….warns beneficiaries against selling vehicles
Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, has distributed brand new vehicles to the 13 local government chairmen of the state, in a bid to facilitate the discharge of their responsibilities.
Engineer Sule presented the vehicles to the council chairmen at a ceremony at the Government House, on Tuesday.
While appreciating the council chairmen for their patience, having came into office in October last year, the Governor however cautioned them against trading off the vehicles.
“These are vehicles that should help you in carrying out your responsibilities. It’s not vehicles that somebody can take and trade off. We want to see you with these vehicles, doing your work. It’s for you do do your work and I commend you and thank you for your patience and I congratulate you today,” he stated.
Engineer Sule specifically thanked the council chairmen for their patience, having to wait until promotion is implemented at the local government level.
He noted that, even though there are still challenges of fully implementing promotions at the local government level, still, for a chairman elected for a three-year term, to be patient enough and to get a vehicle after one year in office, is commendable.
“We are supposed to give them vehicles as they came into the office, because vehicles are really a necessity for the work that they are doing. We asked them to be at least, patient until we can at least promote the staff of the local government.
“They were patient enough. We went through all the process. I know we are still having few challenges at the local government level, in the implementation of the full promotion. The good thing is that they have been patient enough through this process,” the Governor added.
Engineer Sule assured that distribution of vehicles is a process that will continue.
“We started with various commissioners, other aides, traditional rulers and then it’s a continuous thing. We just did for security last month. Very soon we will do overseers and other traditional rulers,” he said.
In a welcome address, state Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon Yusuf Aliyu Turaki, commended the Governor for his commitment in ensuring that government functionaries are strengthened in order to ensure effective and efficient service delivery at the grassroots.
According to the commissioner, the gesture will further enhance democratic dividends to the people of the state, including public and civil servants.
Hon Turaki however used the opportunity to caution the beneficiaries to use the vehicles for their stated purpose.
He also congratulated the council chairmen for being beneficiaries of government’s magnanimity, especially after Engineer Sule gave express approval for the ministry to procure the vehicles.
Also, in a vote of thanks on behalf of the 13 council chairmen, Chairman, Lafia Local Government Area, Hon Aminu Muazu Maifata, appreciated Engineer Sule for his continuous advice and guidance which saw to the chairmen getting brand new cars.
Hon Maifata, who doubles as the Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), recounted how the governor adviced the council chairmen against taking loans only to buy fairly used vehicles.
“Your Excellency, we are very happy and saying thank you because I can remember in February, when we met you on the issue of official vehicles, that time we were looking at Tokumbo cars for the chairmen.
“You adviced us against taking loans to procure Tokumbo cars. As you rightly said, we decided to be patient. When we came to you again, you adviced us towards saving or paying in instalments to enable the government procure these vehicles,” the ALGON chairman said.
Hon Maifata said the chairmen are happy because they took the advice from the Governor.
“Your Excellency, we went with that advice and at the end we are getting brand new vehicles. We say thank you very much and we will continue to abide by your positive guidance and always looking at what will be the best for us,” he assured.
Hon Maifata equally assured that the council chairmen will utilize the vehicles for the purposes they are meant.
