By joshua 
By: Yahaya Zakka Minna.
Niger State Government has set up committee to investigate a petition against the Chairman of Niger state Board of Internal revenue, Mohammed Etsu on misappropriation of funds.
Addressing Newsmen in his office the Secretary to the State Government, Ahmed Ibrahim Matene stated that the committee is set up to identify the basis of the petition against the Chairman and verify allegations levelled against him and to esterblish wether or not there were financial or administration infractions to disaffection by the state.
Ahmed Ibrahim Matene pointed out that the committee is to make appropriate recommendations to ensure sustainable function’s of the Board and report back within two weeks on their findings.
The committee has the state Accountant General, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Water resources, Mr Annas Salihu,, Dr Yahaya Zakari and a representative of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC.
Recalled that the Executive Chairman of the state Board of Internal revenue, Mohammed Madami Etsu, has been accused of financial misappropriation and unprofessional conducts.
The Nigerian Post learnt that there is a petition addressed to Mr Governor that indicted the Chairman of the Board for appointing Special Advisers whom he pays between N900,000 to N1.7 million naira monthly, which is over 100 per cent more than the wages of the governor’s special advisers who receive less than N900,000 monthly.
It was gathered that the Chairman also expended N29.2 million on air tickets and estacode for his foreign trips and the spending were done without due process since he assumed office as the Chairman of the Board.
The Petition also reads that the Chairman Etsu travels abroad frequently to visit his children in Turkey where they school at the expense of the State internally generated revenue.
It is in view of the petition written and addressed to the State Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello by Nuhu Edah and Co of Success Chambers, titled: “The brazen abuse and unethical behaviour of Muhammad Madami Etsu, the Executive Chairman of the Niger State Board of Internal Revenue Service (NGIRS)” that drew the attention of the state Governor to the unprofessional conducts of the Chairman since he assumed office in July 2021.
The petition reads that the Chairman of the Board of Internal revenue service announced that he generated N16 billion of which 10 percent is N1.6 billion but till date, he cannot account for how he spent the N1.6 billion. Etsu gives members of staff 2.2 per cent instead of 10 per cent, he is yet to explain what happened to the remaining 72 per cent”.
According to the petition reads that One of the SA, Aliyu Ango is paid N1,783,444.88 as wages, another is Aliyu Ndayagi who receives N1,241,267.90 as wages per month. There is also Suleiman Isah who receives N928,072.77 and another SA who receives N350,000 per month..
It is also gathered that the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Ministry for Finance, Alhaji Akilu Musa Kuta confirmed that some staff had made series complaints against the Executive Chairman of the Revenue Service adding that a committee has been set up to look into the issue.