By: Gbenga Akingbule
Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, on Thursday, inaugurated the newly appointed Transition Committee Committee Chairmen following the expiration of the tenure of elected Local Government Councils Chairmen.
Gatekeepers News reports that at the Swearing-In ceremony held at the Musa Usman State Secretariat in Maiduguri, the state capital, Zulum who was represented by his deputy, Umar Kadafur, charged the Chairmen to ensure prudent management of scarce resources and always prioritise the need of the rural dwellers.
According to the Governor, the Chairmen should see their appointment as an opportunity to further drive down the All Progressives Congress (APC) led state government development strides to all nooks and crannies of the state.
“This occasion is quite appropriate, as this Government is determined to avoid a vacuum in such an exalted position of Local governance and also to enhance the well-being of our people through sound policies and programmes. It is in the realisation of these noble objectives that we have continued to ensure that we appoint credible people to oversee the affairs of the Local Governments pending the next Councils’ election in 2023.
“In fact, this administration considers the issues of Local governance very high on its agenda, this is because Local Government is the closest tier of Government to the people and is meant to address the yearnings and aspirations of the populace at the grassroots level. We shall, therefore, make every effort to ensure that our people benefit from the policies and programmes of Local Government, we shall also continue to monitor the activities of the Local Government Councils so that they operate within the confine of the Local Government Law 2000 as amended and other extant laws and circulars,” the Governor said.
Governor Zulum also charged the new Council Chairmen to immediately commence grassroot awareness campaign that will ensure registered voters collect their Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) from all Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) offices at the Council Areas.
Prof Zulum urged all citizens at the grassroot level to come en masse and collect their PVC. He expressed dissatisfaction over the high number of uncollected PVC’s in the various council areas.
“It is duty bound upon you to take the lead in the mobilisation effort in your various Local Government Areas on Voter education. As you are all aware that the forthcoming 2023 general elections are fast approaching and quite a number of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) linger at various INEC offices across the State. I, therefore, charge you to embark on a massive awareness campaign on the need for the citizenry to collect their Permanent Voters Card in order to exercise their universal suffrage during the 2023 general elections. ” Zulum said.
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Local Government And Emirate Affairs Hon Sugum Mai Mele who revealed that the new Council Chairmen have six months tenure warned them against absenteeism but to always make themselves available to their people.
“Therefore, I wish to inform and reiterate that this is not time for lodging in a hotel under any pretext but indeed a time to serve the people with total commitment and dedication as practically and evidently exemplified by His Excellency, the Executive Governor,” Mele said.
