Governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, may have taken a cue from his Kaduna State counterpart as he announced a 50-per-cent cut in his salary and that of his Deputy, Nuhu Gidado.
Abubakar, who made this announcement in a state broadcast in Bauchi on Tuesday, attributed the decision to the huge debt profile of Bauchi state and the looting of the state’s treasury by the immediate past administration.
The governor, who also announced the dissolution of all Local Government Caretaker Committees in the state with immediate effect, directed the respective council administrators to hand over the affairs of the local governments to their respective heads of personnel managements.
According to him, “let me use this occasion to formally announce the dissolution of all local government caretaker committees with immediate effect.
“The respective administrators are directed to hand over all affairs of local governments to their head of personnel managements.’’
The Bauchi state governor noted that the decision to cut his salary and that of his deputy became necessary in view of the huge debt profile of the state “and the empty treasury inherited from the immediate past administration.
“As a mark of leadership by example, I hereby offer to reduce the salary to be earned by the deputy governor and my humble self by 50 per cent.
“We are prepared to provide nothing less than the best leadership to our dear state and expect the same from Bauchi people.
“We need your support; we need your understanding and we need their prayers and together we will forge ahead and build a united and economically viable Bauchi State,’’ he said.
Governor Abubakar went on to announce the freezing of all state government bank accounts and suspension of all pending financial transactions and instruments.
He, however, said Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that were in charge of essential services might and could formerly apply for a waiver through his office.
Recall that hours after his swearing in last Friday, Governor Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna State announced a 5o per cent cut in his salary as well as that of his deputy, Barnabas Bala, in view of the declined revenue base of the state.
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