Gov. Bello Matawalle of Zamfara State
Photos of the abandoned projects
By Our Reporter
News emanating from Gusau, the capital of Zamfara State is not a palatable one.
It is about how
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle allegedly wasted taxpayers money with the approval and disbursement of N323million for the renovation and rehabilitation of the Gummi General Hospital few weeks to the end of his tenure.
The contract was awarded to DBC Nigeria Construction and Mech. Company Limited without any recourse to the due process and procurement laws.
Documents from Zamfara State Ministry of Health obtained by SaharaReporters showed that the funds for the project have been fully disbursed to the contractor without any sign of ongoing work at the hospital.
The hospital is still in bad shape with infrastructural decay.
The documents also exposed how the sum of N91,000,000 was approved for another contractor called New Horizon LTD to rehabilitate and renovate the General Hospital in Tsafe local government.
The hospital in Tsafe is still in bad shape.
In 2020, A.H.B Modandi Global Services was awarded the contract to construct 14 Women and Children Welfare Clinics across 14 local government areas of the State. The total sum of N352, 171,190. 00 had been paid, yet such clinics do not exist in hospitals across the state.
On 2nd November 2020, the same A.H.B Modandi Global Services was awarded the contract to procure hospital equipment for 10 Women and Children Welfare Clinics. The sum of 516, 554, 752. 00 was released as payment for the procurement.
Alhaji Mas’ud Abdulkadir Danguruf was a Peoples Democratic Party supporter who donated heavily to the campaign of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in 2019. He initiated the Danguruf support group for Atiku in Katsina State. The Katsina State-born businessman defected to APC in 2022 through Governor Matawalle.
Danguruf’s companies were among the top five companies that Governor Matawalle allegedly used for the bogus projects, especially construction, procurement and supplies.
His company Danguruf Pharmaceutical Limited has been awarded a contract of the total sum of 59, 141, 575. 00 to construct Governor’s Lodge in Bukkuyum local government area. The sum of 35, 608, 185.13 was withdrawn from the State treasury and released to Mr. Abdulkadir for a project yet to commence.
On 22nd December 2022, the sum of N83, 878, 092. 62 was released from the Zamfara State account to Danguruf Pharmaceutical Limited as a payment for the renovation of 10 General hospitals. The names and locations of the general hospitals have not been indicated.
Again, on 26th December 2022, the outgoing Governor Matawalle released the sum of N1,409, 435, 798.00 to Danguruf Pharmacy LTD as payment for the procurement of hospital equipment to 10 unspecified hospitals. The funds were disbursed without any information on the names and locations of the hospitals to be equipped.
A senior staff of the Zamfara State Ministry of Health who spoke under condition of anonymity explained that the current situation of the health sector in the State is terrible and alarming. He lamented over the infrastructural decay, lack of qualified staff and zero supply of drugs.
He further expressed serious concern over the future of the health sector in the State. “The situation is scary; it is on record how billions were disbursed in the name of rehabilitation, renovations, procurement of equipment and supply of medicines. But everything is deteriorating daily.
“The incoming administration in Zamfara has a very serious job to do; to investigate the contracts awarded and the funds disbursed. Over 90% of the projects in the health sector in Zamfara are shady projects that were only on paper, not in reality.
“Matawalle is desperately making moves to withdraw the remaining five hundred million Naira (N500,000,000) balance from the Two Billion (N2, 000, 000, 000.00) COVID-19 facility paid by the Federal government. He already withdrew N1,500, 000, 000. This is a piece of key information the incoming administration of PDP in the State should take note of and thoroughly investigate when it assumes office on the 29th May 2023,” the source added.
The Governor had in the year 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic approached the Federal Government for payment of the sum of two billion Naira as a COVID-19 facility. The state government stated that it needs the funds to renovate, furnish and buy medicines for hospitals across the state.
In January 2023, the Federal Government of Nigeria disbursed the sum of two billion Naira to the Zamfara State Government as requested. The money was meant for renovation, rehabilitation, and supply of medicine to hospitals across the state.
The outgoing Governor was said to have relocated to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and has since started lobbying for a federal appointment as a cabinet member in the incoming administration of “President-elect” Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Credit: Saharareporters
