NGO Berates Councillors For Rejecting Forum

Councillors in Gokana and Abua/Odual Local Government Areas in Rivers State, have been berated by stakeholders for shunning the two days good governance forum, recently organised in the LGAs by an NGO, AA Peace Work.

Rivers State Coordinator of the NGO Chief Lucky Dumaa, stated this in an interview with The Tide that, “the councillors as elected representatives at the grassroots were duly served notice of invitation to participate in the two days forum, but non of then turned up”.

Chief Dumaa who commended the high turn out of other participants and stakeholders at the forum, described the conspicuous absence of councilors at the programme as a disservice to democratic tenents, stressing that the forum was a platform for the electorates and the government officials to brains- torm on development issue affecting the grassroots.

He urged the chairman of the two LGAs to ensure that their councilors relate with the people through regular interactive sessions to exchange ideas and raise issues about development and good governance in the LGAs.

A participant at the forum, Uche Mike Chukuma, said the absence of the councilors exposed the level of inaccessibility on the part of most political leaders.

A Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Chukwuma  in Abua/Odual, LGA commended the organisers of the forum and called on all stakeholders in the two LGAs, to give their collective contribution to the development of the local government area.

He also urged the chairman of the two local government areas, to make it mandatory for councilors to attend functions of common interest of the people, as that is the only was they can justify their mandate.

Earlier, the chairman of Gokana local government area, Hon Ledee deenua, had assured that strident measures would be put in place to ensure that the councilors respond to the constitutional responsibilities, which is service to people.

Taneh Beemene