By Ahmad Suleiman
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Kano state chapter has on Monday expressed dismay over the allegations that some Local Governments Chairmen in the state have diverted COVID-19 Palliative materials meant for citizens, even as it said that it was astonished to have heard state’s PUBLIC COMPLAINT AND ANTI-CORRUPTION with the fabricated allegations against them.
This was contained in a statement issued to pressmen on Mondayand signed by the Chairman of the association, Dr. Lamin Sani.
Lamin said that the process of distributing COVID-19 Palliative materials has gone successfully under their watch and according to official guidelines by the state committee on distribution of PALLIATIVES under Professor Yahuza Bello of Bayero University Kano.
“The 44 local government elected chairmen and our 484 councillors expressed our gratitude to his Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje for his dedication and commitments to ease the hardship faced by Kano people as a result of COVID-19 pandemic, and we want to commend the effort of Professor Yahuza Bello being the committee chairman for COVID-19 distribution of Palliative materials and his members.” said Hon. Lamin.
“The distribution exercise was successfully carried out last week in which a district head of each local government area was the palliative committee chairman and the local government chairmen and their councillors were committee members” He added.
Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCAC) Tuesday charged Kumbotso Local Government Chairman, Kabiru Ado Panshekara to Court over alleged scandal in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives in the council area.
Kumbotso, according to PCAC has been accused of diverting the palliative materials for his personal use and making false claims that the distribution exercise was successfully carried out in his local government area.
Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission in a suit it filed before the Chief Magistrate Court of Kano State, alleged that Kabiru Ado Panshekara’s offence violates section 315 of the penal code law and section 26 of Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Law 2008 (As amended).
It could be recalled that the Anti-Graft Agency had on Saturday invited the accused Kumbotso Local Government Chairman, Mr. Ado Panshekara over alleged abuse in the distribution of COVID-19 palliatives, which he denied.
However, the ALGON, Kano state chapter, Lamin Sani on Monday said that they were touched with the allegations against their member, adding that no chairman or councillor in Kano had diverted any COVID-19 Palliative.