Those found culpable in the massive fraud exposed in the Kwara State Civil Service through the on-going Bank Verification Number (BVN) submission for staff verification exercise would be brought to book, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has vowed.

For one hour, Ahmed spoke in an exclusive interview with National Pilot last week Thursday in his office, saying his government is determined to get to the root of the matter and those found wanting would be punished to serve as deterrent to others.

He said defaulters are currently been analysed into departments, ministries and agencies.

Ahmed also explained that the state could only access N10billion bond for now from the expected N20billion from the capital market.

Last week Tuesday, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, during a meeting of the Committee on Personnel Database Development, revealed massive fraud in the Kwara State civil service as a result of the on-going Bank Verification Number (BVN) for staff Verification Exercise.

It subsequently adopted the “No BVN, no Salary” policy and gave a 7-day ultimatum to workers yet to obtain their BVN to do so or risk non-payment of further salaries.

“Of the 82,642 workers so far verified by the Committee on Personnel Database Development, only 49,579 have valid BVN, while 124 were discovered to have fake BVN”, the Governor had said.

Similarly, the Alternate Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, also disclosed that of the 82,642 workers so far verified by the committee, only 49,579 have valid BVN, while 124 were discovered to have fake BVN.

He added that the first level verification also revealed 324 individuals, who were linked to 659 multiple accounts.

But during the interview, Ahmed, who described the discovery as “mind bugling”, added that the government is going to “check how possible it is for multiple names to enter into one BVN” as guard against such abuse going forward.

“As it is, we have been able to take the state’s payroll and juggled it with the BVN and the results we are getting are mind bulging.

“We have seen a situation where a single BVN is collecting remuneration on about five different areas under different names. All those who have been involved in collecting two salaries have been exposed and we are currently analysing them into departments, ministries and agencies.

“Those who have improper BVN will be rectified, those who presumably have correct BVN will continue as such.

“Currently, analysis is on-going and we are sifting those with improper BVN to be isolated, those yet to have it has been isolated, those whose BVN have been attached to about five salaries have been isolated for interrogation and further action and those with current BVN will continue to receive salaries.

“Nobody is going to be paid across the counter or by cash but to an account that have a specific BVN.

“Now we are going to check, how it was possible for multiple names to enter into one BVN…

“Those who have made it difficult for us to get it done in Kwara will naturally be brought to book. You cannot be a clog in the wheel of our progress when you know the challenges we are faced with and you will go scot free after we have discovered. Somebody has to be brought to book for doing the wrong thing to serve as a deterrent”, the governor added.

He added that the BVN as a package is not only meant to check financial fraud but also give the state a proper data base for all staff that work under the state or local government.

No rift with KWHA, Rafiu Ibrahim

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has denied that there is a rift between the executive and legislature over recent development in the polity, especially as regards the passage of the budget, adding that he currently maintains a vibrant relationship with the lawmakers.

While describing those peddling such rumours as “political jobbers”, he denied as untrue the rumoured tension between him and Senator Rafiu Ibrahim over senatorial ticket in 2019.

He said “We have a vibrant house, ably led by Dr Ali Ahmad, who has had national experience and has worked in the executive very well.

“I have had a fantastic relationship with him before in the system. Who is in the house that I am not familiar with and we all got there largely as forces from the same stable so why should we go there to fight when our common interest is Kwara State?

“We didn’t get here to sort out our personal issues but how to drag the state to an enviable level. What is more important here is that we all, irrespective of the post we occupy, have our assignments to drive the state to enviable levels. I think these are the most important issues we should begin to look at. Such stories are the idea of political jobbers and a reflection of their lack of ideas on how to contribute positively to any system.

“We know that we all come from a political structure were we all sit down and look at what is best for the system.

“We have a very strong leadership that is playing an inclusive process in getting people to do responsibilities that will service and help that system. And we never got to where we are through struggles, fighting, backbiting and what have you. All we see ourselves do is coming in to work for the system for the benefit of everybody.

Only N10bn out of N20bn bond can be obtained now – Gov Ahmed

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has revealed that the state can only obtained N10billion out of the N20billion proposed, which was recently passed by the Kwara State House of Assembly.

Ahmed, who said the state is expected to finally go for the bond in either April or May, said the state needs to fulfil certain requirements before it can access it.

He added that Kwara State has gone through the regulatory authorities and are now at the final level of getting the nod to enable it enter the market to raise the money.

“The issue of bond as it were, despite its desirability, is not as accessible as many people think, there are certain minimum standards that must be showcased before we can even access it.

“If the revenue does not demonstrate that it can be paid back after meetings those obligations, it will not be honoured.

“Ability to get the bond is also premised on our capacity to improve our repayment capacity and not a straight jacket thing as some people think that we just go and take the bond and plunge the state into debt.

“The rate and manner by which the IGR is going, it may not get to that level immediately to make us access the twenty billion and we might end up accessing only ten billion for now.

He said the state has done its cash flow and worked out capacity to repay, adding that “we are now taking it back to them for review, based on their professional review standard and see how they can enable us go to the market to raise the money and begin to drive our projects”.

He however said his government is also in a hurry to access the bond as it is aware that it lacks the luxury of time.

We expect N3bn from FG on roads

The Kwara State Government has said it was expecting about three billion naira from the Federal Government as reimbursement for its expenditure on federal roads in the state.

According to the Governor, who spoke exclusively with National Pilot on the issue, the state has already made its submission to the central government regarding the issue.

He said the issue is still being worked out for the money, which runs into about three to four billion naira to be released.

He blamed the last Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration for not showing enough commitment to repay states that worked on federal roads with states’ funds, adding that it was unfortunate that it allowed the funds to accumulate up to this level.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, inspected some federal roads in the state and promised to look into the demand for reimbursement for the state.

He said the money was allowed to linger for too long and as a result accumulated.

He said the Federal Government will ensure how to bring in proper funding models that suits the structure of the federal government as regards the issue.

Water scarcity ends soon

For residents of Ilorin metropolis, who have expressed concern about the yet to be completed Ilorin Water reticulation project, their worries may be over soon.

According to Governor (Alhaji) Abdulfatah Ahmed, the contractor handling the project has already resumed work.

He said the slowness in the completion of the project is not unconnected with the huge drop in revenue to the state.

Noting that the project was a huge project, which has already cost the state billions of naira, Ahmed explained that it was impossible for one administration in the light of the resources available to the state to complete such project unless it wants to deprive the state of other equally important ones.

“That project was a huge project costing about eight billion naira and there is no way one administration can plan such project with a revenue base of about 2 or 3 billion out of which 70 per cent goes into payment of salaries and wages, aside other recurrent expenditure commitment.

“It might be impossible to fund an eight billion naira project within a small time frame, especially when it is not the only project to be done by the government.

“Don’t forget the initiator of the project was responsible for the overhead bridge at post office, renovation of the stadium, KWASU, among others. So if we had faced only the eight billion projects, those other ones will not come to be.

“This kind of huge project is usually modulated in terms of payment. During the time of my predecessor and our leader, Senator Bukola Saraki, he was able to do the project up to about five billion.

“I then invested a billion when I came in because we had to fund other projects and we also completed lots of on-going projects.

We would have finished it if the way we were getting funding in 2011 had continued.

But that notwithstanding, we have created windows like the bond, some internally supported arrangement, part of the excess crude account loan, among others where we hope to juggle some money to complete the water reticulation project.

He said the government is equally working on augmenting water supply through the tanker supply scheme and expanding some water works across the state in other locations outside the state capital.

He also said bore holes are continuously being sunk to address the problem.

No going back on Geri-Alimi flyover

Following criticisms that have trailed the construction of the Geri-Alimi overhead bridge, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has said there is no going back on the issue.

The governor, who said his government would welcome constructive criticisms that will benefit the state, said the benefit of putting an overhead bridge at Geri-Alimi overwhelms the opportunity proffered by those who criticised it.

While acknowledging that there are always differing opinions to issues and policies of governance, he said his administration would always welcome and adopt constructive criticisms to further develop the state.

According to him, the state, with the project is only being proactive and futuristic, adding that by the time Federal Government completes the Lagos Expressway and the Ilorin/Oyo/Ibadan express link road, heavy vehicular pressure will be witnessed around that axis in Ilorin as a result of motorists using the road.

He said getting a bridge at Geri-Alimi is one of the best things that can ever happen to the state as it would further improve the traffic and increase the productivity of the people by saving more man hours.

He said his government has to continuously carry out proactive steps in the light of the fast expansion of settlement that is daily being experienced in the area.

“The main aim for the Geri-Alimi overhead bridge is that Ilorin is growing at an exponential rate.

“That place is a major entry point from the southern/western parts of the country. We are all aware that very soon the Federal Government will complete the Ilorin/Oyo/Ibadan express link road and also complete the Lagos expressway.

“We have to be futuristic because there will be a lot more pressure on that junction once these roads are completed”, he added.