The Governor of Jigawa State, Umar Namadi, has suspended his Commissioner for Commerce, Aminu Kanta, over alleged fraud in the ongoing Ramadan Feeding Programme of the state government.
Mr Kanta, from Babura Local Government Area, was asked to stand aside pending an investigation into the Iftar feeding programme in his LGA.
The notice of his suspension was conveyed in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Bala Ibrahim, and issued by the SSG’s spokesperson, Sama’ila Ibrahim.
The statement said the move is part of the government’s commitment to ensuring financial accountability and prudent management of public funds.
“The governor directed the issuance of suspension in a letter, conveyed by the Secretary to the Jigawa State Government, Malam Bala Ibrahim.
“The Commissioner was suspended for alleged involvement in mismanagement of the iftar feeding programme fund in Babura Local Government Area. The suspension is with immediate effect,” the spokesperson said.
PREMIUM TIMES gathered that Mr Kanta was accused of hijacking the feeding programme in Babura LGA with food rarely being provided at the designated centres.
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The Jigawa State Government had initially set aside N2.8 billion for the programme which it said would provide meals for poor and vulnerable persons in the state.
The government later reviewed downward the allocation to N1.3 billion, PREMIUM TIMES gathered.
The programme is being implemented through 609 feeding centres, with a focus on providing three different food items to 182,700 poor and vulnerable people daily.
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