FACT-CHECK: The Truths, half-truths and lies presented by Gov. Fintiri at media parley.
Media chat by government officials has for the past 57 years served as a platform for Presidents and governors to preach unity highlight their achievements and announce plans for the future.
Yet, most of those speeches are often laced with falsehoods or half-truths. Gov Umaru Ahmad Fintiri was criticised for its inconsistencies his 2019 state maiden broadcast today.
While Gov. Fintiri promised a break from all ills of the past, he has been caught with unsubstantiated claims since assuming office in 2019.
In his December 24, 2019 address, the governor falsely claimed that his government inherited rots from previous government and he is gradually fixing it. He also incorrectly stated that he inherited 115 billion naira loan from previous government.
Not all of the governor’s claims in the speech, his maiden address, were deceptive, however. To separate fact from fiction, THE FINDER is examining top 10 claims made by the governor few hours ago.
Claim One
“”We have to cut cost to be able to pay salaries without necessarily seeking for bank overdraft. We’ve been doing so, successfully too, since we assumed office in May, 2019,” Mr. Fintiri said.
“We have to cut cost to be able to pay salaries without necessarily seeking for bank overdraft. We’ve been doing so, successfully too, since we assumed office in May, 2019,” Fintiri said.
Verdict: True. THE FINDER investigation reveals the Gov. Fintiri achieved this feat due to the mass sacking of civil servants on the alibi of due process, as large chunk of the work force employed and paid by his predecessor, Senator Bindow was relieved of their appointments and that singular action of Fintiri impoverish those affected and reduce financial burden of the state government to the barest minimum and so no need of using over draft for now, however there is an understanding with the Banks to effect payment to workers if FAAC committee meeting is delay.
Claim 2: Again Gov. Fintiri claimed that he inherited 115 billion naira loan from Bindow
Verdict: false, the governors claimed on inheriting the 115 billion naira loan from Bindow’s government alone is inconsistent as the state debt profile according to debt management office stand about 94 billion naira and most of this debt predate Bindow’s tenure as the governor of the state.
This claim is therefore rated false.
Claim 3: LGA could settle the salaries without any stress; local government workers, traditional institutions and workers with the primary health care and primary schools in addition to initiating capital projects.
“There was no local government administration and management system. It’s illogical and unconstitutional to entrust public resources in the hands of those who were not decided upon by the community, now that local governments are independent of the state.
Based on this, I constituted tasted and trusted local government caretaker committees, which run for six months before the LG elections. “Check it out, I’m the only first term governor that has conducted successful local government elections,” Fintiri challenged.
Verdict: false. Most of the local government in Adamawa state today find it difficult to pay salary to workers especially the minimum wage that is currently been paid in piece meal to the state government workers.
For instance a level 9 officer with the local government still take salary of level six, despite the governor’s claim of initiating capital projects to the detriment of paying promotion arrears and full implementation of the minimum wage to workers.
Claim 4: “You can imagine SSCE, NCE and Diploma certificate holders, were employed as lecturers in State Polytechnic SPY Yola.
Verdict: False. No SSCE, NCE and diploma holders were employed as lecturer in the state polytechnic, the only issue raised by the visitation panel setup by Fintiri himself show that a third class graduate was employed as lecturer not SSCE holder as claimed by the governor.
Moreover the much touted election by the governor was not successful as claimed by Fintiri as the election was selection not election as voting materials was not distributed to many of the council areas in the state, also issue of intimidation and falsification of result was also witness.
Claim 5: Fintiri technically denied that registration fees were collected from students under already declared entirely free education.
“Whoever is alleging that he was asked to pay school fees should produce the receipt of payment. We’ll deal decisively with the principal because it’s criminal,”
Verdict: False. Although the previous government of his predecessor only allowed the payment of 650 naira in public school especially primary schools, no better fees was collected as school fee under Bindow’s administration, investigation reveals that same 650 naira is still being collected under Fintiri’s watch.