Monday, December 26, 2011
Anambra LG poll: waiting for Godot?
SIR: The non conduct of local government election in Anambra State since 1999 has continued to attract wide condemnations not only in the statebut all over the country.
Governor Babaginda Aliyu of Niger State has urged Nigerians to exercise their constitutional rights by forcing out state governors subverting the nation’s constitution by using caretaker committee chairmen to run LG councils areas. He made a particular reference to Anambra state when he stated, “I am made to understand that only nine states have elected councils in the country and about 27 states are yet to conduct election for their local government councils in fact, there is a state that since 1999 has never had election.
Why has Anambra State chosen to work at cross purposes with other state governments when it comes to local government development in the country? No matter their claim over rural development, the essence of creating local government which is to bring governance closer to the people, to preserve heritage and common interests of the communities is already defeated in the state.
The Anambra State government led by Governor Peter Obi has perfected the art of postponing LG poll every year. On December 4 2010, LG election was postponed after nomination fees were collected from aspirants. This year again, the November/December date has become untenable after the chairmanship aspirants paid a whooping N1 million to pick nomination forms. Governor Peter Obi will be advancing all sorts of excuses why council election will not hold in the state ranging from lack of fund, insecurity, new voters card but forgetting that the same challenges were faced by other state governments that conduct LG polls in their states.
According to Professor Titus Eze, the former Anambra state Independent Electoral
Commission, ANSIEC chairman, “this atmosphere is intentionally created to enable them not to hold the council election ad-infinitum. Perhaps, the crux of the matter is huge monthly allocation meant to local government’.
Let Gov. Obi take a cue from Gov. Sullivan Chime of neighbouring Enugu State who has been consistently conducting LG poll without even appointing caretaker committee chairmen.
• Jeff Nkwocha,
Warri, Delta State.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Halt mass sack of LG Chairmen
The Constitution of Nigeria states in Section 7(1): “The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed and, accordingly, the government of every state shall ensure their existence.”
For years, this section has been observed largely in the breach, otherwise how we can reconcile the fact that Anambra State, for example, is yet to conduct LG elections since 1999?
Also, in Bauchi State, the entire 20 LG chairmen were suspended for eight months for an offence that indicted none of them.
In Owerri, similarly, the Court of Appeal has ordered the Abia State Government to reinstate the 17 sacked LG chairmen because they were yet to complete their tenure.
In Kaduna State, the state House of Assembly is set to replace the 17 LG bosses with Sole Administrators, even before the expiration of their tenure in March next year.
The political intrigues in Benue State, coupled with the so-called LG reform, had not only swept 12 LG chairmen out of office but also landed them in the EFCC’s net.
Today, there are no worthy examples of local government councils across the land, even as Governors who have sworn to uphold the Constitution violate section 7 (1) among others, with embarrassing ease.
The tier of government at the grassroots needs to be rescued from extinction. A situation where elected LG chairmen can be sacked by the trio of state governors, state assemblies and the legislative arm of the council areas can no longer be acceptable to Nigerians.
•Jeff Nkwocha
LG Study Network
08030485016
Monday, May 3, 2010
Impeachment of Patani LG chairman in bad fate
Dear Editor,
Impeachment of Patani LG chairman in bad fate
The impeachment of the only female LG chairman in Delta State, Mrs. Josephine Abeki, by the legislative arm of the council was in bad fate. According to the leader of the Legislative council, Mr. AKpor Ebimobowei, the chairman was removed because of her failure to render statement of income, expenditure and annual report to the legislative arm for it to consider in order to ensure accountability and enforce performance ethics.
Mr. Ebimobowei and his co-travelers could only tell this to the marines, they have other reasons other than what they want the world to believed .Right from day one, they were hell-bent to impeach Hon Josephine Abeki.
It is on record that a prominent Nigerian and the President of Ijaw youth council worldwide ( IYC), Dr. Chris Ekiyor had earlier cautioned Patani LG councilors to put an end to their protracted power struggle. Dr. Ekiyor said “the councilors must follow due process in all their demands, they should rise above selfish claims and legislate for the good of the citizens they represent. He added that, “they should respect constituted Authority especially the LG chairman.”
The question now is, how would the councilors selfish demand corroborate with failure of the LG Boss to render income and expenditure account as alleged by the councilors.
We the members of LG study network are calling on the Delta state House of Assembly to investigate the alleged offences of Mrs. Abeki. We have seen cases where an elected LG chairman was removed from office for the simple reason that he fail to approve large sum s of money as Christmas bonus to the councilors.
Punishment for any LG chairman should be in consonance with the law and not at the whim of the members of the legislative arm of the council.
Jeff Nkwocha
LG Study Network
www.nigeria-local-government.blogspot.com
08030485016
Dissolution of LGAs
The House of Representatives reportedly ‘ordered’ the Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, to provide adequate protection for the 16 local government councils’ chairmen sacked by Ekiti State Gov. Kayode Fayemi to return to their offices. The Reps further ‘mandated’ the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Finance Minister to start withholding – “with immediate effect” – funds designated for both Edo and Ekiti states – “and any other state that may toe a similar line” – pending when the governors reverse their decisions to lock-out the chairmen from their offices.
That was how the house of representative reacted to the unconstitutional dissolution of council Areas in Edo and Ekiti state.
It will be recalled that the court of Appeal sitting in Owerri had declared as illegal the dissolution of '2004 LG Regime' by Abia State Government. The judgement stated in clear terms that the elected LG Chairmen and chancillors had not lapsed their tenure in office. The court verdict was greeted with jubilations across the state but little did the people know that a bad precedence had been set in motion by the state Government.
Today, Ondo,Oyo, Edo, Kebbi and Ekiti states have jumped into the bandwagon.
In Ekiti state, Gov. Kayode Fayemi dissolved the 16 LG councils without recourse to the house of Assembly.
According to Chief Bola Olu – Ojo, the state Chairman of PDP, “The governor does not have any constitutional backing in dissolving councils that were legally constituted neither does he have moral and constitutional justification in doing so without recourse to the state House of Assembly.
“’The councils, as it is presently constituted, can not be dissolved without the approval of the two-third members of the state House of Assembly who are presently on official trip to Germany. So, where does he derive the power?”
Olu-Ojo pointed out that it was very sad and unfortunate that Fayemi who used to claim that he is an apostle of rule of law and a human rights crusader has now turned against the law flagrantly without minding the consequences.
He wondered why the mandate given to the 16 local government chairmen and 177 councillors by the people of Ekiti State could just be withdrawn by somebody who swore to defend the country’s constitution.
The party chairman warned Fayemi against actions that could throw Ekiti State into chaos, adding that the party will not accept any illegality and will mobilise against it.
In the same vein, Gov Saidu Dakingasi of Kebbi State did not only dissolve the 21 LG council in the state mid way into their tenure but also defiled court ruling ordering their reinstatement .
It look the Federal Govt. intervention to reinstate the sacked LG chairmen in Ondo state in 2009 while Gov. Adebayo Alao Akala of Oyo State dissolved the council Areas in Oyo state the same day he was inaugurated in may 29 ,2007.
We the members of Local Govt. Study Network are calling on the National Assembly to commence a review of the laws dealing with local government
administration in the nation to see how real autonomy can be granted the third tier of government
Dissolution of Local Govt. Councils midway into their tenure is tantamount to civilian coup d'etat.
Jeff Nkwocha
LG Study Network
www.nigeria-local-government.blogspot.com
08030485016
Friday, April 16, 2010
Hon. Ogieh and Isoko South LG Development.
Hon. Ogieh and Isoko South LG Development.
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to stormy present.
The occasion is piled high with difficulty and we must rise with
the occasion. As our case is new, we must think anew, and act anew.
-------- Abraham Lincoln
In a recent news report, the Delta state Gov. Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has commended the chairman of Isoko South LG, Chief Askia Ogieh for various people oriented projects he has excuted in the council Area.
Uduaghan made this commendation at Oleh, Headquarters of Isoko South LG while commissioning a cassava processing factory built by the council boss. The cassava processing plant which he has successfully executed has the capacity of employing 100 persons with over 500 farm -hands supplying the plant.
Inspite of initial hiccup by the legislative arm of the council in the administration of the local Government, Hon Askia Ogieh has risen up to the occasion to develop Isoko south.
He has constructed a drainage system in Oleh motor park, built chairman”s Quarters, Legislative Building , Water Board Road in Emede with interlock tiles. Rehabilitation of Oleh Abattoir and construction of Toilets and water Boreholes for Ozaha primary school,Oleh and staff of the local Education Authority
.
Again what endeared Chief Ogieh who is also the chairman of Association of local Govt. of Nigeria (ALGON) Delta State , to his people was his passion to industrialise his council. His Industrial policy contrasted sharply with other LG Chairmen who think that what it take to develop their LG Area is to adorn their council secretariat with ornamental tress and paintings
.The concerned citizens of Isoko for instance noted that since the chairman resumed office, he had" pursued with vigor the execution of his electoral promise within the contexts of the three point agenda of the state Government.
In the same vein, Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan was quoted as saying that the cassava processing plant cum industralisation of isoko south is a challenge to the state government,
Finally, when critical indices for industrial Development in the third tier of Government is put on scale, Isoko South LG will surely occupy an enviable position.
Other council chairmen should borrow a leaf from Ogieh.
Jeff Nkwocha
LG Study Network
www.nigeria-local-government.blogspot.com
08030485016
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Court victory for Local Government
Yola High Court,declared that Adamawa state House of Assembly has no constitutional powers to reduce the tenure of office of local government chairmen councils in the state, midway into the electoral process.The court presided over by the state chief judge, Justice Bemari Bansi, therefore declared as void, null and unconstitutional and of no effect, the amendment to the Adamawa local government law administration by the Assembly in 2008.The controversial amendment reducing the tenure of the local government councils in Adamawa state, from two and a half years to one year, by the state House of Assembly, was challenged by the Adamawa state branch of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), at the court. Delivering judgment in the case Justice Bansi held that the attempt by the legislative arm to reduce the tenure of duly elected chairmen, after they had commenced electoral process under the law stipulating two and half years, amounts to move to create anarchy and restiveness in the state., stressing that eguity demands that they be allowed to complete their tenure before any changes.He wondered why the Constitution of the Federal Government provides a four- year term for the President, the Vice President, the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives, local government council chairmen and other elected representatives and wondered why the Adamawa state Assembly is attempting to muscle the constitution.Bemasi, stated that the one year term of office for local government council chairmen as envisaged by the Adamawa House of Assembly was only applicable to the state out of the 774 local governments in the country.The judge described as uneconomical and waste of public resources, for the state government to be conducting local government’s elections on a yearly basis.He added that the state government spent over N798 million to conduct the 2008 local government election, saying for government to be spending such among on yearly basis amounts to waste of resources.
This landmass legal victory for LG is significant in the sense that ALGON should not shy away from taking legal action against repressive policies of most state Assembly over council Areas across the country.
They must cease to be dominated and squelched by higer levels of Government, state and Federal.
Jeff Nkwocha
Local Govt. Study Network
www.nigeria-local-government.blogspot.com
08030485016
ON BEST PERFORMED LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEVELOPMENT AWARD 2009
Success in life is based on hard slogging. There will be period when discouragement is great and upsetting, and the antidote for this is calmness and fortitude and a modest, yet firm belief in you competence.---------Walter Annenberg
We, the member of local government study Network write to commend the National Assembly for the recent award for best performed local government chairmen across the country. This award will surely promote competition in terms of rural development among LG councils in Nigeria .
According to Hon. Emmanuel Adedeji, chairman House committee on states and local Government Affairs, he said that “The essence of the award is to ginger performance at the most critical level of governance in Nigeria . It has been variously alleged that local government administrators are corrupt and that they only receive allocations and share same without giving any thoughts to development of their areas.”
Adedeji continued “All we did in collaboration with the consultants who toured the whole country with us was to insist on quality and to ensure that only deserving chairmen are recognized for the award.” The criterion used according to him was to mandate the consultant first seek for nominations from all the thirty six sates governors in their respective states and the federal capital minister. The governors were asked to nominate three chairmen each while the FCT minister was to nominate only two for the award. Those nominated he disclosed were followed up with visits to projects and all these were recorded visually and evaluated for the committee to arrive at the final list.
We therefore give kudos to the 110 deserving LG chairmen in recognition of their contributions to the concept of good Governance in the country. They should redouble their efforts as they have proven themselves as role models for other LG chairmen to emulate.
Again, it would be of interest here too, to have a run down of some the awardees.
In Abia states, the senate committee on LG matters had conferred on Hon. Ezebunwa ubani of Ugwunagbo LG, Stanley Ojibo of Ikwuano LG and Sylvanus Nwaji of Ukwa west LG as best performed local Govt. chairmen in the state.
Others are Chibuike Jonas (Arochukwu LG), Emenike Okereafor (Bende LG) all in the same state.
Hon. Akeem Adesina of Obafemi Owode LG, Abayomi Tella of Ado-Ode Ota LG and Titus Olusoji of Yewa North , came out the best in Ogun State.
In Lagos State, Hon Husitode Moses Dosu of badagry LG and Yinka Durosimi of Ojo LG were adjudged the best performed in the state while Stanley Buba of Akwanga LG took his turn in Nasarawa state.
Delta state had Hon. Chukwudi Dafe of Ukwuani LG as the best.
River state produced Hon. Ephraim Nwuzi [ Etche LG] as the best performed LG chairman and Hon. Nasiru Gawuna of Nasarawa LG of Kano state was the overall best in Nigeria.
kaduna State had Hon. Gideon Yakubu Morik [Jama'a LGA]and Aminu Abdullahi of Zaria LG.
Oyo state ,Hon. Oladele Olakunle of Ibarapa East,Kwara state Aliyu Muhammed Salihu of Baruten LG.
Others are Dr. Badamasi Lawal of Charanchi LG and Hon. Nasiru Bawa Shambo, Executive chairman of Rijau LGA coming out best in Katsina and Niger States respectively.
In infrastructural category,Hon. Princewill Ukaegbu of Umuahia North of Abia state was best in Rural Integration while Dr. Amaechi Ugwu of Oji River LG of Enugu state came out best in water provision.
In Housing, Hon.Sunday Obaro Pedro of MopaMoro LG of Kogi state was the best and Dr. Zebulum Rabenson [Billiri LGA],Gombe state was best in Education.
Finally, some council bosses came out with multiple awards . They include Hon. Matthew Olory of Akamkpa LG of Cross River state, who merited the triple award as best performed LG chairman in the state, best in south south zone and second best in the country.
In the same vein, Dr (chief) Mrs. Tosin Aluko, Chairman Ado-Ekiti LG was conferred with the best female council chairman in Nigeria and best performed LG chairman in Ekiti state .
Hon. Uche Anioke, Agwu LG Boss of Enugu State was number one in the state and third best in Nigeria.
Jeff Nkwocha
Local Government Study Network
www.nigeria-local-government.blogspot.com 08030485016
