The Bauchi State House of Assembly has summoned the chairman, Shira Local Government Area of the state, Mahmud Abba, to appear before its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs on Wednesday, August 18, 2021.
The decision to summon the chairman followed an allegation of auctioning of government property without following due process, levelled against him by the member representing Shira State Constituency in the Assembly, Bello Muazu Shira.
Speaking under matters of urgent public importance, Shira alleged that property belonging to Shira LGA were auctioned by the council without due process, adding that some of such property had been in existence since 1976 when the state was created.
The lawmaker cited examples of an overhead tank constructed in 1980 but auctioned to a person who removed it from where it was placed and a filling station, also built 1980, which was also auctioned.
He, however, urged the House to assist people of the area with a view to ensuring that the auctioned properties were retrieved and returned to them, submitting that some of the property can be fixed and turned to the use of the people, particularly now that the country’s economy is dwindling.
Contributing to the debate on the matter, Saleh Hodi Jibir commended his colleague, Shira for bringing the matter to the attention of the Assembly and submitted that it would be good for the House to investigate how the properties were illegally sold or auctioned.
He, however, said though the issue had become a topic of discussion in the local government area, Shira ought to have consulted him before raising it on the floor of the Assembly since they were both from the same local government area to know what was happening.
He said proper consultation was needed with a view to finding out the reason for the auction, who bought the auctioned property and the procedures followed in the auction to avoid raising false allegations.
On his party, the Majority Leader, Tijjani Muhammad Aliyu, advised that the chairman be summoned by the House to thoroughly investigate the matter.
This was seconded by the member representing Warji State Constituency, Yunusa Ahmed, following which the House summoned the chairman to appear before the Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
