ROT IN KADUNA: GOVT REACTS, SAYS IT WAS AN ERROR

The Kaduna State Government, through its Head of Service, Alhaji Habibu Balarabe Yakubu at the weekend claimed that there was a mix-up in the document released to journalists last Wednesday, detailing some of its activities in the last three years,.

Daily Sun had last Friday, exclusively published certain bogus claims by the Kaduna State Government on some of its projects purported to have been executed in the last three years, using largely a document entitled: The Kaduna State Public Service in Perspective, and visits to a few of the project sites as the basis of the story. The story was entitled: Ministerial report exposes rot in Kaduna government.

But in a swift reaction, the Head of Service, in a press release signed by its Press Secretary, Alhaji Shehu Sa'i, a copy of which was made available to Daily Sun, said 'to correct the erroneous publication, the office of the Head of Service wishes to categorically state that the issues highlighted in the said report were traceable to a mix-up in the column explaining project costs and locations, and the beneficiary which was attributed to human factor in typing of the booklet.

'For instance, the 100 Gulf 11, was actually purchased for the Okada riders that were converted to commercial taxi drivers. But mistakenly, it was put in the column of vehicles for his Excellency. The same goes for the bullet proof Mercedes Benz that was bought. Instead of one, 16 were recorded; the 16 recorded for the Benz was meant for Toyota Hilux Pick-up vans. So that was what happened.

'On the issue of the NUJ secretariat purported to have been 100 per cent completed, an issue which was raised at the press briefing, the Head of Service instantly apologized for the mix-up during the press briefing and even promised to visit the site the next morning to see things first hand.

'During the visit and having inspected the site, the Head of Service constituted a high powered committee comprising the Ministry of Works officials, the contractor and permanent secretaries in his office to advise on the way forward. He categorically stated that government would complete the project in record time as soon as the report of the committee was made available to him.

Therefore the office also wishes to reiterate its unflinching resolve to uphold due process, transparency and accountability in government business as contained in the publication, Public Service in Perspective.'