Heads of Local government battle NULGE to curry Obaseki's favor for continuty

By DADA AYOKHAI

A silent war which, if not nipped on time, may likely erupt into a major confrontation, is brewing between the  interim  council chairmen appointed to superintend  the councils pending the conduct of proper council elections, on the one hand, and the state chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, on the other hand.

The struggle for the soul of the local governments in the state has pitched the NULGE against the political authorities, with each group on the opposing divide holding fastidiously to its own ideas about how best to run the councils. . 

The simmering conflict, however, came to the fore recently following sharp reactions from the appointed caretaker council chairmen, who roundly condemned the   comments credited to the Edo State chapter chairman of the NULGE.  

The NULGE, through its state chairman, Comrade Lazarus Adolor, frowned at the alleged hijacking of the functions of the local governments and the deliberate "rip-off" of council funds. 

Comrade Adorolo, in a press interview on the state of the councils, is quoted to have accused the state government of crippling the councils for political expediency and turns it around to accuse it of non performance.  

Giving further insights into how undue interferences have crippled the councils, Comrade Adorolo attributed the failure of the councils to perform and impact positively on the citizens to the "clogs and obstacles" created by the state government which hijacked its main sources of IGR, even as it is the same government that goes public with accusations that the councils have failed to live up to expectations.  

He said, "Local governments can only function to the benefit of the grassroot people if the issue of autonomy as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution is adhered to. 

"As we speak, the state government is owing the councils of about 17 months salary arrears, including unremitted deductions which amounts to over N5bn".

In a swift reaction, the caretaker chairmen, under the    Forum of the Heads of Local Government Administration, countered the position of the NULGE chairman, via a jointly signed rejoinder.

The Forum while endorsing the steps so far taken by governor Obaseki to strengthen local administration in the state also stoutly condemned the NULGE chairman for making false and disjointed presentations to the public about the working of local governments

The Forum's statement,  jointly signed by Hon Desmond Imonike, of Etsako East; Hon Ahonsi Mathias, of Ovia North East; and Hon Shuaibu Ekha, of Owan East respectively, hailed governor Obaseki for his shrewd ingenuity, adding the improved IGR's as well as the grassroot based governance system being enjoyed across the state owes largely to the vision and passion of the governor. 

However, a cross section of council workers, who spoke under conditions of anonymity with our reporters, decried the rot and decay in the governance system of local governments in the state, insisting its hijack by the various state governors for selfish reasons does not allow for efficiency, probity and general well-being. 

Similarly, pundits have, in distilling the response by the Forum of Head of local government administration  chairmen, on  the 'rot and decay" in the local government system, said it is a pity the Forum chose to live in self denial because its members want to curry favours as well as self perpetuation. 

The pundits submits further that the so- called caretaker chairmen lack the locus standi to speak about the state of affairs in the councils because they are the ones who benefit directly from the crime being perpetuated against the councils, noting NULGE's position on Edo LGA's is even an understatement, insisting far worse atrocities are being visited on the councils which are not  reported.