The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has suspended two Local Government Caretaker Committee Chairmen for dereliction of duty.
The affected persons are the Caretaker Committee Chairmen in Ningi and Darazo LGAs respectively – Nura Maishari’a and Gara’u Darazo.
Both men were directed to hand over administrative duties and government properties in their possessions to their respective deputy chairmen with immediate effect until a proper investigation into the allegations was concluded.
The letters of suspension approved by the governor and signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mohammed Baba, read:
Government has observed with dismay, your lackadaisical attitude towards running the affairs of the Local Government.
The way in which you have been frequently absconding from the meetings of Local Government Chairmen being conveyed by the Ministry for Local Government Affairs is a dereliction of responsibilities assigned to your Office.
This is for the fact that the meetings serve as a forum in which vital issues regarding Local Government administration are discussed and decisions are taken accordingly.
Other allegations brought against Maishari’a and Darazo include not being able to engage local government stakeholders in managerial affairs.
In addition, they have also received separate blames.
While the suspended Chairman of Darazo was accused for persistent absenteeism from office, that of Ningi was said to have deliberately refused to recognise the recently appointed Local Government Council Secretary.
Maishari’a was also accused of allowing indiscriminate felling of trees which the government said undermines its efforts to combat desertification and environmental challenges in Bauchi.
