Council boss blames poor performance on inherited liabilities, litigations
NAN-H-117
Liability
By Monday Ijeh
Abuja, May 23, 2017 (NAN) Alhaji Abdullahi Galadima, the Chairman, Kuje Area Council, FCT, has blamed the poor performance of his administration on the huge liabilities inherited from his predecessor.
Galadima stated this in Kuje at a town hall meeting organised to commemorate his one year in office.
He said the handing over note submitted to him during his inauguration indicated that the Council had liability profile of about N1.6 billion.
According to him, of the figure, contractual liability accounts for N631.71 million while three months outstanding salaries account for N259.91 million.
He said severance and furniture allowance was N139.62 million, unremitted pension deductions, N93 million and unremitted salary deductions was N21.46 million of the amount.
The council boss said outstanding salary arrears was N56.80 as well as With Holding Tax of N108.37 million.
Galadima said another challenge that militated the performance of his administration was the numerous litigations it inherited.
“By the end of June, 2016, the council had received 61 litigations pending in various courts of the FCT.
“These include aggrieved contractors, who had taken the Area Council to court due to non-payment of contractual liabilities.
“These numerous litigations incapacitated the administration from discharging its primary function of providing services to the people of Kuje,” he said.
According to him, a total amount of garnishing orders enforced is N71 million and was removed directly from the council’s account by court order.
“The garnishing orders were already ripe for judgment at the inception of our administration, hence the council could not challenge the orders.
“The amount taken by the court orders crippled the running of the council as salaries could not be paid nor dividends of democracy be provided for our teaming electorate,” he said. (NAN)
IMC/AFA
Edited by Felix Ajide