Bauchi State government has resolved to review the remunerations and salary structure of district and village heads to enable them discharge their royal duties.
Governor Bala Mohammed dropped the hint yesterday when he received a delegation of the state council of emirs led by its deputy chairman, the emir of Katagum, Alhaji Umar Faruk II during a courtesy visit to him at the Government House, Bauchi.
“I promise that the district heads, the village heads, we are going to look at their salary structure so that we can make it better for them to discharge their royal duties, to keep off from the goody-goodies of the bandits and other worst of elements coming to lure them and make them compromise,” he said.
Mohammed said, “If you don’t provide for somebody you have given trust in terms of land, lives and properties in the village, then you are just playing with fire, because you have not taken care of their basic needs of food, transportation and the rest”.
He said it was because of these needs for the traditional leaders that the state government would review their remunerations and salary structure up to the lowest level of the institution so that the government would hold them accountable.
The governor therefore warned, “If they do anything unbecoming of them, then we will deal with them decisively through their officers. I have already told the Ministry for Local Government Affairs and the Local Government Commission to look at this matter”.
Mohammed explained that the Bauchi State traditional institution has dignity and respect not only in Nigeria, but globally.
He said, “The district heads are the next level of royalty and responsibility. We have to provide them accommodation, transportation, as well as rules and responsibilities. We are lucky they have been helping us since I came on board, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic”.
The emir of Katagum, Alh. Umar Darul 11 who led the council delegation on behalf of its chairman the emir of Bauchi Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, said they were on a courtesy visit to appreciate what the state government has been doing for them as custodians of the traditional institution in the state.
“Your Excellency, my brother, you are the first and only governor of the state that provided good vehicles to our district heads purposely to help them carry out their duties efficiently. Before now, you should not be surprised to see a district head asking for a lift from someone, or in the process of trying to acquire a car, may end up compromising his own position,” Emir Faruk 11 said.
In addition, the emir stated that Governor Bala Mohammed directed the Ministry for Local Government Affairs to ask the chairmen of local government councils to be giving the district heads some amount of money so that they could maintain their vehicles because, “It is one thing to be given, and another to be maintaining it.”
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