Bauchi state has banned the controversial N2.5 billion funding of funeral services that was introduced by former Governor MA Abubakar.
The state government took the decision during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting on Wednesday as part of measures to ensure accountability.
WikkiTimes’ exclusive investigation in June had found that from January this year to May, a total of 1,517 dead bodies were buried at Bauchi Central Graveyard Dungulbi, along Bauchi Gombe Highway and a total of N1, 517,000 (one million five hundred and seventeen thousand Naira) was spent on each of the 1,517 corpses.
The period between January and May was the time during which the immediate past administration of Governor muahammed Abdullahi Abubakar of Bauchi state is reported to have spent 2.3 billion Naira in the supply of woods/mahogany and shroud used in the burial of dead bodies in the graveyard.
WikkiTimes Investigation found that the amount claimed to have been spent by the government does not however include the cost of digging the grave, as that is normally paid to grave diggers by relatives of the dead person on arrival at the cemetery.
Investigation by this medium indicates that government only supplied woods (planks cut into pieces for placement on the graves), but not shroud known as (Likkafani in the local Hausa language) used to cover dead bodies.
The incumbent administration of Bala Mohammed says the ban was necessary.
Addressing Journalists during the SEC meeting, the State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Dr Ladan Salihu, said “the suspension of the funding of burial by the state government is to stop the looting of public funds in the name of humanitarian service”.
Ladan said the state governor pledged to foot the bills of supply funeral materials which he said does not exceed N1.2 million per month as against the frivolous amount spent in the past.
