Kano State branch of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, recused its membership of the Kano State COVI-19 Palliative Distribution Committee over an allegation leveled against its members by the state’s Public Complaint and Anti-corruption Commission, PCACC, concerning diversion of COVID-19 palliative materials distribution.
Kano PCACC had on Monday issued a press release where it claimed to have received petitions against the chairman of a local government, alleging that he had cornered palliative materials for his political cronies.
Kano ALGON reacted swiftly same day through its chairman, Alhaji Lamin Sani, saying that its members will cease to participate in the distribution committee to show its displeasure over the allegation, saying that it would leave the distribution to District Heads to handle.
ALGON’s issue with PCACC began with the alleged arrest of the chairman of Kumbotso Local Government, Alhaji Kabiru Panshekara, who was reported by a Kano-based online publication to have been arrested on Saturday, but who addressed pressmen later the same day to dispel his reported arrest.
Panshekara explained that he had gone to PCACC to narrate his dissatisfaction with the way the district head of Kumbotso was handling the palliative distribution, denying the diversion of any palliative material, adding that there were lacunas in the way the committee was conducting its duty.
But PCACC on Monday, however, did not confirm Panshekera’s arrest, but threatened to prosecute any local government chairman found attempting to or actually diverting the relief materials, which it said were contributions from individuals and organizations meant for the vulnerable in the state.
However, unconfirmed reports claimed that the commission has filed a suit before a Kano Magistrate’s Court against Panshekara, alleging criminal breach of trust and sundry offences.
Responding, the state ALGON said its members would not be involved in any act that may hinder the state government’s effort to ease the sufferings that people face due to lockdowns occasioned by COVID-19.
