Re-Inventing Our Local Government Councils

The introduction of Federal State and Local government system of administration in Nigeria is to ensure national development and cohesion as well as promote socio-economic and political transformation of the country.
And of all the constituents of the federating units, the local government administration is key and vehicle for bringing governance and development closer to the grassroots as more than 80 per cent of the entire population resides in the rural areas.
It was in recognition of the importance of local government administration in the development agenda of the country that successive federal administrations, since independence in 1960 created 774 local government councils across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Therefore, the need to stimulate good governance, proper development agenda and healthy competition among the local government councils in the country cannot be over-emphasized.
It is against this backdrop that the best performing local government award organized by the Senate committee on states and local government administration is timely and a welcome development.
To be precise, the committee on November 7, 2009 at Ladi Kwali Conference Hall of Sheratoon Hotel and Towers, Abuja for the first time since the institution of democracy, ten years ago in the country honoured some local government chairmen in the 36 states of the federation for distinguishing themselves in projects execution and transparent local government administration in 2009.
According to the committee, the awardees were selected and subsequently nominated after due assessment tour and project inspection of local government councils in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
At the end of the exercise, 160 out of 774 local government councils emerged as winners of the award in different categories across the geo-political zones of the country.
Going by the Senate Committee’s score-card, it was obvious that the rest 614 local government councils in the country could not justify federal government’s budgetary allocations to the said council within the period under review.
For example in Rivers State, five local government councils were considered for the award and were respectively honoured.
They include, Gokana, Obio/Akpor, Asari Toru, Okrika and Ahoada East Local Government Councils respectively while the remaining 18 local government councils were classified and declared non-performing or below average.
In a similar exercise in Rivers State, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi constituted Local Government Project Assessment Committee headed by one time Secretary to the State Government, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam.
The aim of the exercise is to ensure that the federal government budgetary allocation as well as tax payers’ money were prudently utilized in the 23 local government councils in Rivers State.
Apparently, the committee has concluded its assignment and forwarded the findings to the state government for proper action.
In fact, feelers from the Cookey-Gam’s Committee indicate that all is not well with majority of the local government councils in the state.
It was reliably gathered that the report submitted by the committee after critical assessment of programme and projects either executed or completed by the 23 local government councils in Rivers State shows that majority were rated below average while few came above average.
Angered by the development, Rivers State governor, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi recently told journalists in Port Harcourt that many of the council chairmen in the state would soon explain what they have done with the federal government allocations to the councils.
Inasmuch as one is not holding brief for Rivers State government and, indeed, various political parties, especially Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one believes that the score-cards of 774 local government chairmen as evidenced in the report of Senate Committee on States and local government administration and that of Local Government Assessment Committee of Rivers State have provided a platform for benchmarking the political viability or otherwise of the chairmen.
One would therefore suggest that those of them below average should not be allowed to contest future elective positions.
By so doing, the much talked about fight against corruption and promotion of transparency and accountability in governance as well as prudent management of public funds could be achieved.
In the light of the above, we salute the courage and determination of Rivers State government and Senate Committee on States and local government administration for kick-starting probity and transparency in governance at the grassroots level.
Nwankwo is editor’s guest.

Goodluck Ukwe