I met only N1,500 in LG account, says Chairman

The Chairman, Mubi North Local Government in Adamawa, Alhaji Musa Bello, said on Monday that he met only N1,500 in the account of the local council when he assumed office.

Bello told newsmen in Mubi that he also inherited a liability of over N200 million.

“I met only N1,500 in the council’s account and a liability of over N200 million, while the Internally Generated Revenue of the council, then, was N150,000 weekly,’’ the chairman said.

According to him, he had to use his experience as a former councillor in the local government to mobilise the business community to pay appropriate taxes, to shore up the council’s internal revenue.

Bello noted that at the time, the council had faced drastic revenue shortfall which made it difficult to even pay salaries.

“We set up a committee and were able to boost the local revenue, which we use in executing a lot of projects within the short period we assumed office,” he said.

According to him, the local council had drilled 13 boreholes and rehabilitated 104 others using internally generated revenue.

He listed some of the projects executed by his administration to include evacuation of drainage to avert flooding and construction of six feeder roads.

Bello said that activities were picking up after the insurgency which affected social and economic activities in the local government.

He said that residents were waiting for government to carry out rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, as pledged by the Presidential Committee on North East.

Bello commended the state government for the construction and rehabilitation of 14 roads in Mubi town.

“I also want to commend the contributions of Non-Governmental Organisations, National Emergency Management Agency, Victims Support Fund, North East Regional Initiative, UNICEF, Red Cross, Rescue, Oxfam and others.

“I commend foreign countries that have been assisting our people in various areas including health, education, water supply and sanitation,’’ he said.

The chairman also lauded the contributions of the military and other security agencies which facilitated the return of peace to the area.

“The council is always in touch with the military and other security agencies to ensure the sustenance of peace, ’’ Bello said.

( The Nation)