Taraba State Acting Governor Abubakar Sani Danladi has said he is working hard to recover the government’s funds and property allegedly looted by the sacked Garba Umar administration.
The former acting governor was ousted by the Supreme Court last month.
In a state broadcast in Jalingo, the state capital, the acting governor assured Taraba residents that his administration would restore the state’s glory and dignity.
He urged well-meaning residents to join him in what he called a “noble journey”.
Danladi said Taraba State was in “hard times” because the sacked administration borrowed from banks to pay the salaries of civil servants.
This, he said, had put the state’s indebtedness at over N14 billion.
He said: “The situation had gone so bad that the banks were no longer ready to continue doing so (lending).
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to bring to the knowledge of Taraba people that the state government’s main account with Zenith Bank Plc, which was in good shape as at November 14, 2012, now stands at an overdraft of about N7.7 billion as at November 30, 2014, with November salaries yet to be paid.
“Term loans stood at about N7.2 billion. This brings the state’s indebtedness to about N14.9 billion. The Taraba State Local Government Joint Account is in no better position either. This account is overdrawn by about N700 million monthly.
“You are aware that works on several development projects have stopped. PW Construction Company pulled out of the state several months ago when the government could not meet its payment obligations to it.
“The NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp has been abandoned while the same fate stares the Nursing College project in the face. Even the Jalingo Motel is overgrown by weeds and its workers have not been paid salaries for 11 months.
“The same applies to casual workers engaged by the state government for the cleaning of our roads. They have not been paid for over three months. The state is littered with abandoned projects.”
But the acting governor promised that the state government would function once again.
Danladi said he and members of the State Executive Council (Exco) were reviewing the state of the finances to work out solutions with bankers and ensure that civil servants were paid their salaries.
But he insisted that “prudent financial management shall be the watchword”.
Danladi said: “I want to assure the people of Taraba State that we will do everything within the law to recover the money and property taken away illegally; ensure that stability and accountability return to government processes…”
“Ensure that all projects, including hospitals and schools, abandoned from the time Governor Danbaba Suntai was involved in the plane accident are resuscitated forthwith.
“Ensure that local governments which have been left without finances are functional again, so that they fulfill their obligations to our citizens.”
Speaking on the state of health of ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai, the acting governor said, upon resuming office, he has been consulting with his principal -Danbaba Suntai, and the governor was not doing badly.
“I have met with him several times and I am glad to report that he is in good spirit and wishes that we live (Taraba people) together in peace.
“He has instructed that we should do everything possible to end the cycle of violence in the state,” he said.
