The 24 members of Zamfara state House of Assembly have received official vehicles from the state government, an official has disclosed.
The Zamfara State House of Assembly only last week, became the first state to abolish the law that allows the payment of pension and other allowances for former governors and their deputies. The development came days after a former governor, Abdul’aziz Yari, in a leaked letter to the state government, requested his N10 million ‘monthly upkeep’, which he said had not been paid for some months.
Malam Yusuf Idrid, the Director-General, Press Affairs to the Gov. Bello Matawalle disclosed the delivery of the vehicles in an interview in Gusau on Tuesday.
NAN reports that each of the lawmakers received one Toyota Camry 2018, V6 Limited Edition.
Idris, who did not disclose how much the vehicles cost the government, said the vehicles were presented to the lawmakers by the Governor last week.
“You know provision of official vehicles to the state lawmakers is a constitutional provision.
“This is part of the commitments of the present administration in the state to improve welfare of the lawmakers to ensure effective legislative and executive relationship in the state’,
“This is in addition to other vehicles given to the Principal Officers of the House earlier by Governor Matawalle”, he said.
Idris said the state government under Gov. Bello Matawalle is committed to maintain good relationship with all arms of government for the development of the state.
The Public Relations Officer of the state House of assembly, Malam Mustafa Jafaru-Kaura denied the allegation that the vehicles were given to the lawmakers on loan.
Jafaru-Kaura said each of the 24 lawmakers of the House is entitled to one official vehicle.
“Apart from one official vehicle to each of the 24 lawmakers, each of the Six Principal officers of the House is also entitled to Prado Jeep”, the PRO said.
An official of the state House of Assembly, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the 24 vehicles cost the state government N420 million.
According to him each of the vehicle was procured at the cost of N17.5 million.
