BAYELSA State government expended over N456 million on the aborted two-day working visit by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to the state earlier scheduled for June 29 and 30, 2009.
The state Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Asara Asara, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists in his office in Yenagoa on the cancelled presidential visit.
Apart from the central working committee headed by the Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi, more than 16 sub-committees were constituted to handle various aspects of the visit. About six masters of ceremony had also been hired.
Chief Press Secretary to Governor Timipre Sylva, Doifie Ola, had at the weekend announced that Yar’Adua’s state visit to Bayelsa was postponed at the instance of the governor because of “pressing state matters”.
Yar’Adua was expected to commission some projects completed by the Sylva government and perform the foundation-laying ceremony for the Bayelsa International Cargo Airport, Zarama-Epie, Yenagoa Local Council Area.
Asara, who was the chairman, publicity sub-committee, told journalists that a total of N1.2 billion was proposed by the sub-committees for the presidential visit but the Due Process and e-Governance Bureau slashed it to N456 million, which was approved by Sylva and was subsequently released.
He said the N456 million was released to sub-committees only on Friday morning, stressing that any committee member who did not give account when the presidential visit would have been re-scheduled, “would be held responsible”.
He maintained that chairmen of committees had been instructed to return unspent funds to the central working committee or be prepared to deliver on items.
“Before the visit was postponed, monies had been paid to the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) for publicity”, Asara said.
According to Asara, Sylva had since gone to Aso Rock, Abuja, where he hoped to begin discussions with Yar’Adua on a new date for the visit.
He also explained that Yar’Adua’s visit was not cancelled because of security reports, stressing that the cancellation was at the instance of the governor.
Asara said Sylva negotiated for cancellation of the visit to enable his administration hold meetings with recognised militants in the state following Yar’Adua’s proclamation of amnesty and unconditional pardon to the militants.
Jul12009