In what it described as restructuring, the Kaduna State Government on Sunday announced the sacking of 4,776 district and village heads. It said that the decision was sequel to the recommendations of the committee saddled with the task of reviewing the number of district and village heads. The government said that the implementation of the report would lead to reorganisation in 77 districts and villages of the state.

The state Commissioner for Local Government, Jafaru Sani, stated this at a press conference held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna, on Sunday. The number of districts in the state increased to 390 with the creation of 313 districts. Sani said the restructuring was done to reduce the financial burden imposed on the state’s local government councils by the numerous district heads.

He said reducing the financial burden of the councils would enable them to undertake capital projects and deliver the dividends of democracy to the masses. Before carrying out the current restructuring, the commissioner said the state government consulted the Kaduna State Council of Chiefs which eventually endorsed the exercise.

He noted that the creation of more districts from 2001 increased the number of district heads along with increased personnel cost, saying the district offices added more than 2,700 employees.

The Punch