ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. EMMANUEL
EWETA UDUAGHAN, GOVERNOR OF DELTA STATE, AT THE SWEARING-IN CEREMONY OF
CHAIRMEN, CARETAKER COMMITTEES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COUNCILS IN DELTA STATE, AT
THE UNITY HALL, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, ASABA, ON TUESDAY, 17 OCTOBER, 2007
We have just witnessed the swearing-in of Chairmen for Caretaker Committees in twenty one local government councils in the State. The importance of this event derives from the unique position of Local Governments as the third-tier of both Government and governance in our country.
Let me seize this opportunity to congratulate the Chairmen for their appointment. I am convinced that your selection is an indication that you are worthy in character, learning and discipline, to temporarily manage the affairs of the Councils.
As a reminder, I wish to emphasize that the Local Government reforms made the local councils veritable instruments for grassroots participation and development of our dear nation. By the reforms, the local governments were envisioned to be centres of development and mass political, cultural, social and economic mobilization of the citizenry. But whether the local governments are living up to expectation, is better appreciated from the ever-growing calls from some quarters, for their total restructuring and reorganization or their total scrapping and abrogation.
One sad commentary that runs through various views on local governments in our country, especially in the last eight years, is that they have been debased by corruption and lack of focus. I wish to reiterate that your selection is not primarily to enable you acquire political power, in fact, it is not an end in itself, but a veritable vehicle for rendering transparently selfless service to meet the needs of our people and improve their living conditions and making life more meaningful for them.
Your committees are products of expediency. Your duties and tenure are adhoc. Your responsibilities are to keep the place and make the machinery of governance functioning in your various local government councils pending the forthcoming local government elections. I urge you, therefore, not to engage in anything outside your terms of reference.
Let me admonish you to be prudent in the management of council funds. You are not to embark on new capital development projects as your tenure is limited and cannot see to the completion of new ones. Your main focus is to undertake a critical assessment of what is on the ground and ascertain the state of completion of the various projects across your local governments. You are also to assess the indebtedness to staff and find a way to defray whatever is outstanding. In short, you are there to prepare the ground for the incoming elected local government administration.
Those of you, who enjoy publicity, flamboyance and are fond of avoiding rules and regulations, should watch both themselves and their lifestyles as the relevant watchdogs of both government and society are watching. You were all chosen from your local governments where you are expected to have had a good knowledge of the area, its progress and developmental constraints. You should therefore, avoid spending your tenure in needless junketing dressed up as familiarization tours and padding of bills into environmental sanitation exercises that often leave the cities dirties with un-cleared refuse.
I highlighted this administration’s policy thrust in my address at the swearing-in of Commissioners and Special Advisers. Our goal is to build on the accomplishments of the past few years in the State. Relying on the three-point agenda that forms the basis of our pact with voters during the recent campaigns, we will concentrate on capacity building through human capital development, strengthening peace and security, and infrastructural development to take our people to higher and enduring standard of living. We will focus on accelerating economic and other policies in a way that makes a positive concrete and visible difference in the lives of ordinary people.
As we prepare for the forthcoming local government elections, I encourage you as the Chief Executives of your local government councils to follow the path off unity, justice and fair play in all your actions. There should be a level playing field for all. You should resist the temptation of playing god fathers to any candidate. Neutrality is the word. I implore political parties and aspirants in the State abhor anything capable of eliciting conflicts that could threaten the peaceful conduct of the elections and the democratic options open to our people.
As you are aware, Delta State is blessed with a highly informed and sophisticated citizenry whose expectations from Government in power are generally very high. It is in recognition of this fact that I challenge you to give of your best in executing those programmes for which the people can best be served.
I have observed over time that our Local Governments have not shown enough innovation in internally generated revenue. At best, their revenue generation efforts have been very limited. In this regard, I charge you to take the issue seriously, to be able to play your role in economic enhancement at the grassroots.
Once again, I congratulate the new Caretaker Chairmen who will, for the next few months, serve as Chief Executives of Local Government Councils in the State.
I wish you all God’s guidance in the service of your prospective local government councils.
Thank you and God bless.
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
GOVERNMENT HOUSE,
ASABA.
OCTOBER,
2007