Going by the Rivers State Local Government Law 2012 as amended which provided for the constitution of Caretaker administration were its obvious that council election was not possible premised on emergency.
The law provides for three {3}months for a tenure and or six {6}months for two tenure, adding that the members must be seven {7}including a chairman drawn from the affected Local Government Areas.
These provisions of the law does not exclude or prohibits projects execution and other Sundry Services but to see to the need of the people at the grassroots. Against the seeming and unpopular view of many in the polity, Caretaker administration is equal to elected administration though it is with little challenges.
Section 7 and 8 of the 1999 constitution as amended empower the state House of Assembly to make laws and regulates the activities of local government councils in Nigeria.
In the recent past the Rivers State house of Assembly had shown some council chairmen the way out, though some were done in error as determined by court of competent jurisdiction.
The sins of those councils were blamed on misappropriation and embezzlement of public funds.
Therefore, it is evident that there are and may still be lapses in the administration of local councils, hence the challenges that must be addressed headlong by these competent men at helm of affairs as duly selected by a former chairman, grassroots mobilizer and governor chief Nyesom Wike.
In Nigeria today, the most common word on the lips of many particularly as propagated by the then opposition, now ruling All Progressives Congress is “corruption”.
Corruption as seen is deeper than what the people expresses as their worries, little wonder the immediate past Nigerian President, His Excellency Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. Phd. described it as “stealing” and addressed it as act of serious concern heating hard on the nation’s economy.
According to the revered, intelligent and soft spoken ex-leader the fight against corruption is beyond arresting any suspected individual or official of government but blocking all known and unknown loopholes to hinder further occurrences.
Having said so, it is without apology to state that the system of our local governments in the state has been grossly damaged, abused and treated without recourse to the forefathers who thought it wise to develop the grassroots by ways of providing services to the people, development, as well as providing employment to deserving and qualified persons.
One of the major reasons for the failure of administrations at the local government levels is “greed occasioned on hunger and long suffering, lack of interest for one’s place of birth, inexperience as well as lack of political will to lead the people”.
An experienced leader or chairman would first acknowledge the entity or where he comes from before or on assumption of office of that magnitude, he must ask himself, what does the people require of me or what can I do for the people at least to justify my presence on hall of fame?
Rather than possing such questions to self, chairmen of councils first recounts their longtime suffering married with little or no interest of the people at heart sealed with lack of political will. While the interest would motivate one to attempt on developing an area, the political will definitely drives the process.
Apart from financial and material looting, previous chairmen of councils not excluding the immediate sacked unconstitutional team had run the councils as their private and personal estate thereby doing what they feel was good for them outside the basis of the law and basic need of the people by illegally recruiting personnel into council even when it was obvious they had little time to vacate office and back dated appointment letters with the principal officers aiding them.
However, for the constitutional provisions and essence for the creation of Local Government to be of great value and of effect to the teaming citizens or indigenes, it is expected that the current team of local government chairmen would brighten their reading glasses to painstakingly address some of these ills in councils.
Proper audit should be carried out, ghost workers should be fished out and dealt with, those overdue for retirement should be shown the way out as retirement is never a death penalty as many supposed.
It might interest many to note that, no auditing is without an aim, hence such auditing should not only be to identify illegally newly employed workers with back dated appointment letters but to also dismiss them. The chairmen must possess the will to let go those qualify or due for retirement.
While doing this, the authorities concern should note that employment has its modalities irrespective of whatever influence.
In most councils those due for retirement are reluctant to proceed for reasons best known to them, and it is worrisome because the management of these councils are aware of it but remain blind. But one thing is sure; such staff may be ignorant of his/her action until his gratuity is due for payment. It is also an indication that the principal officers and personnel incharge are inefficient in the area of their training.
Corruption is not only with finances, but also on service records as most personnel falsify, or aids mutilations of records in order to stay longer in service than expected.
The challenges before the present constituted caretaker administration are enormous, as greed, lack of developmental interest, will and inexperience would be let go, the chairmen and members of the committee should proffer better living conditions for the people, whether they can finish it or not.
For instance, the Ogu/Bolo local government council have kick started auditing of personnel in the council and as every auditing is not without an aim, it is expected that indigenes of the local government and staff would have course to smile at the end of the exercise.
In a similar development, the Andoni local government has in a bid to humanly empower indigenes and getting down to the towns and villages spotted some vital responsibilities and role out programmes to tackle it headlong when it appointed several advisers to compliment the caretaker committee in their efforts to change for the better the situation of the people.
As Issues Abattoir remain prayerful for them to succeed, it is however, expected of all councils in Rivers State to emulate the working strategy of the state governor chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike.
It would be recalled that the governor while in office as executive chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was not only the chairman of ALGON, nationwide but adjudged as best chairman in the federation. As director general of the PDP, Amaechi campaign organization, he was found attractive when he delivered the party at the 23 LGA’s. Little wonder he was not perturbed when he distinguished himself among equals as supervising minister of Education and minister for State, Education.
If there is any time to confront the ills in councils’ administration in Rivers, the time is now, and facing these daunting challenges within the limited time amount to brevity.
With James Mgboineme
jamesthenewswriter@gmail.com.
