Unbelievable! Zamfara Government Exposes Matawalle’s Mismanagement of ₦528 Billion!

The Zamfara State Government has accused former governor Bello Matawalle of receiving substantial allocations and loans during his tenure, yet leaving behind an outstanding backlog in gratuity payments to retirees.

In a statement, Commissioner for Budget and Planning Abdulmalik Abubakar Gajam revealed that Matawalle received ₦290 billion in allocations, ₦133 billion from local government sources, and secured a loan of ₦105 billion, but did not fulfill his obligations to pay gratuities.

Gajam made these comments during an interview with Arise TV on Thursday. “Upon assuming office, we inherited a government from the current Minister of State for Defence, Matawalle. Over his four years, they amassed a total allocation of ₦290 billion, along with ₦133 billion for local governments and a loan of ₦105 billion, yet we were left with a backlog in gratuity payments,” he stated.

He emphasized that the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal is prioritizing education, asserting Lawal’s commitment to effecting positive change through effective governance.

“I believe we haven’t been doing things correctly in the past, and that previous leadership took governance too lightly. Governance should be treated as a serious responsibility. That is why Governor Dr. Dauda Lawal declared a state of emergency in the education sector, allowing us to initiate the reconstruction and rehabilitation of over 300 primary schools.”

Gajam added that the state’s educational infrastructure is in dire need of attention, stating that primary and secondary schools, as well as tertiary institutions, are severely lacking in resources. He also pointed out that the ongoing insecurity crisis in many villages has rendered the primary healthcare system ineffective.

He assured that Governor Lawal is committed to implementing the ₦70,000 minimum wage for civil servants in Zamfara. However, he cautioned that merely increasing the minimum wage will not resolve the broader economic challenges facing the country.

“The moment these committees finalize their work and validate the list of legitimate beneficiaries, we can proceed,” he said. “Simply raising the minimum wage won’t address issues like rising food prices; we need to focus on creating productivity for sustainable solutions.”