NAN-H -11
Council
By Douglas Okoro
Abakaliki, Feb 13, 2017 (NAN) The Ebonyi Government has said that it is working out modalities to reposition and enhance the local government administration for efficient and greater service delivery.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Samuel Okoronkwo, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abakaliki on Monday.
He said that the tour of local government areas by the House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters was part of strategies to reposition the local government system in the area.
Okoronkwo said that the tour was designed to acquaint the lawmakers with the activities of the councils, how fund released by government was being utilised, staff attitude to work, among others.
He said that the tour would further assist the house to enact laws for smooth, effective and efficient local government administration in the state.
“The house is saddled with the responsibility of making laws for the good and smooth running of the local government system hence the tour will equip them with first hand information about happenings in the councils.
“It will also enable them assess closely how the system is being run – the finances, grassroots infrastructure development, staff attitude to work, among others.
“I am pleased with the initiative and I believe that the report when released and implemented will boost the operation of the Ebonyi local government system, ” Okoronkwo said.
He described local government administration as key and fundamental to socio-economic and political advancement of the people due its closeness to the grassroots.
“Local government administration is very critical and can play key role in the human and infrastructure development due to its closeness to the people.
“Mismanagement of funds meant for the good governance of this third tier of government and the seemingly staff lukewarm attitude to work are the major impediments to effective and efficient service delivery,” he said.
He explained that the approval for the conduct of April 22 local government elections was to make elected representatives more accountable to the people.
“By April, Ebonyi will be going to the poll to elect the chairmen and councillors for the 13 councils in the state and the idea is to make administration more accountable and democratic.
“The election is part of efforts by government to make local government administration more responsive, more efficient, more people-oriented and more service-driven,” Okoronkwo said. (NAN)
ODO/NNO/OFN
Edited by Felix Nwadioha