Bauchi Pays N30bn Loan, Vows to Discourage Misappropriation

Bauchi Pays N30bn Loan, Vows to Discourage Misappropriation

Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has disclosed that the state government has paid over N30 billion loan out of the over N100b debt it inherited in 2019 from the previous administration.

To this end, he charged the newly appointed Commissioners and heads of extra- ministerial departments to be modest in handling public funds and all financial related issues in the state.

The governor, who made the disclosure during the inaugural meeting of the newly constituted State Executive Council(SEC) yesterday noted that despite the economic challenges, his administration is paying over N1 billion every month as part of the inherited loan.

“So far, my administration has paid the sum of over N30 billion from the total debt of the state, we are doing everything possible to reduce the debt profile because we don’t want to plunge the state into further debt burden”.

The governor then added that, “We take overdraft to finance most of our projects, every month, we pay not less than N1 billion as refunds. We have been able to raise our internally revenue generation drive by 300 percent, the Finance Ministry and the revenue service board are doing well to manage the scarce resources available to us”.

He also warned Abuja based politicians who, according to him, are fomenting political crisis in state through their agents to desist or incur the wrath of government.

Mohammed declared that his administration will no longer sit and watch politicians who are not adding value to the political climate of the state, continue to heat up the polity.

The governor also advised members of the SEC who have political ambition for 2023 to immediately tender their resignation letters saying, “I know that very soon, some of you will be coming to seek permission to go. Let me tell you now, you are free to go, I am releasing you to go and pursue your political aspirations, but, send in your papers now”.

The governor said: “We have less than two years of tenure to go, if the of the state find us worthy for another term, so be it. But, God has given us this term through the people, we must therefore make good use of it by doing what will make the people happy”.

According to him, “We are freeing resources in order to accommodate most of the projects we are doing, some were inherited but now completed, others were started new. We know that some areas are yearning for development, we have not forgotten about them, it will get to their turns very soon before the end of the tenure”.

The governor said as the highest decision making body the cabinet is required to contribute in making initiatives towards the attainment of a sustainable peace and economic development in the state.

On the need to deepen the provision of infrastructure across urban and rural areas, Governor Mohammed said efforts are being made to extend the ongoing water provision scheme to headquarters of all the local councils across the state.

While lamenting on the discouraging nature of the state internally generated revenue, the Governor called on the federal government to review the revenue allocation formula to enable the state to meet the aspirations of its citizens.

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