From Adama Omale, Lokoja
Kogi state government has concluded arrangements to sanitize the government at the grassroots for effective service delivery.
Towards this end, the present administration is to set up an audit panel to investigate the accounts of the 21 local government councils in the state.
Governor Idris Wada, who disclosed this at a meeting with the council chairmen at the Government House in Lokoja, said the audit is to be completed in three weeks.
He frowned at the alleged recklessness and lack of probity by some council chairmen, urging them to re-trace their steps and strive to put the interest of the masses at heart, in discharging their duties.
According to the governor, “We are going to sanitize the local government system”, adding that a situation where most of the chairmen cannot pay full staff salaries is not healthy for development.
While stressing that the current trend cannot be allowed to continue, he warned that any council chairman found to be fraudulent at the audit exercise would be prosecuted.
He maintained that in the interim, the state government would henceforth oversee the payment of salaries to the local government staff pending when the audit would be concluded.
Captain Wada equally advised the council chairmen not to allow inordinate political ambition to distract their present mandate to the people, advising those not interested in their current assignment to tender their resignation.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
