I’ll not abuse council funds-Masari

From Lawal Sa’idu Funtua, Katsina

All Progressives Congress (APC), gubernatorial candidate in Katsina State, former speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari said if elected as the governor of the state he will not temper with the local governments allocations.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after winning the party’s keenly contested primary election, Masari said he would personally push for a review of the joint account law through the state assembly to only empower the executive to merely play supervisory role over these funds.

He added that if elected he would change a situation where first ladies on tour of local governments were showered with gifts from the local governments funds, adding ‘I will make it a situation where my wife, the first lady will instead be carrying gifts to these local governments while on a visit’.

Masari therefore attributed the myriad of problems facing rural communities to the strangling of local governments which he alleged retard them from playing their constitutional roles of bringing succour to the rural poor.

On education, the gubernatorial candidate vowed that if he wins the election all public servants including himself must take their children to public schools, adding that is the only way the quality of education would be improved.

‘During our days, the children of the emirs, the rich and the poor attended the same school. This type of situation assisted greatly in making our contemporaries what they are today. If everybody has his children in public schools attention must be given to them.

Masari stressed that he would also given required attention to agriculture  which he said is the major economic earner for majority of people of the state while according to him youth restiveness could be addressed through proper agricultural planning.

He also called on those who contested the election with him to join him in making the state great and restoring its past glory, promising to carry everybody along in ensuring victory during the general elections.