Why Governor Lalong Planned To Sack Top Local Government Officials

Yakubu Busari

Governor Simon Bako Lalong has plotted a twist to sack some top local government staff amidst tension in the third tier of government.

However, information available revealed that the high rate of corruption among the rank and files of the local government system had attracted Gov Lalong to take up measure towards curtailing the situation in the state.

The past government of governor Jonah David Jang also accused them of defrauding government agency for years.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Plateau State, Hon. Dayyabu Garga has explained why some top local government officials in the state were suspended for alleged “financial recklessness”.

The commissioner said that the decision to suspend the affected officials is backed up by a report submitted by an investigation committee set up by former Governor Jonah Jang’s administration to dig into alleged financial recklessness in the local governments.

And that those affected by suspension order, are all the Directors of Personnel Management (DPMs), Directors of Finance and Accounts (DFAs), as well as cashiers of the 17 local governments.

Also suspended are some auditors, some Deputy DPMs, Deputy DFAs and the heads of works and agriculture departments of some of the local governments.

universalrepoters247.com gathered on Wednesday, that the officers were first queried before the suspension, describing the exercise as “inter diction”.

He explained that “the suspended officials were queried, based on their individual responses to the queried had been placed on half salary pending the final determination of their cases.

“We are still investigating individual cases to ascertain the level of involvement of each officer; those cleared will be recalled while those found wanting will be sacked,” he added.

He did not disclose the number of persons affected in the exercise but tentatively said virtually all the seventeen local governments in the state are involved.

He however denied the notion making the round that their suspension was politically motivated.