Bala tasks councilors on effective oversight

By Sunday Onyekwere

The minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Senator Bala Mohammed has admonished councilors from the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to always actively oversight the chairmen of the Councils.

He urged the councilors, numbering over 100, were in his office at the weekend, to pay him a condolence visit over the recent demise of his mother, Hajia Aisha Jummare Mohammed , to guard against being reduced to ‘yes men’.

According to the Minister, it would be counter-productive for the councilors to allow themselves to be reduced to mere rubber stamps by the chairmen. He urged them to establish structures and processes for robust over-sighting of projects and expenditures of the councils to ensure that the budgetary allocations for the councilors are properly and transparently utilized.

In a statement by the SA Media to the FCT minister, Nosike Ogbuenyi, the minister noted that his administration has never deducted a kobo from the allocations of the area councils adding that the total amounts have always been paid to them in full as soon as they are released from the federation account.

While urging the Councilors to be alert to their constitutional duties, the Minister however cautioned them against fighting their chairmen under the guise of oversight functions.

He also charged them to continue to work closely with the office of Minister of State who has been assigned to oversee area council matters, explaining that the assignment does not imply that he has totally disengaged himself from happenings in the area councils since they also form part of FCT.

It added that Mohammed further charged them to help the FCT Administration in combating the scourge of illegal structures spreading like desert wild fire in the area councils and satellite towns. He also advised the councilors to continue to work for the interest of the people while shunning bribery and corruption.

Responding, the leader of the group who is also the Speaker of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) legislature, Dantani Zadna thanked the minister, for his advice and pledge to dialogue with them. He pledged their readiness to work with him while also supporting their council chairmen for harmonious administration and development.