The Chairman of the Elder’s Forum within the Borno Fish Marketers and Producers Association, Bukar Shettima recently urged Governor Babagana Umara Zulum to intervene in a persistent crisis plaguing the association.
Speaking at the NUJ Press Centre in Maiduguri, Shettima voiced concerns over the prolonged tenure of the current chairman, Abatcha Mandalama, and his executive members, who have reportedly held onto power for over two decades without conducting regular elections as mandated by the association’s constitution.
According to Shettima, efforts to address the crisis through a congress meeting were thwarted by Mandalama, allegedly with the assistance of law enforcement.
Shettima accused Mandalama of stifling dissent and preventing members from discussing the issues at hand.
Shettima stated, “They don’t want us to talk; they have been in power for over 20 years, which is against the constitution of the association. We want elections to be conducted; if they win, we don’t have a problem. We know they don’t want to step down because they’re collecting revenue from members, and there’s no accountability for the money collected.”
He emphasized the necessity of conducting elections to ensure democratic governance within the association, highlighting concerns about financial accountability under the current leadership.
Shettima alleged that Mandalama’s administration has been collecting revenue from members for years without transparency or proper oversight, suggesting that funds intended for the association’s activities might not be utilized appropriately.
He called upon Governor Zulum to intervene promptly to mitigate further confusion and prevent the situation from escalating.
