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Re-Inventing Our Local Government Councils
The introduction of Federal State and Local government system of administration in Nigeria is to ensure national development and cohesion as well as promote socio-economic and political transformation of the country.
And of all the constituents of the federating units, the local government administration is key and vehicle for bringing governance and development closer to the grassroots as more than 80 per cent of the entire population resides in the rural areas.
It was in recognition of the importance of local government administration in the development agenda of the country that successive federal administrations, since independence in 1960 created 774 local government councils across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Therefore, the need to stimulate good governance, proper development agenda and healthy competition among the local government councils in the country cannot be over-emphasized.
It is against this backdrop that the best performing local government award organized by the Senate committee on states and local government administration is timely and a welcome development.
To be precise, the committee on November 7, 2009 at Ladi Kwali Conference Hall of Sheratoon Hotel and Towers, Abuja for the first time since the institution of democracy, ten years ago in the country honoured some local government chairmen in the 36 states of the federation for distinguishing themselves in projects execution and transparent local government administration in 2009.
According to the committee, the awardees were selected and subsequently nominated after due assessment tour and project inspection of local government councils in the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
At the end of the exercise, 160 out of 774 local government councils emerged as winners of the award in different categories across the geo-political zones of the country.
Going by the Senate Committee’s score-card, it was obvious that the rest 614 local government councils in the country could not justify federal government’s budgetary allocations to the said council within the period under review.
For example in Rivers State, five local government councils were considered for the award and were respectively honoured.
They include, Gokana, Obio/Akpor, Asari Toru, Okrika and Ahoada East Local Government Councils respectively while the remaining 18 local government councils were classified and declared non-performing or below average.
In a similar exercise in Rivers State, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi constituted Local Government Project Assessment Committee headed by one time Secretary to the State Government, Dame Aleruchi Cookey-Gam.
The aim of the exercise is to ensure that the federal government budgetary allocation as well as tax payers’ money were prudently utilized in the 23 local government councils in Rivers State.
Apparently, the committee has concluded its assignment and forwarded the findings to the state government for proper action.
In fact, feelers from the Cookey-Gam’s Committee indicate that all is not well with majority of the local government councils in the state.
It was reliably gathered that the report submitted by the committee after critical assessment of programme and projects either executed or completed by the 23 local government councils in Rivers State shows that majority were rated below average while few came above average.
Angered by the development, Rivers State governor, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi recently told journalists in Port Harcourt that many of the council chairmen in the state would soon explain what they have done with the federal government allocations to the councils.
Inasmuch as one is not holding brief for Rivers State government and, indeed, various political parties, especially Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), one believes that the score-cards of 774 local government chairmen as evidenced in the report of Senate Committee on States and local government administration and that of Local Government Assessment Committee of Rivers State have provided a platform for benchmarking the political viability or otherwise of the chairmen.
One would therefore suggest that those of them below average should not be allowed to contest future elective positions.
By so doing, the much talked about fight against corruption and promotion of transparency and accountability in governance as well as prudent management of public funds could be achieved.
In the light of the above, we salute the courage and determination of Rivers State government and Senate Committee on States and local government administration for kick-starting probity and transparency in governance at the grassroots level.
Nwankwo is editor’s guest.
Goodluck Ukwe
President Bola Tinubu has approved the nomination of four new members to the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement yesterday, said the appointment is to fill existing vacancies and strengthen the board’s capacity.
The statement said the approved nominees are Mr. Olusegun Omosehin of the National Insurance Commission and Engr. Wole Ogunsanya of the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria.
Tinubu also endorsed the nomination of Sam Onyechi, who represents the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum and Barrister Owei Oyanbo from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
The President encouraged the new members to leverage their expertise and dedication to enhance local content development within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
It added, “The nominations arose from the exit of previous institutional representatives from the Governing Council.
“The NCDMB Governing Council, established under Section 69 of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, comprises representatives from key institutions.
“These include the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, the Nigerian Content Consultative Forum, and the National Insurance Commission.”
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has announced plans to construct additional hostels, rehabilitate roads, and enhance power supply in the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT).
NDDC’s Managing Director, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, disclosed this during a visit to the commission’s headquarters in Port Harcourt, yesterday by a delegation from the UNIPORT’s Governing Council.
Ogbuku stated that the NDDC had committed to upgrading facilities at UNIPORT as part of efforts to foster partnership with educational institutions across the Niger Delta.
According to him, the implementation of additional projects at the university forms part of a broader strategy to improve education standards in the region.
“Aside from the construction of new hostel blocks and installation of a 300 KVA solar inverter system, the NDDC will also facilitate more projects in the university.
“The commission will also deploy its engineers to assess the condition of UNIPORT’s roads and hostels for potential rehabilitation,” he said.
Ogbuku noted that upon completion, the projects would add to various initiatives previously undertaken by the commission at the university.
“These and other projects reflect our commitment to actualising President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda in the Niger Delta region,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NDDC’s dedication to fostering development and strengthening partnerships across the region.
Earlier, Sen. Mao Ohuanbunwa, Chairman of UNIPORT’s Governing Council, who led the delegation commended the current leadership of the NDDC for its achievements in accelerating development in the Niger Delta.
He highlighted the university’s infrastructural challenges, noting that it lacked adequate facilities to accommodate its growing student population, and appealed for the NDDC’s support in addressing the shortfall.
“Currently, UNIPORT has a total student population of about 50,000, while its hostel accommodation capacity can only cater for 5,000 students.
“We therefore urge the NDDC to assist in the construction of additional hostels, improve transportation facilities, and facilitate the acquisition of gas turbines to enhance power supply for our students,” Ohuanbunwa pleaded.
The Vice Chancellor of UNIPORT, Prof. Owunari Georgewill, commended NDDC for its impactful projects across the Niger Delta and extended an invitation to the commission to participate in the institution’s forthcoming 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Senate has rejected a motion to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters after the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu.
Nwosu presided over the June 12, 1993, presidential election, which was truncated by the former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (rtd).
The election which was won by the late business mogul, Chief MKO Abiola, was adjudged to be the freest and fairest in the electoral history of Nigeria.
The motion to rename INEC after Nwosu was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe yesterday after lawmakers threw it out last Wednesday.
Abaribe called for posthumous national honours to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
However, the proposal sparked a heated debate once again, with lawmakers deeply divided over Nwosu’s legacy.
Senator Osita Ngwu acknowledged that Nwosu operated under a military regime, which restricted his ability to announce the results.
He argued that “there was no way he would have announced the results with a gun to his head. That doesn’t change the fact that some of us see him as a hero.”
Senator Austin Akobundu, however, described it as most uncharitable for lawmakers to dismiss Nwosu’s contributions, insisting that he deserved a place in Nigeria’s hall of honour.
On the other hand, several senators like Senator Jimoh Ibrahim dismissed the idea outright, questioning why the Senate should honour someone who failed to announce the results insisting that “nothing should be named after him”.
Senator Cyril Fasuyi argued that history does not reward efforts, but only results.
“As long as he did not announce the result, whether under duress or not, I am against naming INEC headquarters after him,” he submitted.
Also, Senator Sunday Karimi criticised Nwosu for lacking the courage to speak out, while Senator Afolabi Salisu warned that immortalising him would undermine the memory of MKO Abiola, the widely accepted winner of the June 12, 1993, annulled election.
“Any attempt to do anything beyond a one-minute silence is to rubbish Abiola’s legacy,” he tendered.
After intense deliberation, most senators rejected the motion through a voice vote.
They, however, agreed to honour him with a one-minute silence and extend condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other prayers to immortalise Nwosu.