The task of building Borno is in your hands – Shettima tells new council chairmen

Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has warned all the newly appointed caretaker chairmen of the 27 local government areas of the state, against mismanagement of public funds and absconding from their office.

The Governor, who handed down the warning while swearing in the newly appointed caretaker chairmen of the 27 local government areas at the Government House Maiduguri on Tuesday, said that all local government chairmen would be held responsible for embezzlement of public funds.

Shettima also warned the chairmen for absconding from their offices at their various local government headquarters, only to stay in Hotels in Maiduguri, the state capital, adding that any chairman found wanting in the discharge of his duties would face the full wrath of the law.

“The task of rebuilding Borno rests solemnly in your hands, you should embark on the massive transformation of your local government areas by delivering the dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots and mobilize them to fully participate in the political process”, the Governor said.

He directed all local government chairmen to set up ward committees on dividend of democracy in each of the wards across the 27 local government areas to ensure that existing boreholes and clinics are fully functional.

Speaking at the occasion, the commissioner for local government and Chieftaincy affairs, Alhaji Baba Kaka Bashir urged the local government chairmen to justify the confidence reposed on them by executing the transformation agenda of his administration.

He urged them to strictly work within the confines of the laws of the local government administration and not to do anything that would tarnish the image of the administration, as their appointments were purely based on merit.

Responding on behalf of the newly appointed chairmen, the caretaker chairmen of Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, Alhaji Kadiri Rahis thanked the governor for finding them worthy of the appointment and assured him of their total loyalty and support in the task of re-building the state.