From Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, came a hard knock for the local government system in the country, describing it as inefficient, corrupt, undisciplined and mere administrative extension of state governments.
Osinbajo noted that the third tier of government had abandoned its primary responsibility of promoting greater efficiency in the provision of services to transform the lives of the people at the grassroots.
The Vice President added that the local councils, by this development, have become completely corrupt, undisciplined and inefficient in what has now been projected as a weak model for governance, saying “this has become a source of grave concern to this government.”
Osinbajo spoke yesterday at the opening of a two-day national workshop on local government development, organised by Daily Trust in partnership with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Plateau State.
The theme for the gathering is “Improvising Local Government Administration for Development at the Grassroots.”Represented by the Permanent Secretary in charge of Career Management Office in the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OFHOSF), Emmanuel Ogbonnaya, who also stood in for the special guest of honour and Head of Service, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, the Vice President assured that “this government is determined to support efficiency in local government administration and the strengthening of their operational capacities.”
He said the Federal Government awaits suggestions of the workshop to reposition the third tier of government, expressing optimism that the discussion would respond to the challenges of contemporary human resource management in local councils as well issues of corruption, indiscipline and poor service delivery at that level.
Also speaking at the event, former Minister of Defence, Alhaji Muhmud Yayale Ahmed, stressed that the country cannot realise the potentials of the local councils unless their leadership and concerned stakeholders revert to the basics, including the very old concept where councils generated their funds to enthrone development.
In his remark, the acting Director-General of NIPSS, Jonathan Juma Mela, said the institute had established an Advancement Office to interface with alumni, Nigerians as well as reputable local and international organisations.
On his part, Daily Trust CEO, Mallam Manir Dan Ali, who hinted of more collaborative engagements with NIPSS in the future, said the initiative was borne out of the collective pursuit of the newspaper to contribute its quota towards improving human capital development at the grassroots. The Guardian
