• Charges them on Equity, Accountability

By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo

Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has advised elected local government chairmen to ensure that dividends of democracy are distributed equitably, without prejudice to political affiliation, gender, religious beliefs or ethnic background.

The Governor who called on them to align with the state government’s rural transformation agenda, spoke at the swearing-in ceremony of the LG chairmen at the Council Chambers of Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna on Friday.

He enjoined them to be transparent and accountable in the handling of public finances.

Senator Uba Sani reminded them that ‘’you are taking charge as captains of local governments when the third tier of government has been granted financial autonomy.”

‘’Your allocation from the Federation Account will be public knowledge, necessitating transparency and accountability. Be available, accessible, responsive and fair in your dealings,’’ he said.

According to him, local government chairmen are grassroots leaders who are closest to the people, so they should be the people’s voices, advocates, and champions.

‘’Listen to their concerns, address their fears, and harness their potential. Empower the people to participate in governance and ensure their voices are heard. In the words of Robert W. Flack: “Local government is the foundation of democracy; if it fails, democracy will fail,” he said.

The Governor admonished the chairmen to provide ‘’ rural infrastructure, boosting agriculture, building and upgrading health centres and primary schools, enhancing economic and social services and ensuring sustainable natural resource use.’’

He also enjoined them to align with the state government’s rural transformation agenda and link up communities not covered by state roads.

‘’During your campaigns, you engaged with communities, listened to their concerns, and received feedback on their needs. I charge you to prioritize these needs, guided by the principles of equity, inclusivity, transparency, and accountability.”

‘’ You are assuming office at a critical time when our people expect a great deal from politicians and leaders. It is your responsibility to restore their faith in politics and local governance,’’ he said.

He congratulated the chairmen and urged the people of Kaduna State to hold their ‘’leaders accountable, demand transparency, participate in the budgeting process, and insist on quality service delivery.’’

The Governor stressed that the people’s ‘’engagement is crucial to ensuring transparency, accountability, and quality service delivery in the local governments.’’

The Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna, the venue of the occasion, was in a celebratory mood as all the newly inaugurated LG chairmen were accompanied by their families, friends and well-wishers from across the state.

Dignitaries at the occasion included the Speaker of the Federal House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Tajudeen Abbas, Minister of Environment and his counterpart from the power ministry, former Speaker Zailani of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, among others.