From Sidi Ibrahim Kaulahi, Gusau
The Zamfara State’s immediate past Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) now Auditor General, Malam Yusuf Idris, has called on Governor Dauda Lawal to for the sake of rescuing the state owned publishing company from being vandalized by some government officials.
The Chieftain further appealed for the immediate constitution of a committee to investigate and come up with an outcome that would assist in finding the true situation of the allegation which involved the unlawful sale of printing machines of the State Printing and Publishing Company, the publishers of Legacy, an English and Hausa Newspapers.
According to him, an operational printing machine which was purchased by the Zamfara State Government during former governor Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi at the cost of N120 million was removed and sold out at the cost of N13 million.
Malam Yusuf Idris Gusau, who was the pioneer Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Legacy Newspaper Chapel, expressed worry and disappointment over what he described as the management’s failure to properly run the organization.
He said the alleged clandestine auction of the multi-million naira equipment and tools had exposed the reckless and mischievous actions of those involved.
According to him, equipment purchased about 20 years ago for over N120 million was sold for just N13 million. He stressed that the description of the equipment as ‘scrap’ was aimed at deceiving the Chief Executive to obtain approval for the auction.
The former APC spokesman said should the state government fail to do the needful, he was ready to forward the matter to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and other anti-corruption agencies to ensure justice and the recovery of the equipment.
Earlier, the state government workers under the publishing company had jointly written an open letter to draw the attention of Governor Lawal on the alleged sales of fixed equipment in the company.
