Group Advocates Four-Year- Term For LG Elected Officers

A political pressure group, the South-South Youth Consultative Enlightenment and Mobilisation Council  (SSYCEMOC), has called for the extension of the councillors and local government council chairmen in the country to four years.
National Publicity Director of SSYCEMOC, Comrade Chris Nnodim, made the call in an interview with our correspondent Friday in Port Harcourt.
Nnodim said by extending the tenure of representatives at the third tier government to four years, the administration would have more time to drive development to the grassroot.
The group spokesman said it is unfair for the first two tiers, the federal and state, to operate a four-year term only for the third tier government which is closest to the rural people to be confined to three years.
“ How did they arrive at three years for the local government and four years for federal and state in the first place?
“ Most Presidents and governors in the country do not even see the  fours years as enough period to deliver the much they have, hence the penchant for second term then they confine local government administration to three years”.
Nnodim further explained that shortfall of a year in the tenure of council administration created unnecessary vacuum which governors capitalise on to to appoint caretaker , noting that the caretaker system is undemocratic.
He  urged the National Assembly to review the section of the local government law with the view of keeping it at par with the other two tiers.
According to him , it is time we begin to critically re-examine our local government system to find out why it is not effective in delivering desired benefit to Nigerians in the rural areas.

Chris Oluoh