The Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has presented 17 and 24 brand new SUVs to commissioners and members of the state House of Assembly respectively.
The Director-General Press Affairs, Ismail Uba Misilli, in a statement said the vehicles were presented to the commissioners in a brief ceremony at the Government House.
Governor Yahaya explained that the vehicles are to help the commissioners in the execution of their duties, “while serving as a compliment to the prestige attached to their respective offices.”
The governor added that he had extended a similar gesture to the lawmakers, in order to enable them carry out their oversight functions and effectively participate in governance.
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He observed that the current trend of inflation and depreciation in the value of the naira presupposed the need for the government to be prudent through the reduction in the cost of governance, but with maximum performance in the art of governance.
Governor Yahaya underscored the importance of government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) having utility vehicles for them to function effectively and efficiently.
“These (vehicles) are public assets, and we must handle them as we handle our own property. We have to show leadership by example. It is when you lead that others follow, and you must lead from the front.
“So, I urge you to look after the vehicles properly, manage them properly, and ensure that you utilise them for public service,” he said.
The governor warned that the state government reserved the right to withdraw and return to the ministry any vehicle found to br engaged in activities other than the ones it was originally meant to serve.
The Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Zubair Muhammad Umar, expressed gratitude to Governor Yahaya for presenting them with the vehicles, noting that the gesture would go a long way towards assisting them in discharging their duties.
The commissioner assured the governor that they would manage the vehicles efficiently.
Daily Trust learnt that the vehicles were purchased amidst the current economic hardship due to removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government.
Our correspondent reports that workers under the local government service are yet to start receiving the new minimum wage, being enjoyed by the state civil servants since 2020.
However, following the removal of the subsidy, Governor Yahaya had introduced N10,000 as palliative for both the state and local government employees.
Although, pensioners were left out in the ‘palliative,’ as some retirees still collect the sum of N7,000 as their monthly pension.
