The outgoing chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State, Isyaku Akilu Kuta, has accused Governor Umar Bago of denying him the autonomy needed to effectively carry out his duties, claiming that if he curses the governor, “it will catch up with him.”
Kuta made the remarks during a farewell reception held in Kuta, the headquarters of Shiroro LGA, where he thanked residents for their support throughout his tenure.
According to the outgoing chairman, his performance was severely limited due to the lack of autonomy, which hindered him from securing appointments for residents or implementing meaningful development projects.
“But because of wickedness and cheating from our leader as a council chairman of Shiroro Local Government Area for years, I couldn’t even secure a single pensionable appointment for my people. And people are saying I should be patient and forgiven,” Kuta lamented.
He recalled his previous experience as a ward councillor, noting that he had successfully secured appointments for 37 people, contrasting sharply with the limitations he faced as council chairman.
“My goals as a council chairman out of 100 percent, I couldn’t achieve even 30 percent,” he added, highlighting that even his personal and administrative needs were unmet due to constraints imposed on his office.
Kuta criticised the governor for blocking access to essential resources, stating, “Chairmanship is a responsibility assigned to me by the people and I must be given a way to deliver my responsibilities diligently. And a leader is there in the state sitting on my responsibilities denying me resources to deliver. This is very painful.”
He said his central priorities had been to tackle insecurity and create jobs, pointing out that in three years, Shiroro produced over 3,000 graduates, yet no employment opportunities were created, while more than 600 civil servants retire each year.
SaharaReporters gathered that Governor Bago allocates only N10 million monthly to council chairmen, in addition to N5 million for security votes, and has taken over the payment of council civil servants, covering salaries for both state and council employees.
The swearing-in of newly elected council chairmen is scheduled for December 12, 2025, following the November 1 local government elections, in which all 25 councils were won by candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Kuta concluded his address with a sharp denunciation of the injustices he experienced during his tenure:
“God punished whoever said I should forgive. You cheated the insiders (council chairmen) and you as well cheated the outsiders too,” he said.
Despite a July 2024 Supreme Court ruling granting local governments full financial and administrative autonomy, Niger State councils continue to operate under limited budgets, with insufficient funds affecting day-to-day administration, payment of casual staff, security operations, and basic overhead costs.
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