Kebbi: How not to march to 2011
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- Category: Comments
- Written by Usman Ibrahim Mayaki
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When in the early 80s or so, late Ciroman Katsina, Major-General Hassan Usman Katsina raised alarm that the local government system that was once the pedestal and model of accountability is corrupt, he did not expect that it could get worse as it is today.
I was a kid in my primary school when he sounded out that warning. We thought as an elder statesman, his wise counsel would reverse the downward trend the local government administrative system was subjected to, alas, the situation got even worse.
It would be a futile exercise in trying to analyze all the 774 local councils in Nigeria given the complex situation of things today. And in the first place, it would really be unwise to say that all the 774 LGAs in Nigeria have witnessed underdevelopment. Certainly, that cannot happen. Again, I would not dig deep, but I would venture to say that the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola has amply demonstrated that with political will devoid of sentiments, and laced with sincerity of purpose, the local government system currently in operation under a democracy is indeed workable.
For states in the north, where the native authorities thrived beautifully to the envy of the south, the story is a far cry from what is obtainable today. Although, and still, the north cannot be lumped together in terms of how the individual local councils have fared, whether good or bad. Some have, however, made appreciable progress despite the existence of this destructive policy called state and local government joint account.
Local governments in my home state, Kebbi, are among the worst hit when you talk of democracy dividends, particularly in the last two years or so. From 1999 to 2007, democracy has been thriving in the country. Even if the practice of democracy has not been perfect, we have witnessed an increase in the enrolment of the girl-child in school and there have been some improvement in farming. This is upped by efforts to improve rural water supply and rural road networks as a means of improving the lives of the people.
As a Kebbi indigene, together with other like-minded Kebbians, I yearn that this development be extended to us. As things are today, that dream of ours seems to be fading into hopelessness.
In the Kebbi governor’s quest for a second term, local governments that were once thriving are now being stifled and muscled in an autocratic manner on account of the local councils being in the hands of a supposed political foe. And to do that, elected council officials had their original tenure slashed from three to two years, terminating in 2010. The plan is to substitute the current local government officials considered loyal to the perceived political foe with those who would do the bidding of the governor come 2011.
Not done with that, the Kebbi State government is currently making life difficult for its third tier administration. Under the monster called joint account, local governments in the state get just a paltry N3million after staff salaries have been settled.
As the people’s representatives, elected local government officials are always under pressure to deliver. The deduction under the counter-productive joint account system has boxed the LGs into a tight corner. Until the advent of the global economic meltdown, an LG in Kebbi collected an average of N100m allocation monthly. Now, that has come down to nearly 50 per cent. It gets even smaller with the cancerous joint account. Due to this meltdown, salaries of elected LG officials have also melted. Before the meltdown councillors got N226, 000 monthly, now it is deep down to N70, 000. That is the kind of LG administration Dakingari is sustaining, a condition that is starving and stiffling the LGs.
We are not against Dakingari running for a second term. If he is wise, he should stop his unnecessary trips abroad and stay at home to concentrate on what he was sworn to do. Furthermore, Dakingari needs the people of Kebbi State for his second term no matter his direct relationship with President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. He must respect the people’s wishes. So, politics has to be played by its rules. Instead of chasing political enemies, rather, Dakingari should respect elders and the people generally who individually and collectively gave him his mandate.
There is no gain in further impoverishing the people, while the state, under fake investment drive, aids ailing banks with state funds. If there is no reversal of the current underdevelopment, particularly at the local councils, we say, without fear of intimidation, that there shall be no second term for Dakingari.
Mayaki is Councillor, representing Nasarawa II, Birnin Kebbi LGA
Kebbi: How not to march to 2011
Category: Comments Written by Usman Ibrahim Mayaki Hits: 573
When in the early 80s or so, late Ciroman Katsina, Major-General Hassan Usman Katsina raised alarm that the local government system that was once the pedestal and model of accountability is corrupt, he did not expect that it could get worse as it is today.
I was a kid in my primary school when he sounded out that warning. We thought as an elder statesman, his wise counsel would reverse the downward trend the local government administrative system was subjected to, alas, the situation got even worse.
It would be a futile exercise in trying to analyze all the 774 local councils in Nigeria given the complex situation of things today. And in the first place, it would really be unwise to say that all the 774 LGAs in Nigeria have witnessed underdevelopment. Certainly, that cannot happen. Again, I would not dig deep, but I would venture to say that the governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola has amply demonstrated that with political will devoid of sentiments, and laced with sincerity of purpose, the local government system currently in operation under a democracy is indeed workable.
For states in the north, where the native authorities thrived beautifully to the envy of the south, the story is a far cry from what is obtainable today. Although, and still, the north cannot be lumped together in terms of how the individual local councils have fared, whether good or bad. Some have, however, made appreciable progress despite the existence of this destructive policy called state and local government joint account.
Local governments in my home state, Kebbi, are among the worst hit when you talk of democracy dividends, particularly in the last two years or so. From 1999 to 2007, democracy has been thriving in the country. Even if the practice of democracy has not been perfect, we have witnessed an increase in the enrolment of the girl-child in school and there have been some improvement in farming. This is upped by efforts to improve rural water supply and rural road networks as a means of improving the lives of the people.
As a Kebbi indigene, together with other like-minded Kebbians, I yearn that this development be extended to us. As things are today, that dream of ours seems to be fading into hopelessness.
In the Kebbi governor’s quest for a second term, local governments that were once thriving are now being stifled and muscled in an autocratic manner on account of the local councils being in the hands of a supposed political foe. And to do that, elected council officials had their original tenure slashed from three to two years, terminating in 2010. The plan is to substitute the current local government officials considered loyal to the perceived political foe with those who would do the bidding of the governor come 2011.
Not done with that, the Kebbi State government is currently making life difficult for its third tier administration. Under the monster called joint account, local governments in the state get just a paltry N3million after staff salaries have been settled.
As the people’s representatives, elected local government officials are always under pressure to deliver. The deduction under the counter-productive joint account system has boxed the LGs into a tight corner. Until the advent of the global economic meltdown, an LG in Kebbi collected an average of N100m allocation monthly. Now, that has come down to nearly 50 per cent. It gets even smaller with the cancerous joint account. Due to this meltdown, salaries of elected LG officials have also melted. Before the meltdown councillors got N226, 000 monthly, now it is deep down to N70, 000. That is the kind of LG administration Dakingari is sustaining, a condition that is starving and stiffling the LGs.
We are not against Dakingari running for a second term. If he is wise, he should stop his unnecessary trips abroad and stay at home to concentrate on what he was sworn to do. Furthermore, Dakingari needs the people of Kebbi State for his second term no matter his direct relationship with President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. He must respect the people’s wishes. So, politics has to be played by its rules. Instead of chasing political enemies, rather, Dakingari should respect elders and the people generally who individually and collectively gave him his mandate.
There is no gain in further impoverishing the people, while the state, under fake investment drive, aids ailing banks with state funds. If there is no reversal of the current underdevelopment, particularly at the local councils, we say, without fear of intimidation, that there shall be no second term for Dakingari.
Mayaki is Councillor, representing Nasarawa II, Birnin Kebbi LGA