Local Government System has been Paralysed by governors-Hon Bamidele Salami
Bukola Elufadejin
A member representing Ede,Ejigbo and Egbedore Federal Constituency Federal house of representatives and Vice Chairman ,House Committee on Pension,Hon Bamidele Salam has pointed accused finger on the deformities in Nigeria Constitution which has turned Local Government System into appendage of the State government.
Hon Salam made this known while delivering a lecture with the theme:Nigeria @62: Poverty, Insecurity and the Search for a workable Constitution at this year Annual Press Week of Nigeria Union of Journalists Osun Council..
According to him, State Governors are in total control of Local Government resources which has hindered Local Government to perform its obligation.
The more the government is closer to people,the more effective efficient and impactful it is to the people at the grassroots but Governors have killed the tier’ he added.
While addressing the various challenges the country has encountered through maladministration and mismanagement of resources at the federal level, Hon Salami attributed this to the power given to the federal Government in Allocation of resources..
The lawmaker advocated that constitution be amended to reduce number of Ministers to 15 that is 2 per geo political zones and only 9 commissioners when Aides and agencies are reduced to the nearest minimum.
Hon Salam who stated that much money is spent on elections just as a whooping sum of ₦305 billion has been appropriated for 2023 elections can sufficiently provide 35,000 blocks of classrooms,83,334 solar powered boreholes and about 38,462 primary health centres for Nigerias.
In order to reduce and cost of governance Hon Salami advocated for unicameral legislature where Senate will only be appointed on part time and only converge when to confirm federal appointments or other functions in order to cut cost.
He charged Government to look into porous borders where illegal immigrant penetrate into the nation unabated.
In a remark, Former Nigeria ambassador to Phillippines,Dr Yemi Farounbi has likened Nigeria to a computer set where its hard copies have crashed and soft copy attacked by virus.
He condemned arrays of aides paraded by political office holders and charged them to reduce and divert such fund for developmental projects.
Dr Farounbi pointed out that no state government enjoys 1%of federal allocation whereas the federal only controls 53% of the allocation.
On her part, Osun State Commissioner for information and Civic Orientation,Mrs Funke Egbemode seized the opportunity to commend journalists and people of the state for supporting the adminstration, of Governor Oyetola thus far and declared the week open.
Dignitaries at the event include Dr Yemi Farounbi,former Ambassador to Philippines who was the chairman of the occasion and Senator Iyiola Omisore,National Secretary of APC who was represented by Hon Jamiu Olawumi,Special Adviser to Governor Gboyega Oyetola.
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