by Auwal Ibrahim Gital
The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Tafawa Balewa local government area of Bauchi State, Barrister Kefas Magaji has said that the local government under his watch is determined to recover all properties belonging to the people of the local government that were diverted or mismanaged in the previous administration.
Barrister Magaji stated this on Wednesday when he received a report from a committee set up by Tafawa Balewa Local Government Council on assets verification.
The local government Chairman while commending the committee for what he described as ‘gigantic work’ vowed to take necessary measures to recover properties meant for the Local Government.
Barrister Magaji who threatened to sanction any public servant found wanting by the report, pointed out that the assets belongs to all citizens of the Local Government and will not allow few individuals to takeaway what belong to even the next generation unborn.
Commenting on the shares of the Local Government, Barrister Kefas Magaji assured that a desk officer will be appointed to manage the sector.
“I will study how best these shares would be further managed, even if it means to withdraw them from the Bauchi State Investment Company to other brokers.
The Chairman of the verification committee, Alhaji Abdullahi Jibir Zwall had while presenting its report to the Local Government Chairman thanked him for the confidence reposed in them.
Alhaji Zwall disclosed that their findings indicated that so much damage has been done to the Local Government, adding that, “mismanaged properties of the Local Government include landed properties, motor vehicles and shares owned by the Local Government among others.
He however explained that appropriate recommendations have been given in the report on how best the assets can be reclaimed.
“All efforts by the committee to track records of the Local Government shares domiciled with the Bauchi State Investment Company prove abortive, hence the need for you, the Caretaker Chairman to further expedite action through legal means as contained in the report to reclaim dividends accrued the Local Government”, Zwall explained.