Bauchi State Government has said that it judiciously applied the bailout funds from the Federal Government to pay workers’ salaries and entitlements.

Media Adviser to the State Governor, Mr. Yakubu Mohammed, said this morning in a statement that contrary to the rumour that Governor Mohammed Abubakar squandered the money, “the bailout fund was used for the purpose for which the money was released by the Federal Government.”

He said it was untrue that a presidential investigative team was due in the state to verify the alleged misappropriation of the funds by the State Government.

According to him, “It is untrue that a presidential investigative team will visit Bauchi on account of non-payment of salaries occasioned by the misuse of bailout funds. This is false and a move designed by mischief makers to put the administration of Governor Abubakar in disrepute.”

Continuing, Mr. Mohammed stated: “For the records, Bauchi State received the sum of N8,609,100,000.00 and used 8,521,100,000.00 to off-set backlogs of salaries. This process was started by Governor Abubakar even before the idea of bailouts to states was conceived.”

While commending the efforts of the governor in ridding the state of corruption, especially in the civil service, the spokesman said: “What is happening is a subtle blackmail by some powerful individuals in the state who are not comfortable with the ongoing staff verification and a fight to stop corruption in government to paint the administration of Governor Abubakar in bad light.”

He stressed that “there is no blackmail or intimidation from any quarter that will derail the good governance policy of the present administration from delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Bauchi State.”

•Photo shows Governor Abubakar.

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