon Hajara Danyaro, Hon Luka Zhekaba, the Minority Leader of the House, Hon Daniel Ogazi and Hon Danladi Jatau as members of the committee and the Secretary of the committee is Barr. Safiya Balarabe.

The Speaker gave the committee three weeks to do a thorough investigation and report back its findings to the House for appropriate action.

He said, “I will give you three weeks to do your work and report back to the House and all those involved must be invited at the committee level.

“It is sad and very disappointing that some people are sabotaging the good intention of Mr President and Governor Abdullahi Sule in alleviating the suffering of the poor people.

“The purpose of the palliatives is to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal. I don’t know why some people diverted most of the palliatives for their personal use and their families.”

The Speaker alleged that most of the palliatives, especially rice were sold to traders in marketplaces across the state, and urged the committee to do a thorough job in order to punish those diverting the items.

In their separate contributions, Hon. Danladi Jatau, Hon. Solomon Akwashiki, Hon. Hajara Danyaro, and Hon Musa Saidu, all supported the idea of setting up the committee to unravel the alleged diversion of the palliatives meant for the poor residents of the state.

Earlier, the member representing Doma South Constituency, Hon. Musa Ibrahim Abubakar, while raising the issue, lamented that the palliatives meant for the poor people in Doma LGA were being diverted by those involved in the distribution.

He appealed to the Speaker and other members of the House to support him by setting up a committee to investigate the alleged diversion of the palliatives