Former Governor of Kogi state, Captain Idris Wada has counseled his successor in office, Governor Yahaya Bello to focus on pressing issues affecting the state.
Wada, in a chat with our reporter on Saturday, chided Bello for blaming past administrations for his failure, adding that it is a sign of incompetence.
Reacting to Bello’s allegation, in a state broadcast to mark Nigeria’s independence on Thursday, that his administration is bogged down by inherited N50billion salary arrears, the former Governor wondered why his successor is engaging in cheap propaganda.
Wada said it is sad that Bello chose to embark on blame game and outright lies when it is on record that the N50.8billion bailout his administration applied for was fully paid to the incumbent Governor.
“The N50billion bailout fund we applied for was to clear salary arrears of local government workers but it was not released during my tenure. The fund was, however, released to Bello but he refused to use it for the purposes for which it was intended.
“There are more pressing and important issues at hand begging for urgent attention than to engage in blame game for your incompetence.
“It is on record that no administration has exposed the state to more debts than the present administration which had subjected the state to a debt burden of about N120 billion without considering whether or not the state has the capacity.
“Every action we took when I was there concerning the finances of the state were subjected to serious scrutiny and debate unlike the present scenario when they just take decision without proper analysis.
“We know our limitations in terms of exposing the state to debt burden. We knew we cannot compete with Lagos or Rivers states in terms of borrowing, that was why we limited ourselves to what we have the capacity to borrow, but the present administration have gone ahead to expose the state beyond her capacity and that is unfortunate,” he said.
Wada advised Bello to concentrate on current challenges faced by the people of the state. The expressed worries over the sad tales coming from the state as flood continue to sack communities and impede movement within the state capital.
“When I hear that vehicles, travellers and residents are stranded in Ganaja road and unable to cross, I feel bad and I think that should be the major concern of any government, not to be engaging in frivolity of blame game and outright propaganda.
“My administration commenced work on the Ganaja-Otokiti bye pass and the Kabawa embankment projects. If these projects had been completed, the agony people are facing now would have been a thing of the past. Rather than address issues that had to do with the people’s welfare, the present administration, five years after, is still engaged in blame games.”
