Hit the ground running, Gov Yusuf charges 44 new council chairmen in Kano

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, on Sunday, gave a strong charge to the newly sworn in council chairmen on performance, saying they should hit the ground running.

Forty-four chairmen of councils were sworn in, including the first female chairperson, Sa’adatu Salisu, who emerged during Saturday’s local government election in the state.

The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) had earlier presented Certificates of Return to winners of the election.

Governor Yusuf, who spoke during the swearing-in ceremony held at the Kano State Government House, emphasised the importance of the election which he said conforms with the Supreme Court judgment affirming the financial autonomy of the 774 Local Government Councils.

According to him, “Today, we have 44 duly elected chairmen across the LG and 484 newly elected councillors. I congratulate the leadership and management of Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC for a thorough and good job done despite unnecessary distractions by politicians who tried to stall the process for their own selfish interest.”

He urged the new chairmen to assume duty with immediate effect and hit the ground running by discharging effectively and efficiently their duties and fulfilling the trust reposed on them by the electorate.

Yusuf also advised them to lead with fear of Allah and be guided by the oath of office they sworn to as they will give account of their actions and inactions before their creators in the hereafter.

He said, “As you may be all aware, in July, this year, the Supreme Court of Nigeria had delivered a landmark judgment affirming the financial autonomy of all the 774 local government councils in the country as a committed proponent of democracy and the rule of law.

“Our administration in the state immediately swung into action by activating the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, KANSIEC for the conduct of the LG polls as guided by the extant law and also proceeded with the dissolution of the Interim Management Committee.

“You may equally recall, when this administration took the mantle of leadership of the state, we resisted the temptation to dissolve the then existing LG council we inherited, even though all of them were from the opposition party, All Progressives Congress, APC. Not only did we preserve them, we never denied them any of their entitlements.

“Let me also thank the good people of Kano State for coming out enmasse to exercise their civic duty peacefully and orderly manner devoid of any rancour.

“Let me seize this opportunity to call on the newly elected chairmen and councillors to lead with fear of Allah and be guided by the oath of office as you will give account for your actions and inactions before your creator in the hereafter,” Governor Yusuf said.

Administering the oath if office on the council chairmen was the state Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Isa Dederi.

The only female chairperson among the new council chairmen, Tudunwada promised to ensure equity for the people of her local government area, regardless of their party affiliation.

While the newly elected Chairman of Fagge LGA, Salisu Masu, expressed concern that the council is experiencing revenue shortages due to leakages.

“I will do all I could to block leakages and improve revenue generation because right now, from the information I’m receiving, our Federal Government subvention is not even enough to pay salaries until the state government augments US?” he promised.