Ex-Governor Matawalle, Minister of Defense, Accused of Lavish N1 Billion Catering Center Expenditure

The Zamfara State Government has uncovered shocking revelations surrounding the alleged financial misconduct of former Governor Bello Matawalle, who is now the Minister of State for Defence. Documents have come to light indicating that over N1 billion intended for the construction of Gusau Motel, a catering and hotel services center in the state capital, has been expended on this project, which remains far from completion.

Matawalle is currently under scrutiny for authorizing the disbursement of 93% of the project’s total cost, a staggering sum of N1,149,288,084.25 (N1.15 billion), to 180 Circle Construction & Engineering Ltd.

In a statement issued by Suleiman Bala Idris, the spokesperson for Governor Dauda Lawal, the Zamfara State Government emphasizes the utmost importance of transparency and accountability within the realm of public administration. The government has opted to bring these revelations to light to discourage financial impropriety among public officials.

The statement reads, in part: “In the pursuit of transparency, the Zamfara State Government deems it imperative to expose a multitude of dubious projects initiated by the immediate past administration under Bello Matawalle’s leadership, projects that appeared to misuse state funds.

“On the 16th of July 2020, the previous administration, led by Bello Matawalle, awarded a substantial contract to 180 Circle Engineering Construction and Engineering LTD for the construction of Gusau Motel. The total cost of the contract stood at N1,149,288,084.25.

“On the 7th of August 2020, Bello Matawalle authorized the disbursement of mobilization fees to the firm, amounting to N344,786,425.27. However, following receipt of the payment, the contractor mysteriously vanished from the site, failing to engage in any on-site work for an entire year, a blatant violation of financial regulations.

“After a year’s hiatus, the contractor returned to the site, prompted by an insistence from the Ministry of Works to provide a written commitment to avoid a repeat of such misconduct, revealing a serious deficit in effective oversight and governance.

“Remarkably, despite disbursements totaling a staggering 1,011,801,545.79 billion Naira, equivalent to 93% of the total contract amount, key project elements, such as the multi-purpose hall, restaurant, laundry, badminton court, swimming pool, estate roads, soft and rugged landscape, external electrification, water reticulation, and perimeter fence, have shown minimal progress or, in most cases, none at all.

“It is indeed disconcerting to note that the contractor was overpaid by an exorbitant sum of 667,713,161.64 million Naira by Bello Matawalle, only for the contractor to subsequently abandon the project. The work executed on-site, as illustrated by photographic evidence, accounts for a mere 29.94% of the overall progress.

“In response to these findings, the government is unwavering in its commitment to upholding the principles of transparency, accountability, and responsible fiscal management. The government is resolute in its pursuit of uncovering actions that breach the public trust and ensuring those responsible are held accountable. Our mission is to serve the people of Zamfara State with the utmost diligence and integrity.