BY AMOS DUNIA, ABUJA – The Transition Committee set up by the Adamawa State Governor-Elect Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has disclosed that the debt profile of the state in the last four years has risen to N115 billion as of the month of May 2019.
Chairman of the Transition Committee, Alhaji Aliyu Ismaila Numan, who disclosed this while presenting the final report of the Committee to the Governor-elect in Yola, on Saturday, said of the amount, N97 billion is being owed by the State while the Local Government Councils are owing N18 billion.
He further said that the out-going government from inception, had been taking overdraft to augment salary payments while Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) collected were not applied judiciously in the interest of tax payers in the state.
Ismaila also said that the government failed to create businesses for the state and even resort to the sales of state owned assets in corporate organizations just to service personal interest.
The report advised the incoming Fintiri administration to declare a state of emergency in the health sector by reviving its state of the art facilities and provide free drugs to pregnant women and children below the age of five.
The Committee recommended a review of the employment of unqualified lecturers at the State University Mubi and State Polytechnic Yola, and work to improve the state own tertiary institutions for the development of education in Adamawa.
In keeping with the request for a modest and sizable government, the Committee advised for a review of the position of Deputy Permanent Secretary which is not recognized in the Scheme of Service in the country.
In his remarks while receiving the Report, the Governor-Elect, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri said that he is equal to the task of governing the state adding that he will not turn a blind eye in the mismanagement of public funds by anybody under his government.
Fintiri assured that the Report of Committee will serve as guide to his administration for optimum service delivery to the people of Adamawa and thanked members of the Committee for their patriotic work for the development of the state.
Earlier, the State Chairman of PDP, Barrister Tahir Shehu commended the members of the committee for a job well-done in sacrificing their time and energy in compiling the report for Adamawa to move forward.
The vice chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Auwal Tukur while giving his vote of thanks, applauded the the governor-elect for giving members of the committee the opportunity to serve their state.
