LG Chairmen Affirm Loyalty to Mu'azu
Bauchi
From Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
Chairmen of the 20 local government councils in Bauchi State have again reaffirmed their loyalty to Governor Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu, and welcome the creation of 40 Development Area Offices (DAO) describing them as complementary organ for grassroots development.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Alhaji Aliyu Aminu Garu, at a press briefing yesterday in Bauchi debunked the report that local government councils had taken the Bauchi State government to court for interfering with their operations.
According to the chairmen, "If anybody out of any diabolical intention has done so, it is baseless, as far as we the custodians of the local governments are concerned, we wish to inform the public that no local government has taken the Bauchi State government to court for creating development area offices, and the state government has not interfered with our operations to warrant such an action."
They argued that "one of the most fundamental issues that has been misunderstood is the creation of 40 development area offices by the state assembly, particularly as it relates to its relationship with our councils."
This matter, the council chairmen noted, was so much misrepresented by "elements who want to seize the opportunity to achieve a premeditated objective such that we need to clarify this issue in the interest of good governance, justice and fairness."
They then declared that "we, the 20 local government chairmen and councils in Bauchi State categorically state that we have neither taken the state government to court for 30 per cent deductions in favour of area development offices nor do we ever nurse the intention of doing so now or in the near future."
There has been widespread allegations that the state governor was tampering with the disbursement of operational funds up to 30 per cent from the state joint local government accounts for the purposes of funding development area offices, recently created by the state government.
Also, in a motion on notice filed at the High Court of justice, Bauchi State, June 14, the applicants, Attaib Mahmood and Sani Baban Takko are praying for an interlocutory injunction restraining Mu'azu from deducting 30 per cent or any amount from the state joint local government account for the purpose of funding development area offices pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Recently the state Assembly queried the governor over the expenditure of state funds and demanded that he through the Commissioner of Finance furnish it with details of funds accrued to the state and its expenditure since January 2003.
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