By Abubakar Rabilu, Gombe
The Gombe State Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Barr. Sani Ahmed Haruna, has urged the newly elected chairmen of 11 Local Government Councils and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to make transparency, accountability and prudent management of public funds the cornerstone of their administration.
Haruna gave the charge on while presiding over the first Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting with the newly inaugurated council chairmen at the conference hall of the Ministry for Local Government and Community Development in Gombe.
He said the success of local government administration depends largely on responsible leadership and judicious utilisation of public resources, stressing that the chairmen must justify the confidence reposed in them by the people through effective and people-oriented governance.
The commissioner conveyed the message of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya to the council leaders, urging them to remain committed to integrity, hard work and efficient service delivery while faithfully implementing government policies and development programmes at the grassroots.
According to him, local governments remain the closest tier of government to the people and must therefore respond to their developmental needs with fairness, openness and accountability.
He stressed the need for harmonious working relationships between the Local Government Councils and the LCDAs, noted that close collaboration between the two structures is essential for effective administration and accelerated grassroots development.
The Commissioner directed that all requests for projects, interventions and official correspondence from the councils should be channelled through the Local Government Secretary or the Deputy Secretary in line with established administrative procedures.
The commissioner further advised the chairmen to maintain comprehensive records of government activities and ensure the proper handling and preservation of official documents, describing accurate documentation as critical to transparency, continuity and institutional efficiency.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Alhaji Shuaibu Ibrahim, congratulated the newly elected chairmen on their election and inauguration, assuring them of the ministry’s continued support in implementing the development agenda of the Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya-led administration.
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