Where are the local government councilors?

There are about 774 Local government councils and several local government development areas in Nigeria. But most of these Councilors are not known or seen by the people in their councils’ areas.

I met a group of young boys a few days ago, agitating against high bills by one of the electricity supply companies in Nigeria. I advised them to take their grievances first, to the Councilors in their council’s area.

These young boys claimed that they had made several attempts to see or speak to the Councilors. “We don’t even know them,” retorted one of the young boys.

This made me to research into the activities of Councilors in the Local Government Councils/LCDAS in South Western Nigeria. The Council Chamber is supposed to be the legislative arm of the Council, but, most of them have not legislated any tangible by- law in the past three or four years. The Councils have been made redundant by their various State Governments and also have been made poor both in capacity building and infrastructure. The State Governments have killed their initiatives. Most Council

Chambers are nothing to write home about.

I think the Councilors in Local Government Councils/LCDAS should take the bull by the horn, now that they have a listening president in President Mohammadu Buhari, who is ready to liberate the Local Government Councils from the financial oppressive attitude of State Government in Nigeria.

The Local Government councilors like the Governors should form their own formidable forum too, to air their views on national issues. They need a truthful Public Relations Consultant to help push their views to the public.

This is an open cheque and an opportunity for the Councilors in Local Government Councils/LCDAS to show Nigerians that they are also, a force to be reckoned with in the arms of governance in Nigeria.

The support of the National Assembly is very important to enable President Mohammadu Buhari liberate the Councils from State Governments financial shackles.

Local Government Councils/LCDAS even though were created by the State Governments should not continue to be the servants of their State Governments. Since they both get their finances from the same source, the Federal Government.

Financial independence of the Local Government Councils /LCDAS would make Local Government more relevant to the public as they can also build infrastructure to compliment those of State Governments.

In many states in Nigeria, Local Government Council ors have gone to oblivion as the public new depend mostly on State Governments alone on every activity that normally fall into the purview of Local Governments/LCDAS.

Lack of adequate finance is in capacitating the Local Government Councils in Nigeria as the State Governments are not interested in Local Governments/LCDAS financial independence as envisaged by President Mohammadu Buhari,

All said and done, the State Government can still keep an eagle eye on the Local Government Councils/LCDAS activities through the Local Government Service Commissions.

Dr, Sunday O.Ajai omoajai_sunday05@ yahoo.com