Residents in Gusau, Zamfara State capital, and in many other towns and communities across the state are witnessing several last minute executions of roads and other projects by the administration of Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle.
The last minute execution of projects, Daily Trust has learnt, is coming days before the end of Matawalle’s administration.
The projects include the construction of asphalted roads in Gusau new Central Market, renovation of primary schools across the 14 local government areas of the state as well as construction of some blocks in Zamfara College of Arts and Sciences.
There are renovation projects in Shettima, Birnin Ruwa and Sarkin Kudu Primary Schools in Gusau metropolis. Similar projects were reported in Kaura Namoda town and many other communities in the state.
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As a result, residents have expressed surprise over the execution of projects in the last hours.
Abba Muhammad Gusau, the chairman of Zamfara Ina Mafita, a civil society organisation in Gusau, expressed disappointment and skepticism over the projects’ execution days to handing over.
“Some questions are begging for answers at this time. Why are the projects being executed now; who are the contractors and what happened when the projects were awarded?
“The way things are going now, the projects would not have been executed if Governor Matawalle had won his re-election bid. This calls for concerns from all well-meaning individuals in the state,” Abba lamented.
However, the Public Relations Officer of the state Universal Basic Education Board, Samaila Labaran Dashi dismissed the notion that there was an ulterior motive behind the execution of the projects.
“The projects have been awarded a long time ago, some contractors have completed and some are trying to complete their own. So, this is what is normally being done and there is nothing new in it,” Dashi said.
Recently, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle traded words over allegations of money laundering.
The commission had accused the governor of engaging in money laundering and vowed to arrest him after his tenure in office.
However, Matawalle denied the charge and accused the chairman of the anti-graft agency of seeking a bribe from him.