The Secretary to the (Kogi) State Government (SSG), Mrs Folashade Ayoade-Arike, has testified against the Deputy Governor of the state Elder Simon Achuba at the panel hearing investigating allegations of gross misconduct against the deputy governor on Monday.
Arike said the deputy governor last attended the state Exco meeting in August 2018 even when the state government was up to date with his salaries.
Also testified against Elder Achuba was the acting director (Treasury), Office of the Accountant General, Mr. Elijah Ebinemi, who presented before the panel, evidence of alleged salaries/allowances payment, to the embattled deputy governor.
The certified true copies of said payment was said to have covered between 2016 and 2017.
Saliu Hassan Itopa, cashier, office of the deputy governor also testified against is boss.
The SSG under cross examination by lead counsel to Achuba, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), among others alleged that the state deputy governor last turned up at the weekly state executive council meeting, in August 2018.
The SSG who stated that she was incompetent to issue query to the deputy governor, as he is her boss, said, “it is not under the schedule of the office of the SSG to pay the salary of the deputy governor, all workers of the state, including the deputy governor, including his aides, have been paid up-to-date.”
However, under cross examination by Mr. Anthony Adeniyi, lead counsel to state government, Itopa, the cashier in the office of the deputy governor, explained that allowances and other monies, including impress were paid direct;y into the bank accounts of those concerned.
The committee has two months to conclude the investigation of the embattled deputy governor.
