Rauf Olayemi, Bauchi

Local government chairmen, ministry officials and traditional rulers in Bauchi State have been accused of conniving with Bandits and terrorists to shortchange the people of the State. 

Governor Bala Mohammed made this accusation on Monday while addressing heads of security agencies, council chairmen and his cabinet members during a critical security meeting

The Governor lamented that some local government, state ministry officials and traditional rulers connive with bandits and terrorists to perpetrate evil and shortchange the locals. 

He said, 'strangers have been settling in the Lame/Burra Forrest over the years but the local authorities have failed to identify and know them'. 'Although, they are free to live in any part of the country but that does not equal deforestation and vandalism' he said.

In his words, Governor Muhammad said  "It appears you don't even have the capacity for the autonomy we are giving you, you're only after the money; not the challenges. You can see how we have been able to do a lot with very little resources. You have been saying you have not been given money but the one that you have been given, what do you have?"

"From the way the local government chairmen are doing it is like they don't have the capacity to even do it. Unless you assure me –the money I'm giving (for autonomy)...I will return it. I will return it. It is not just goody-goody. You must take responsibility. 

"From this time on, I want you to start paying your salaries. I'm tired of the treasury managing your salaries and you're blaming them for ghost workers. You will take responsibility for your resources. 

"What you don't know is that, we augment the salaries of some local governments, whereas some have enough but we cannot continue to take from Paul to pay Peter. We will be giving you your money and you should know how to utilise it," he added.