By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
Bauchi State chapter of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), has declared that it is outraged and appalled by the staggering N67.39 billion reportedly spent on security votes in the last four years by the Bauchi State Government while the combined capital expenditure for education and healthcare in the same period is a paltry N47.79 billion.
The PRP stated that, “This shocking revelation, published by Wikkitimes Newspaper, highlights the gross mismanagement and maladministration of the current administration.”
Hon. Abdulazeez Haruna, State Secretary of the PRP in a statement his signed and made available to Journalists in Bauchi stated that,”We are even more appalled that this is happening in a state that is not plagued by serious security challenges like Boko Haram-ravaged Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states or the banditry-festered Northwestern states of Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina.”
According to him,”Bauchi State is not facing any extraordinary security threats that would justify such an enormous expenditure on security votes. This is nothing short of a monumental scandal that is unprecedented in the history of Bauchi State.”
“It is unconscionable that while our state is struggling with multi-dimentional underdevelopment, poverty, and inadequate educational and healthcare infrastructures, a significant chunk of our budget is being squandered on questionable security votes with no tangible results, leaving the people of Bauchi State to suffer in poverty and neglect,” he added.
The PRP stressed that,”Therefore, we demand that the Bauchi State Government provides a clear breakdown of how these security votes have been utilised and what specific benefits they have brought to the people of the state.”
It added, “We also demand an explanation for why such an enormous amount of money has been spent on security votes when other critical sectors like education and healthcare are grossly underfunded.”
According to the PRP, “The people of Bauchi State have a right to know how their funds are being used. It is unacceptable that the state government has been shrouded in secrecy and opacity, leaving citizens to wonder if this enormous amount of money has been used to enrich individuals or to fund personal interests.”
The PRP, Bauchi State Chapter, urged all citizens to join us in demanding an end to this shameful practice, as we should not tolerate such wastefulness and mismanagement of public funds.
“We will not rest until the people of Bauchi State receive the quality governance they deserve,” The PRP concluded.