Why Some Local Government Chairmen Shouldn't Return

pmnews-placeholder

The aim of every successful government is the pursuit of excellence, encompassing the implementation of laudable projects. But an assessment of the activities of our local governments proves otherwise.

That local governments and local council development areas which are expected to be the closest to the people fast becoming utter failure in Lagos state, especially with glaring mass poverty everywhere, is nothing but stating the obvious.

A survey of many streets in the state has revealed enough evidence that the local councils have failed to live up to the people’s expectations.

Their failure at the grassroots level has been characterised by dilapidated streets, lack of basic infrastructure like health centres, arrogant leadership, the peple’s lack of access to those in authority at the local governments among others.

Political Platform findings revealed that nothing significant has been done by the majority of the councils to improve the living standard of the people at the grassroots.

Few functions expected to be performed by the local governments and LCDAs include the construction and maintenance of roads, streetlights and drainage systems. Establishment, maintenance and regulation of markets, motor parks and public conveniences and refuse disposal.

However, nearly all local governments in the state have fallen short of these functions.

Investigations recently conducted indicated that little or no attention is paid to governance at the grassroots, a development which has forced the people to depend solely on the state government for infrastructure.

Stories of the deplorable state of social infrastructure at the grassroots are the same in almost all the local governments in the state.

Allegations of corruption at the local government level are also rife. Political Platform investigation shows that this development was caused by the failure of the state government to establish a structural accountability mechanism which can look into the non-utilisation of public funds allocated to them for the benefit of Lagosians.

Also responsible is the failure of the legislators in their oversight functions because of alleged conspiracy between Assembly members and constituencies where political hawks commandeered by local government chairmen have become very powerful because of their access to huge resources.

Consequently, Lagos State currently rated as one of the best governed states in the country is producing one of the worst administered local government systems at the grassroots level.

Political Platform reliably gathered that the only area the local government is most skillful is the collection of rates, assessment of privately owned properties or tenements for the purpose of levying as well as alleged looting and sharing, with absolute impunity, of funds allocated to them for development projects.

At a recent press briefing to mark Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola’s fourth year in office, an embittered Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, chided the council chairmen, accusing them of gross incompetence and non-performance.

The Lagos monarch further described them as a pack of failures and destroyers rather than developers that they meant to be.

He expressed regret that the chairmen have, with impunity, been squandering councils’ fiscal allocations.

“Some of you have performed poorly. We want to know what comes to you and what you do with what you get.

“One has to call a spade a spade. Some of our council chairmen performed below expectation of the people. I assure you that from now on, I will request for what the council chairman in my domain do with allocations from government,” he said.

Load more