Zamfara: How Fmr. Gov. Matawalle Bought Massage Chairs N50m Each, Empowered Bandits, Accommodated Them In Govt. House

By Akinwale Kasali

The immediate past Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has been accused of unprecedented recklessness while he was Governor. Matawalle, currently the Minister for State, Defence, has also been accused of empowering and encouraging murderous bandits by buying vehicles for them, and giving them asylum at Government House.

These allegations were made during an interview by   AbdulMalik Gajam, the State’s Commissioner for Budget and Planning.

According to Commissioner Gajam, Matawalle ran the State aground by spending money recklessly as if it was going out of fashion.

“This administration spent more than N15 billion in the Government House alone, and now, if you go to Zamfara State, there is no Governor’s office that is functioning. They even bought massage chairs for N50million in a state where people are hungry and are dying of illiteracy and insecurity and people are dying of malnutrition.”

He, also revealed that the State does not have upto two vehicles capable of taking one from Zamfara to Abuja “efficiently and effectively in time.”

His words during the interview when asked the situation the new administration met in the State and how they have coped so far.

“My name is AbdulMalik Abubakar Gajam, the Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Planning.

“You see, when we came into the saddle, we met Zamfara State in insecurity crisis. When you talk of economic output, Zamfara State is 32 over 37, and when we talk of importation, Zamfara State is 32 over 37. But when we talk about business competition and industrialization, Zamfara State is 35 over 37.

“When we talk about Healthcare, Zamfara State is 26 over 37. In terms of Education, Zamfara State is 30, when we talk about ICT, Zamfara State is 34. So, when you look at all these numbers, this is based on statistics that was done by ADSR that showed the scorecards of Nigeria States and overall averagely, the high mark is 45 in which Zamfara State was under 40, so Zamfara State was 36 over 37 overall In Nigeria. That means we are last, we are taking the Zee.

“This year alone, Zamfara State is to pay Debt Servicing of over N30 Billion. We have paid more than N20 Billion from January till date.

“As it stands today In Zamfara State, they do not have two vehicles that can take you from Zamfara to Abuja efficiently and effectively in time.

“A Government that removes from Public Account, Tax Payer money to put into construction and nothing is built.

“There is nothing to show on Healthcare, even those Primary Healthcare, when you go around now, you cannot even take animals into those structures you have built for us as Primary Healthcare Centers and Hospitals with World Bank money, and then suspended work, and at the end of the day, there are no equipment, there is no manpower, there is no planning, there is no policy. We are still having emergencies in Marafa and Anka Local Government where Children are dying of Cholera.

“You think that the Government will be sensible enough to invest those monies into education sector, it is sad that we do not have a functioning education system In Zamfara State.

“What will amaze you is the idea that the past administration spent three years without paying for WAEC and NECO fees. That means every young person In Zamfara State that graduated from Secondary School in the past three years has become a second person to somebody from Imo State and Sokoto State that is of the same age of what we are engaged into, that were enrolled into schools together. Now he is three years far behind.

“The past administration spent over N15 billion in the Government House alone, and now if you go to Zamfara State, there is no Governor Office that is functioning, we are even rehabilitating at the moment.

“They even bought Massage Chairs for N50 Million in a State where people are hungry and are dying of illiteracy and insecurity, and people are dying of Malnutrition. There is no 5KM Road constructed in Four Years.

“They have spent billions of Zamfara State’s hard earned money. They came to AMCON, the contribution of Pension was supposed to be since inception in 2005, the employer was meant to contribute, the employee will also contribute from the beginning of time, since its inception, but the Government of Zamfara State that is the employer never put in their contribution, in which the employees were contributing.

“At the end of the day, the past administration came to AMCON, withdrew the money, and removed themselves from that engagement of a fiscal policy that transform the Pension processes and enable our people to get access to their investment after retirement, they withdrew that money and squandered over One Point Something Billion Naira out of the Pension Money.

“The legacy the past Government left in Zamfara State is that he bought vehicles, Hilux Vehicles and dash them away to Bandits, the evidence is there for all to see. He was giving asylum to Bandits in Government House, people that killed even in tl barbaric manner. There has never been a time where an Emir or a King would give asylum to somebody that kills people.”