From John Adams, Minna
Niger State House of Assembly has removed two chairmen, in a month, for alleged embezzlement.
Chairman of Suleja, Alhaji Ahmed Dikko and that of Katcha, Alhaji Mohammed Dogo Liman are the two councils chairmen who have so far been removed from office on allegations of financial misappropriation.
Last Friday, the assembly asked Liman to refund N23 million he allegedly embezzled after an investigation committee it set up indicted him of shady financial dealings.
The assembly said N20 million of the amount was reportedly siphoned from the Nigerian Union of Teachers, (NUT) Cooperative account while the balance of N3 million was illegally taken from an undisclosed source.
The House arrived at the decision when it considered the report of its Committee on Local Government, which carried out an oversight on the local government.
The House, in addition, directed the executive arm of government to probe the finances of the council, especially in the period the indicted chairman was in office.
Regardless, two weeks ago, the House sacked the chairman of Suleja Local Government, Alhaji Ahmed Dikko over what the assembly called “financial recklessness” on the part of the chairman.
The House said the chairman was unable to account for N11 million, being proceeds from the sale of local government land.
Meanwhile, the lawmakers have asked the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to immediately refund N16.6 million it took from the NUT account in Paikoro Local Government area of the state.
Also, the assembly resolved to amend the 2001 State and Local Government Joint Account Committee, with a view to strengthen its operations.
Speaker Ahmed Marafa Guni told newsmen in Minna, at the weekend, that removal of the two local government chairmen would check corrupt tendencies by some local government chairmen in the state.
He said the assembly will soon institute a merit award for the best performing local government in the state.