Mr. Lalong, who made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, disclosed that the probe would be carried out by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
The sitting Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has ordered the commencement of a probe of the immediate past Governor of the State, Senator Jonah Jang, and his administration. This announcement follows allegations that billions of naira were looted from the State from May 29, 2007 to May 29, 2015.
Mr. Lalong, who made this known in a statement issued on Tuesday, disclosed that the probe would be carried out by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry, which will be inaugurated on Wednesday.
The six-person Commission of Inquiry has Justice Stephen Adah of the Federal Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, as its Chairman. Sani Mavo, the Permanent Secretary of the Plateau State Ministry of Finance, will serve as Secretary.
Other members include Bibiana Bawa of the University of Jos, Aliyu Sangei, Ekoja B. Ekoja, and Samuel Onu Agamah.
The Commission will be mandated to investigate all the financial transactions of Mr. Jang’s government during his eight years in office.
"The Commission of Inquiry is to ascertain all financial transactions, done or entered into by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria or through any of its Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), or official acting in its name, from the 29th day of May 2007, to 29th May 2015.
“It will also ascertain the total amount paid by the Government of Plateau State as salaries and allowances of serving and retired State Civil Servants, Local Government Employees and Political Appointees from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015.
“The Commission is also mandated to ascertain and establish all financial allocations, funds, grants or monetary interventions and revenues which accrued to or done in the name of the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria, Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), or Officials or Agents from the Federal Government of Nigeria or any International Institutions or Donor Agencies from 29th May 2007 to 29th May 2015.
“It is also mandated to ascertain and establish all loans granted to or obtained by the Government of Plateau State of Nigeria through any of its Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and the purpose for which such loans were obtained and whether the loans were used for such a purpose,” the statement said.
It will be recalled that Mr. Lalong inherited a debt of N222.3 billion and a litany of abandoned or uncompleted projects worth billions of naira. According to reports, civil servants and pensioners' salaries are owed by the government.
