By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
Governor Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar has reechoed the need for Nigerians to have attitudinal change of view to confront the numerous challenges facing the nation, which “underscores the significance of the ‘change begins with me’ campaign launched by PMB and currently being pursued in earnest at various levels.”
According to him, foremost among the challenges is corruption that has retarded the progress of the Country since it acquired independence in 1960, saying the fight against corruption is everybody’s responsibility and only that of public officers.
This was contend in a Press Statement signed and issued by Press Secretary to the governor, Comrade Abubakar Al-Sadique, a copy of which was made available to national trail.
The governor made this call at the opening of a two-day anti corruption summit for state political appointees and public service officers organized by the state government in collaboration with the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission.
The statement quoted the governor as saying one of the cardinal principles of his administration is bringing about change in all the transactions of government and “doing away with corrupt tendencies which have been impacting negatively on our society.”
Governor Mohammed Abubakar noted that since the inception of the administration, he has made several pronouncements that “we will do everything humanly possible to promote zero tolerance for corruption in the civil service, to ensure effective service delivery to the people,” adding that several measures have been adopted to do away with corrupt practices in the system.
These measures, according to the governor, were the appointment of a recovery committee which recovered properties and money carted away by some officials of the immediate past administration as well as the another committee which reviewed major contracts awarded by the last administration in some ministries, departments and agencies.
He said, other measures introduced included the staff verification exercise that blocked leakages in government finances and closing unnecessary accounts, all of which were meant to ensure discipline in the system and promote good governance.
Governor Abubakar stated that such occasions are avenues for the promotion of high moral values to the society as well as promoting excellence in public service, and appreciated the support given to the state government by the ICPC, EFCC and Code of Conduct Bureau, “whose duty is to ensure transparency and accountability.”
He stressed that the three anti-graft agencies have succeeded in ensuring prudence and financial discipline” in the system and called on them to sustain that support to the end of the tenure of his administration.
He announced that the state government has started implementing an Integrated Financial Management Information System that is meant to improve financial and budget management and reporting system in Bauchi state, which is to being implemented in phases.
He urged the management staff, civil servants and public officers of the ministries, departments and agencies to cooperate with the government’s development partners and coordinating team to see to the realization of the project.
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