‘Godfatherism Bane Of LG Administration’

The Edo Deputy Governor, Dr Pius Odubu, on Saturday attributed the underdevelopment of local council areas to godfathers who were being serviced with funds meant for its development.

Represented by the Commissioner for Chieftaincy and Local Government Affairs, Mr. Victor Enoghama, Odubu stated this at Igarra Edo during the commissioning of projects executed by the Akoko-Edo Local Government Council.

The deputy governor said that money allocated to local governments was enough to change the lives of the people but for the activities of the godfathers, the situation of the people remained pathetic.

He said the only way that could be stopped was by not allowing imposition of candidates to run the affairs of the local government by the so called “Godfathers”

He added that suitable and qualified candidates, chosen by the people must be allowed to run the affairs of not just council areas but other political positions for the people to enjoy democratic dividends.

Odubu therefore urged the chairman to channel council funds into the betterment of the lives of the rural people.

“The government wants to be seen commissioning projects that would enhance the lives of the people. We want to see physical projects, not spiritual ones (projects that are only visible on papers).

“Time for servicing godfathers with council fund is over; you must complement the effort of the state government by channelling these funds into people oriented projects,” he stressed.

Ealier in his address, the Akoko-Edo council boss, Mr Akinola Agbaje, who acknowledged that government existed primarily to provide for the welfare of the people, said he had no choice than to do just that.

Agbaje, who is on acting capacity, said he was poised to remove the scourge of poverty and frustration from the people of the locality.

The projects commissioned were the projects faulted by the state government and executed by the ousted chairman of the council Johnson Emasealu.

Meanwhile, the commission of inquiry set up to look into the Emasealu’s tenure on Friday submitted its repot to the state government, where most of the projects executed were said to have been done in a shoddy manner.

It will be recalled that Emasealu was removed from office by the state governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole in February 2010.