By Sule Aliyu, Bauchi
Officials of the Bauchi state government recently alleged to have been involved in money diversion and breach of trust will be made to face the music, according to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Yakubu Suleiman.
He said, "I urge His Excellency, the Executive Governor to get into the roots of the matter the recent involvement of some senior officials of the state government in the act of both diversion and breach of trust".
Rt. Hon. Suleiman explained that appropriate sanctions should be applied to whoever is found wanting without fear or favour to serve as deterrent to those down the ladder, and those aspiring to come up to the saddle.
Speaker Suleiman spoke in Bauchi while presenting a bill for assent by Governor Bala Mohammed, earlier passed into law by the State Legislature, saying the law seeks to protect, among others, the meagre accrueable resources of the state from diversion, pilfering, outright theft and economic sabotage.
He added, "The bill to be assented to is a typical cooperation between the Legislature and Executive arms in Bauchi state. The State Public Complaints and Accountability law captures the interest of not only myself, but the entire honourable members because of its importance to the progress and development of the state".
"The bill is an anti-corruption and other connected matters. His Excellency has made it a special case for the speedy passage of this important bill in order to make the state economically viable and stable",
Rt. Hon Abubakar Suleiman appreciated and commended Governor Bala Mohammed for his leadership qualities, ability to maintain the existing cordial relationship between the Legislature and Executive, as well as the Judiciary which, he described, as interesting, inspiring and exceptional.
Assenting to the bill passed into law by the Assembly, Governor Bala said that the state government is not witch-hunting anybody, rather it deemed fit to create institution, and set precedence for accountability in the state.
Senator Bala Mohammed stated, "I am really delighted to sign this bill into law, coming from the background of what the Rt. Hon Speaker has said about our journey as a state and our vision, and of course our challenges as sub-national within the federation of Nigeria".
"Where we know our problems and challenges, our communities and peculiarities, governance structure and challenges that we are facing in terms of enhancing productivity, postering patriotism and nationalism, at the same time making sure we are driven by efficiency and the rule of law".
The Governor recalled that the state government recently has a lot of issues with regards to the previous law which in it has anti-corruption elements, inspire which a citizen took the state government to court, and a judgement obtained.
He positioned, "We are still in the Federal Court of Appeal. We feel that we must respect the rule of law, we must respect the judgment of the Federal High Court, and the process at the Federal Court of Appeal".
Mohammed said however that they cannot be stampeded or discourage not to do their jobs as leaders of the various tiers in the state, including the Assembly, stressing "We cannot wait until these long processes are concluded before we are able to enforce discipline, respect for the rule of law, transparency and accountability".
"So we approach the State Assembly, and we discussed with our cabinet to come up with this law which is specifically tagged, 'Public Complaints and Accountability Commission with the responsibility for investigating fraud, embezzlement and financial infractions relating to finances and assets of government and other related there to".
Governor further explained that his administration is conscious of its responsibilities where it discovered alot of leakages and miscellaneous that need to be work hard to curtail them, believing that it is a trust taken from God the Almighty.
"And we don't have anything against anybody, but certainly whoever infract or done something that is out.
