By
Babangida Galleon
Adamawa state governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri has called on commissioners and permanent secretaries to be cost conscious in their various offices and roles as top government officials of his Administration.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri made the call during a keynote address while declaring open, the retreat for commissioners and permanent secretaries in the state with the theme consolidating on the good governance: issues and perspectives for Adamawa State held in Yola the Adamawa state capital.
Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri Said he will not hesitate to reject memos which seek to plunge the state into bankruptcy, emphasizing that in order to mitigate corruption and demolish any influence that might tempt the government officials into unwholesome practices, adding that his administration has introduced a presentation on understanding the procurement process and the Adamawa State Procurement Law.
“Anyone who is found wanting in his or her capacity as a government official will not only be shown the way out but would be prosecuted.’’
Governor Fintiri said at each point he had the opportunity to speak to the government officials, he uses that opportunity to remind them that even though they have emerged from various quarters through collective decision, their total loyalty must be to the people they have sworn to serve and they should not forget that they have sworn to serve an administration that has pledged to entrench core values which include transparency, accountability, justice, fairness, selflessness, humility, discipline, forgiveness, reconciliation, integration, peace and unity in the State.
“You have joined the ranks of ambassadors and agents of the change the people voted for. This therefore means that in everything we do or say as government officials, we must always remember that we are only custodians/trustees of the people’s mandate and that the actual owners of the mandate – the good people of Adamawa are watching us. We cannot afford to fail them.”
While reminding them of the campaign promises made, the governor called on all ministries to in to the administration’s reform drive, reminding them that every Ministry, Department or Agency is a potential revenue source in the achievement of this vision urging them to ensure that all revenue generated through government activities and transactions are remitted into the State account through the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
The governor reiterated that this administration is recommitted to consolidating on the gains of good governance, a work it has started with the desired strength and clarity of purpose where no one is left behind and nothing is left untouched, adding that it has recalibrated its eight point agenda to Security of Life & Property, Education & Human Capital Development, Healthcare & Human Services, Urban Renewal & Rural Infrastructure, Urban & Rural Mass Transportation, Agricultural Production, Value Chain Development & Food Security, Urban & Rural Water Supply., and Environment & Climate Change.
He therefore advised the commissioners and permanent secretaries to take the retreat very serious as the administration awaited positive feedback at the end for the growth and development of Adamawa state.
Earlier In his welcome address, the secretary to the state government, Auwal Tukur said the essence of organizing the retreat was to enable the government officials to collectively contribute positively towards the Adamawa state the people of Adamawa state required and desired.
In his good will message, the chief of staff government house, Doctor Edgar Amos who spoke on behalf of the organizing committee, thanked the state government and its partners for the retreat noting that the retreat was timely and will also go a long way in making Adamawa state great.
The two days retreat for the commissioners and permanent secretaries in Adamawa state was organized by the state government with support from the United States agency for international development, USAID and GIZ.