By Sylvanus Viashima
JALINGO – The All Progressive Congress APC in Taraba State has called on the State Governor Agbu Kefas to come out clean on how the N2billion palliatives loan given to the 36 states of the federation including Taraba was utilized.
Alhaji Aliu Zubeiru, a chieftain of the APC while addressing press conference in Jalingo, Taraba state capital on Sunday accused the state government of not providing information on the federal government palliatives given to the state since 2023.
“The federal government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu had in August last year offered N5bn to states, N2bn was disbursed in cash while the remaining money was to be disbursed in trucks of food stuff to cushion the removal of fuel subsidy.
“From the best of our knowledge as party members in the state, the federal government came out then and announced that any state that is not interested to take the loan should return the cash of N2bn earlier disbursed to her, we have not, at anytime, heard that Taraba state government opted out of the loan.
“We have not also heard from the state government that this is what we have done with the money. This is now close to a year after the N2bn was disbursed, we as citizens of the state are demanding to know, first, did our state (Taraba) collect the money, if yes, how has it been utilized? Other states have since briefed their citizens on how their palliatives have been utilized, why is ours in Taraba different ?
“The governor might apply usage of the money reasonably, we are not accusing him of embezzling the N2bn, but we want to know, how was it used, the commissioner for information has the capacity to let the people of the state to know that, the loan which is payable, this is how it was used. Moreover, that is her job.
“Except otherwise, we are demanding accountability of the money as well as the food palliatives items that were sent to the state from the federal government”.
When contacted, the Taraba state commissioner for Information and Re-orientation Barr. Zeinab Usman Jalingo asked journalists to let the sleeping Dog lie.
“What is your concern over the N2bn palliatives, why can’t you let the sleeping Dog to lie, well, I have received your request and I will reply to you at the appropriate time” the commissioner stated.
