Tension is brewing in Adamawa State as local government workers and retirees have called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the alleged diversion of ₦6.8bn for a foreign leadership training tour of council chairmen’s wives in Istanbul, Turkey.
Naijaonpoint understands that the development has triggered widespread outrage, with many describing it as wasteful and insulting, especially at a time when pensioners are being owed gratuities running into several years.
It was gathered that 21 wives of local government chairmen, alongside some senior officials of the Ministry of Local Government, departed Nigeria last week for the weeklong training in Turkey.
Confirming the trip, the Chairman of Toungo Local Government and state ALGON boss, Suleiman Toungo, defended the exercise, insisting that it was not unusual.
“We did our training two months ago, so I did not see anything wrong in our wives going for training outside the country. They are our wives, and we need their advice. We are looking at the importance of training our wives outside the country on leadership, not the cost,” he said.
But workers and retirees have kicked against the expenditure, describing it as a misuse of public resources.
A 75-year-old retiree from Yola North LGA, Abubakar Shehu, condemned the trip, arguing that wives of chairmen hold no constitutional office.
“What is the leadership position of local government chairmen’s wives? The wife of the governor is not trained in leadership, but our chairmen of corruption are sponsoring their wives to Istanbul for training. Democracy is mocked in Adamawa State,” he fumed.
Another retired council worker, who pleaded anonymity, said the move was indefensible while pensioners languished.
“I was sleeping at night when I received a call from one of the ALGON officials that I should send my wife’s name for a visa, and that she would be travelling to Istanbul for training. That was when I became aware of such a project,” he said.
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