‘I inherited a desolate system’
The chairman of Bwari Area Council, Musa Dikko, has said he has been able to make some headway within one year in office even though he inherited a desolate system.
He said the council was riddled with huge debts, broken down electricity faclities, dilapidated offices, rotten infrastructure and empty treasury while staffers were owned months of unpaid salaries.
“It is so sad to mention that we met an unworkable system of administration where the quest to get rich was alarming,” he said. He added, “We were virtually confused and dumbfounded.”
He said despite the challenges he had been able to restructure the council and put it on a path to greatness within his first one year in office.
Musa Dikko, who made this known during a town hall meeting as part of a three-day programme to celebrate his one year in office, said Bwari Area Council was among councils that received least allocations, adding that the council did not receive any subvention for two months when he assumed office due to bank debts.
“Anyone can surf the internet to see how much comes to the area council monthly as subventions from the federation account. Our inability to pay our staff salaries as and when due is not a deliberate act,” he said.
He said despite the challenges the council was able to record some success in all sectors within his first year in office while he urged the people not to stop assisting him with prayers.
He said the council disbursed subsidised fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides to farmers.
He said within the period, the council had built schools, provided boreholes, made provision to boost tourism and culture by earmarking some money to revamp Ushafa Pottery Centre in the 2017 budget.
He said the traditional rulers were not left out as an approval has been granted for 100 per cent increase of their salaries.
In his remarks, an elder in the community, Abari Tanko urged the FCT minister to consider giving bail out to the area council so that they would be able to meet their financial obligations.