Bandits attacks: More than 50 villages deserted in Niger ― Gov Bello

Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello has said that more than 50 villages across five Local Government Areas of the state have been deserted by the residents.

Governor Bello stated this when he declared open a 2-Day Workshop on strategies for enhancing Internally Generated Revenue of Local Government Councils on Monday in Minna, the state capital.

The governor acknowledged that the workshop was apt, stressing the need for Local Government Councils to look inwards and strengthen Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by expanding the tax net in order to meet the increasing demands in their Local Government Areas in particular and the state in general.

He noted that the present IGR cannot sustain the developmental aspirations of the state, particularly with the security challenges that have bedevilled some parts of the state, highlighting that while the government was making efforts to boost its revenue, it must block leakages, cut down cost, saying, “it will not hesitate to do away with Local Government Employees that are not adding value.”

He added that: “As we speak we have not less than 50 villages deserted across five local governments now. Where do we get the resources to take care of them if 80% of our resources go to those that do not add value to the system?

“Now we have to deal with humanitarian problems and security problems all these require resources that we do not have. So the only way we can survive is to increase our IGR.”

According to him, “at the moment we have over 3,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Minna, apart from other local governments.”

The governor thereby urged participants to be attentive, actively participate and make meaningful contributions that will give them more insight into strategies of enhancing IGR for socioeconomic development at the local government levels.

Also, the Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Muhammad Ahmed Dabban and the Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Nuhu Garba Ngaski in their separate remarks explained that the workshop was organized for Local Government Directors of Administration and Finance, Revenue Officers as well as heads of finance of development areas in Niger State.

They both stated that the workshop was primarily to ensure proper and accurate implementation of financial memoranda, have an internal control system for enhancing revenue collection by the councils, enhance capacity as well as improve the quality of participants in their respective duties among others at the local government levels.

Meanwhile, the Resource Person, Haruna Yahaya, who gave the synopsis of the workshop, said the objectives of the workshop was to ascertain a full understanding of revenue profile, develop comprehensive strategies to ensure enhanced revenue based on each local government and to promote transparency as well as accountability towards proper accounting for the revenue.

He said five papers were expected to be delivered at the workshop.

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