PLSG commences probe of LG council staff

The Plateau State Government has began probing staff of the 17 local government councils over their activities during the Administration of Former Governor Jonah Jang.

Investigations showed that virtually all the Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs) have been queried as regards to their past activities.

Also queried are the Directors of Finance and Services (DFSs) and some other key staff for their roles in some questionable transactions in the councils.

A reliable source, who spoke on condition of anonymity said, “in Pankshin Local Government alone, about nine persons received such queries along with the DPM and DFS.’’

“All those who received queries were given only 48 hours within which to reply the queries that emanated from the Ministry for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs.

“These probes you see going on in the LGAs was a fall out of report of the Justice Stephen Adah-led Judicial Commission of Inquiry recently submitted to Gov. Simon Lalong, ’’ the source disclosed.

As part of the probe, a six-Man state assembly Standing Committee led by Alhaji Ibrahim Baba-Hassan (Jos North), has began scrutinizing the activities of the councils’ Chairmen.

The committee began with the Southern Zone Senatorial District where six councils books were checked in Shendam LGA to ascertain their level of works based on the monies given to them from the federation account.

The committee is presently in Pankshin LGA for the checks of the five councils within the central zone, which included Mangu, Bokkos, Kanke, Kanam and Pankshin LGAs.

Investigations revealed that the chairmen converged along with some of their directors especially in the works, accounts and Social services to answer questions from the  committee.

It is however gathered the Lalong-led administration was leaving nothing to chance at riding alleged corruption at the local government level.

Mr Stephen Jings, Pankshin Management Committee Chairman and also the state ALGON Chairman, told NAN that, “we have nothing to hide as our activities were in  therecord for anybody to see”.

Jings, described the visit of the House Standing Committee on Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs as “ a welcome development’’ and the probes as “a good omen.’’. (NAN)