Try Corrupt Local Govt Chairmen, Now!

The Rivers State House of Assembly on Monday April 26, this year ordered the immediate removal from office, the Chairman of Okrika local government council, Mr. Tamunobelema Datoru. The resolution followed a Vote which adopted report of the judicial panel which had investigated and confirmed allegations of misappropriation of council funds, leveled against him by the legislative arm of the Council.

The  panel, headed by Hon. Justice Emmanuel Ogbuji had in its report to the Assembly held that Mr. Datoru, while, in office mutilated, altered and amended the 2008 Annual/Supplementary budget of Okrika local government council without the consent of the legislative arm.

After carefully considering oral and physical evidence as well as hearing  the arguments of the counsels to both the Petitioners and the Respondent, in the matter, the panel ruled that the former Okrika Council Chairman’s action amounted to gross misconduct as defined by section 13 (11) of the State Local government law, 1999 (No. 3) 2000.

The Tide commends the Judicial Panel for the thorough manner they conducted the investigation and the House, for the high sense of responsibility displayed, as amply demonstrated by the timely vote ordering removal of the Chairman. We say so, because we believe that Mr. Datoru’s removal will serve as a lesson to all those who may view  public office as a gold-mine and thus pursue plans and projects grounded in financial recklessness and fiscal indiscretion.

It is indeed worrisom to learn the Panel and the Assembly found the former Okrika Council Chairman culpable on a whooping 13 grounds of  gross misconduct  leveled against him. Top and very easily the most fundamental to the petition is the willful alteration and mutilation of an important legal document like the 2008  Annual/supplementary Budget through the amendment from N30 million  to N120 million the cost of the ATC pavilion in order to cover up an obvious fraud, an act which the panel considered very unlawful

The Tide considers the action as forgery and the collective findings on the Okrika Council Chairman, most regrettable, shameful and indeed condemnable. Such fiscal rascality must be viewed as most despicable in the light of on-going efforts to check corruption in the local government system, geared towards brining dividends of democracy nearer to the rural people.

The other time it was a case of misappropriation of funds against the former chairman of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni local government council, now it is the turn of the Okirka Council.  Curiously, these two cases and the indictment of many others, in our view, suggest an increasing level of corruption, financial recklessness and power drunkenness sweeping through some of the local government councils.

This is completely unacceptable. The Tide therefore urges the State House of Assembly to not merely sack such rogue Council chief executives but also ensure their timely prosecution for the recovery of such ill-gotten public funds for development of the rural people. Infact, all others either indicted or still being investigated should in the end, be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to other  public officers who still see political office as an opportunity to amass ill-gotten wealth.

The state legislature we dare add, should muster much needed strong political will to pursuing this renewed anti-corruption war and if possible to take another hard-look at the Cookey Gam report which recently exonerated only nine of the 23 local government council chairmen and others  indicted for poor service delivery, fiscal irresponsibility and even graft.

The Tide commends the law-makers and urge them to continue their positive over-sight duties if they are to successfully check corruption because none will, in the end share the possible  shame of failure of the  councils as much as the Assembly would, under whose supervision the third tier of government falls. That is why The Tide recommends that all those indicted be thoroughly investigated and tried, sack is not enough.