Bauchi Gov  Charges 20 LGA Caretaker Chairmen, Deputies to be Accountable

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

The Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, has sworn in 20 newly appointed local government area caretaker committee chairmen alongside their deputies, urging them to be accountable and transparent in the discharge of their duties.

Performing the swearing-in ceremony at the multi-purpose Indoor Sports Hall in Bauchi yesterday, the governor who was assisted by the Chief Judge of the state, Hon Rabi Talatu Umar, said the success of the local government administration would be a yardstick for his government.

He charged the appointees to be cautious of the fact that they are servants of the people, stressing that they must work in collaboration with the district heads, traditional rulers, and ward heads in their respective communities to safeguard lives and property.

Mohammed said: “Nobody bribed his way to be given this appointment; you all got it on merit. You were given this responsibility based on your past recognition.”  “You should fear God that you have responsibilities to your communities and to our party that has enshrined the culture of work, community engagement, and stake-holding hence you must know that you are servants to the people, and you must be able to engage the security agencies in your domain.”

According to him, “Caretaker chairmen are required to consult their deputies; we shall soon have caretaker councilors who will assist you to fill in the gap. Therefore, this is a responsibility that we believe you deserve to be given, and we firmly affirm your capabilities on your competence.

“You swore the oath of allegiance, and you must abide by it. You must respect everybody. We have given you minimal autonomy so that you can manage your resources, these are hard times. The palliatives that are coming as a result of the removal of subsidy must be judiciously distributed. You also must come up with your initiatives with palliatives that will touch the people and reduce their hardships.”

Governor Mohammed, who lamented the security challenges in Ningi, Tafawa Balewa, Alkaleri, and Toro LGAs, vowed to deal decisively with anyone compromising security in the state.

While congratulating them on their new appointments, the governor urged them to eschew corruption, arbitrariness, and selfish intentions, saying they should lead with dignity and leave legacies and landmarks after the expiration of their tenures.