The Zamfara State government has accused the immediate past governor, Bello Matawalle, who is currently the State Minister for Defence, of financial impropriety. According to released documents, over N1 billion meant for constructing an abandoned hotel service center in Gusau, the state’s capital, was misappropriated. The statement made by the Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the Zamfara governor, Sulaiman Bala, disclosed that Matawalle approved payment of over a billion Naira to 180 Circle Construction & Engineering Ltd. for the development of the Gusau Motel, a project that remains incomplete.
Several irregularities in the handling of funds were highlighted. The statement reported that the contractor was absent from the construction site for an extended period after receiving a substantial payment from the governor. Even after the contractor resumed work following instructions from the Ministry of Works, significant portions of the project remained unexecuted. The breakdown of disbursements detailed various payments to the contractor throughout 2021 and 2022, amounting to over a billion Naira.
The statement added that despite the enormous payments made, critical aspects of the project such as the multi-purpose hall, restaurant, laundry, sporting facilities, infrastructure, and perimeter fencing, had yet to commence, exposing a severe mismatch between funds disbursed and actual work completed. The state government accused Matawalle of overpaying the contractor by over 600 million Naira, resulting in the project being abandoned despite insufficient progress on the site. The Zamfara State government emphasized its commitment to exposing financial misconduct and ensuring accountability, asserting its dedication to the state’s “Rescue Mission.”
It said:
“It is worrisome to note that the contractor was overpaid the sum of 667,713,161.64 million Naira by Bello Matawalle and subsequently abandoned the project. The work done on-site, as presented in pictures, has been valued at N344,088,384.15, which represents 29.94% of the total progress.
“It goes against the principles of our government’s Rescue Mission and the trust placed in us by the people of Zamfara State to let financial misconduct go unpunished.
“We are committed to uncovering any actions that have breached the people’s trust and holding those responsible accountable. We are on a rescue mission!”