Tasks before new Gombe LG chairmen

Danjuma GojeIshola Michael writes on the charge of Governor Danjuma Goje to the newly elected local government chairmen in Gombe State during their inauguration recently.

For the people of Gombe State, Monday, March 31, will remain a memorable day. On that day, the 11 newly-elected local government chairmen in the state were sworn-in. People from all the local government areas trooped to Pantami Township Stadium, Gombe-venue of the occasion, as early as 8.00 a.m.

As soon as leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Governor Danjuma Goje, arrived, the inauguration programme began. Various opinion leaders in the state gave speeches at the occasion, but Governor Goje crowned it all with a stern warning that any of the local government chairmen found wanting in the discharge of their duties of evenly developing their respective local government areas will be sanctioned in accordance with the relevant laws that regulate activities of the third tier of government.

Goje, who presided over the swearing-in ceremony, also directed the chairmen to set up ‘due process’ offices in their respective local governments immediately. He said such offices should be headed by honest people who would regulate their expenditures in line with the laid-down rules of government spending, adding that “at the state level, we too have set up a due process office, headed by a Senior Special Assistant on Due Process,” he said.

The Governor further warned the new local government bosses to ensure that they did not misappropriate public fund. “Anyone of you caught siphoning public fund in the name of executing projects will be on his own and will be dealt with in accordance with all the relevant anti-corruption laws of the country. We will not condone any corrupt tendencies.
“You should not rest on your oars until you have done better than the people who are going to hand over to you any moment from now. Your predecessors have done well, so, you should strive to do more than what they have done. You are closer to the people at the grassroots and they are expecting a lot from you.

“On our part as the state government, we will continue to deliver democracy dividends. We are always proud to say that we have successfully established Gombe State University, School of Nursing and Midwifery and Gombe Airport. We also executed the N8 billion Dadin-Kowa Modern Water Project, constructed more than 46 asphalt-laid township roads in all our local government areas. We constructed a new and well-equipped general hospital and many primary health centres.

I want to assure you that we shall continue along this positive path to the end of our tenure on May 29, 2011,” he said. He described the last local government election as “the most peaceful, rancour-free, crisis-free and acceptable elections we have ever had. Right from the party primaries up to the election proper, we had no breakdown of law and order. Nobody was hurt or injured or even abused. No public disturbance whatsoever. Ours was a smooth and peaceful election unlike in many parts of this country. We are very thankful to God and also extremely happy and proud.”

He called on the local government bosses not to allow their victories to go into their heads and then forget that they contested with some people, advising them to make peace with all those who showed interests in the seats which they eventually won.

Earlier, Gombe State PDP Chairman, Jack Gumpy, congratulated all the elected members of the party, charging them not to let the party and the people of the state down. He urged them to ensure that they positively implement the manifesto of the party by evenly developing their respective areas.

Jack Gumpy also commended the state governor for supporting the party always as well as creating a conducive atmosphere for the successful conduct of the election, pointing out that this had demonstrated that democracy had come to stay at all levels in the state. He enjoined the elected chairmen to ensure that they inaugurate their respective councils immediately, so that they would start work for the benefit of the people.