Niger: LG expends N1.36bn in 2yrs -Chair

From Yakubu Mustapha Minna

The Chairman of Tafa local government of Niger state, Alhaji Ado Abubakar said that his administration spent N1.36 billion in its various activities in the last two years of his administration.
He made the disclosure yesterday while distribution of empowerment items to women and youths of his council said that the council funds was used for salaries, maintenance of security, purchase of patrol vehicles and motorcycles, training and retraining of staff as well as students scholarship.
The benefiting women and youths have been empowered to be self sufficient and job creation by the council by receiving items that included sewing machines, grinding machines, deep freezers, motor cycles and film editing equipment.
“As part of our humanitarian services, the council provided medical assistance of N5.06 million to 177 individuals with special and complex medical cases.
“The sum of N8.43 million was also released to 342 students as educational assistance to our teeming youths that are undergoing courses in various institutions of higher learning.
“The sum of N312.67 million was spent on capital projects in the areas of education, health, roads, water supply, rural electrifications and office infrastructure,” he said.
He however urged the youths to get their voters cards to enable them chose the candidates that would improve on their standard of living.
He used the occasion to convey the decision of residents of the council to endorse President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Sani Bello for second term in the 2019 elections.
In his remarks, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger state said that the APC government would continue with its cardinal principles of youth empowerment in the state.
He said its the party’s guiding principle to mentor and develop the talents of the youths because of their vintage position in Nation building.
“The youths must feel the change which the All Progressive Congress came with. The time for using the youths as thugs is over.
“I advise everybody here to do his own part in the electoral reform by registering for the voters card so as to exercise our franchise come 2019,” he stated.
Represented by his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Ketso, applauded the initiative for the empowerment Programme and called on other council chairmen to emulate Abubakar’s transparency in financial issues which gave rise to this laudable people oriented programme.