BY Luka Binniyat
KADUNA—Acting local government chairmen in Kaduna State have alleged that each 34- member of State House of Assembly receives N500,000 monthly illegally ‘’as upkeep allowance’’ from the various councils, apart from cornering all major contracts and jobs slots there.

Representatives of the council chairmen made these allegations while addressing newsmen in Kaduna on conditions of anonymity yesterday and used the occasion to invite the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC to investiage the scandal.

But, in a swift reaction, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Dr. Dogara Mato denied the allegations that the members receive upkeep allowances from the councils, saying they were ‘’tissues of lies from  enemies of the state government.’’

This is even as he admitted that the legislators demanded for some slots  for both Christian and Muslim pilgrimages.

The acting chairmen had said that: “Every month, almost every local government gives out half a million each to all House of Assembly members from their councils, except those who are lucky to have one member each from their councils.

’’Aside that they are the also the main contractors in the councils, and they always insist that they be given virtually all the slots in employment opportunities, other allocations coming to the councils for socio-economic reasons are also cornered by these legislators.

“They are asking for allocation of 10 seats each for Christian and Muslim pilgrimage in each council as if they are the only ones from these areas.

“We challenge them to come out and deny these allegations. We want the people of Kaduna  State to know all these shady deals.

’’If they have succeeded with other local government bosses in the past, let the people mobilize and stop this practice now. Everyone knows that the House of Assembly has its own budget and members of the House are enjoying juicy welfare packages.

’’How will they still be hijacking public funds meant for development? Can members of the National Assembly exhort money from governors?

’’Can they pressurize governors to be paying resources meant for development to them? We have just submitted reports to the government. We are asking the EFCC, to investigate this allegation and to unravel the truth,’’ they further said.

However, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr. Mato defended his colleagues against receiving the upkeep allowance as, figment of the imagination of the acting Chairmen of the Local Government Councils in the state.

“I can tell you on authority that there is no iota of truth or evidence that any member of the House collects that amount from any local government council.

’’We will appreciate it, if the local government chairmen publish the monthly cheques, or voucher numbers, or any evidence linked to that payment.

’’Also, if members are getting contracts from local governments councils, we dare the chairmen to please make public the names of the companies involved and the contract sums; their owners and other details.

“There is a an attempt to rubbish this House of Assembly by some actors not happy with the stability of this government and the improved peace we are enjoying.

“On the pilgrimage, I don’t see anything wrong when elected members like us, ask appointed acting chairmen to please give us only five seats from the 80 seats they control.

“We have people that campaigned for us, and we have so much pressure from the larger public. If we can not get our local government councils to help on this particular matter of piety, where would we go? But we are not forcing them; we are just appealing, since we do not have powers to compel them.

“Please disregard these lies by people who have been appointed and have no idea how to work and improve on the lives of the local people,” the Deputy Speaker said.