By Patience Santos

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State faced severe criticism following his announcement of appointing 47 media aides. The appointments were made public on his official Twitter handle, which sparked immediate outrage from netizens.

Previously, the Adamawa State House of Assembly had granted the governor approval to appoint 50 special advisers on June 6, 2023. However, Governor Fintiri had been relatively inactive after appointing Mr. Humwashi Wonosikou as press secretary during his inauguration dinner on May 29. His inactivity was attributed to the tragic loss of his cousin, Malama Laraba Mamman, who died in a road crash while traveling to the inauguration.

Among the appointees were two Special Advisers, 10 Senior Special Assistants, 34 Special Assistants on Social Media and Content Creation, and one Special Assistant and Master of Ceremonies for Government Events.

Many netizens criticized the governor for what they considered an act of fiscal recklessness. They questioned the rationale behind appointing such a large number of media aides, especially given the state’s economic challenges. Several individuals on social media pointed out that Adamawa State had a high poverty rate and needed to prioritize financial prudence.

Tweeps like Opeoluwa emphasized the need for fiscal federalism, suggesting that states should be responsible for generating and managing their funds. Chidi Okereke and others criticized the competency of the media team, as they believed they should have advised against such a move. Some commentators remarked on the governor’s lack of awareness of the nation’s current sentiments, given the announcement’s timing and platform.

In light of Adamawa’s significant poverty rate, which ranks 18th in Nigeria according to the 2022 data from the National Bureau of Statistics, the appointment of numerous media aides was deemed questionable and out of touch with the public’s concerns.