Matawalle revokes N25bn contract awarded to Aliero, ex-Kebbi gov

Bello Matawalle, governor of Zamfara state, has revoked a N25 billion contract awarded to Alliance Trading Company Limited owned by Adamu Aliero, a former governor of Kebbi state.

The contract is among the ones Matawalle revoked at the state’s executive council meeting on Wednesday.

Contracts worth N27 billion awarded to China Zhonghao in 2013 and 2018 were also revoked.

Speaking shortly after the meeting in Gusau, the state capital, Ibrahim Isa Mayana, commissioner for works, said the contractors have been asked to return the funds or face prosecution.

Mayana said the contracts were cancelled because they were not properly executed, adding that most of the contractors have abandoned the jobs despite receiving huge sums.

“China Zhonghao was also awarded another 84 boreholes rural water scheme phase two worth over N27.694 billion in 2018 and was paid N14.477 billion but has abandoned the contract just at 13 percent completion,” the commissioner said.

“Alliance trading was awarded N25.992 billion contract for rural electrification across the 14 local government areas in 2013 and was paid N22.599 billion but the company abandoned the contract after reaching just 67 percent completion.”

The worth of all the contracts revoked by Matawalle is N79.6 billion. They were awarded by previous administrations on the state, including that of Abdulaziz Yari, Matawalle’s predecessor.

Under Matawalle, the government of Zamfara has made major reforms, including abolishing jumbo pay for former government officials.