Nigeria: FCT Minister Charges Council Chairmen On Revenue Generation

By Abubakar Sadiq Isah, Usman A. Bello & Taiwo Adeniyi

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, has charged the newly inaugurated chairmen of the six area councils to be proactive and find ways of improving their councils' revenues.

He said the challenge facing the nation now was dwindling oil revenue which had affected all tiers of government.

Bello gave the charge on Friday while swearing-in the chairmen and vice chairmen at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He advised them to ensure accountability and prudence in the management of resources, saying "you must turn around the potential of your councils into wealth by boosting revenue and blocking leakages so that your councils can be financially independent and deliver the expected dividends of democracy."

He also said: "Permit me to tell you that serious challenges await you at the area councils. The bitter truth is that all the six area councils cannot pay staff salaries and other obligations. There would be no bailout anymore and FCT Administration has gone the extra mile to assist the area councils hence you have to be proactive and look inward."Responding on behalf of the chairmen, Mr. Musa Dikko of Bwari Area Council, commended the residents for giving them the mandate and promised not to disappoint them.

The FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Bello, administered the oath of office on the six chairmen and their vice.

Those sworn-in were AbdulRahman Ajiya (Abaji), Abdullahi Adamu Candido (AMAC), Musa Dikko (Bwari), Adamu Mustapha (Gwagwalada), Abdullahi Galadima (Kuje) and Joseph Shazin (Kwali).

Meanwhile, the minister had on Thursday during an induction course for the chairmen warned them to shun corruption, saying any of them caught would face the consequences.

The minister noted that the anti-corruption drive of President Muhammadu Buhari was serious and beyond lip service.

Represented by the FCT permanent secretary, Dr. Babatokpe Ajakaiye, the minister said the APC-led administration has taken a holistic approach to confront corruption in all its ramifications in order to save the image of the country within and abroad.