By Ibrahim Muhammad
Jigawa State Governor, Malam Umar Namadi, has warned local government chairmen in the state against unnecessary absenteeism, saying the government will take appropriate action against those who fail to remain at their duty posts.
The governor issued the warning after paying surprise visits to some local government secretariats, where he discovered that the chairmen and senior officials were absent from their offices.
Governor Namadi expressed dismay over the situation, stressing that local government chairmen were elected to serve the people and must remain accessible to their constituents.
He said the councils were the closest tier of government to the grassroots, making the presence of chairmen essential for effective administration and prompt response to the needs of the people.
According to him, the chairmen are responsible for driving the affairs of their respective councils and cannot effectively discharge their duties by administering the councils virtually or from outside their local government areas.
The governor said he would summon all the 27 local government chairmen for a meeting, where he would warn them against unnecessary travels and absenteeism.
“Local government councils are the closest government to the grassroots. The chairmen must remain on ground and listen to the demands of the people for necessary action,” he said.
Governor Namadi further warned that the state government would not tolerate what he described as undemocratic behaviour, adding that necessary measures would be taken against any chairman who fails to perform his responsibilities.
He recalled that during the swearing-in of the 27 local government chairmen in 2025, he had similarly cautioned them against absenteeism and administering their councils from outside the secretariat.
