(Bala Mohammed. Photo by Vanguard News)
Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed has charged newly sworn-in local government area chairmen to uphold transparency and accountability in managing council finances.
The directive came during the oath administration ceremony for the 20 elected council chairmen at the Government House on Tuesday.
The governor cautioned the chairmen against misappropriating or diverting local government resources, emphasising that financial autonomy granted to councils had intensified their responsibility for delivering grassroots governance.
He stressed that financial independence eliminated excuses for underperformance and urged the chairmen to view their positions as opportunities for public service rather than avenues for personal enrichment or resource distribution.
He noted that constituents expect elevated performance from newly elected council officials given their proximity and accessibility to communities.
He characterised the local government position not as a venue for financial sharing but as a platform requiring human capacity development, public trust and citizen confidence.
The governor called on the chairmen to prioritise security, education, healthcare, agriculture and infrastructure development in their respective areas, urging them to collaborate with traditional institutions, security agencies, female and youth representatives and other stakeholders to sustain peace across the state.
He referenced his administration’s investments in infrastructure, medical facilities, educational institutions, agricultural programmes and rural road networks, noting council chairmen were expected to extend those efforts at grassroots level.
The governor instructed chairmen to establish recurring security consultations with agencies operating within their councils and ensure timely information sharing with authorities.
He expressed expectations for significant security architecture improvements and warned that official performance would be closely monitored.
The governor administered oaths to six newly appointed special advisers, urging them toward diligent work on administration objectives.
He characterised appointments as reflecting appointees’ experience, professional capability and institutional loyalty, requiring officials to work beyond customary hours serving the public.
He appealed to newly sworn officials to uphold transparency and ensure that democratic benefits reached communities throughout the state.
