The Political Adviser to the Delta State Governor, Chief Fred Majemite, has suggested higher academic qualification for candidates seeking various elective positions into the local government councils.

Majemite made the suggestion in an interview with newsmen in Asaba recently.

He said that this had become imperative in order to raise the standard of those, who would be occupying various positions in the councils.

He said over the years, premium was not placed on the academic qualifications of those occupying elective positions in the local government councils.

According to the special adviser, some of them vie for positions without knowing what to do in the office.

He explained that higher academic qualifications would sanitise the councils, adding that premium should also be placed on the authenticity of degrees through verification of academic certificates tendered.

Majemite said that there was no need for an increase in the age qualification, because age had nothing to do with performances of political officers.

The political adviser said he was in support of joint state/local government account, because it served as a check on local government management.

He said there was no need for full autonomy of local government administration in Nigeria as some local governments councils did not know what it took to be autonomous.

Majemite also said that the derivation component of revenue allocation should be amended in favour of states, so that the states could get more allocations from the federation account.

He said that the bulk of developmental jobs were done at the state level, as there was no place in the country that did not belong to a state or the other.

He, however, said that states were the major contributor to the resources of the nation and should be allowed to control their resources in the true spirit of fiscal federalism.