From Ahmad Mohammed, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Ministry of Local Government has expressed its determination to clear the inherited debt from the previous administration before the end of next year December for the smooth running of the council’s administration.
The State Commissioner of the ministry Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki stated this yesterday when he interacted with reporters in Bauch.
He said when we came on board we discovered that the previous administration took three billion naira loan from a commercial bank where local governments account is domiciled with 18 percent interest , apart from the huge amount of money collected from the federal government.
Zaki said the loan bring challenges in the administration of the 20 local government areas because “after we collected the grant the bank swallow it but I came out with a genuine strategy to pay back the loan and free the 20 council account”.
He said if not because of the joint account, many councils will not be able to pay their workers salary.
The Commissioner said last month he was able to save 300 million Naira as part of the strategy to pay back the loan.
