From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The African Development Congress (ADC) has charged state governors to end their stranglehold on local government administrations in the country.
The ADC National Chairman, Ralphs Okey Nwosu, who gave the charge at a press briefing, in Abuja, on Monday, said this is necessary, to enable development at the grassroots. Nwosu noted that for real development at the grassroots, the local government council must be allowed to thrive.
According to him, “for the umpteenth time we call on our governors to stop their stranglehold of the local councils to enable development at the grassroots and community levels. For real development and transformation, the Local councils must be alive and well.”
The ADC chairman cautioned that a system of governance, based on palliatives to citizens is not demeaning, stating that the population ought not be treated as refugees.
He said “as we had warned at the inception of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu presidency, the palliative system of governance is not an option as it is unhealthy and demeaning. A government attempting to correct a clear policy summersault with a refugee camp food sharing system is evil, sacrilegious, dehumanizing and will create ill-wind that can only result to a circus of corruption and frustration.
“We sounded this alarm, and today, the reality has dawned on the nation with almost all elected persons both at the executive and legislative levels involved in the bizarre extravagance of looting.
” In the midst of general poverty our legislators collect billions of naira and trailer loads of rice as palliatives for their constituents, while the governors and presidency and their appointees now have huge monthly allocations from FACC for the elusive palliatives. And yet hunger persists.
” A youthful and energetic population as ours have no business being treated as refuges, they need empowering rejuvenating system and connections with their leader and they need their government to create the enabling environment and a clear strategic roadmap for a collaborative and dynamic all-round development.”
Nwosu added “As though the revenues from the 450% increase in the price of PMS is not enough to maintain their lavish lifestyle, reckless policy regime and mindlessness, they have put the entire country into another hiking of Tax and Electricity tariffs, and jackpots on every revenue platform to the detriment of Nigerians. Not the statistics nor the economics shows reasoned judgment of the conundrum we have found ourselves in.
“Manufacturing companies are fleeing, investors are repelled by the policies and Nigeria and the people die gradually.
The state of the nation is nothing to talk about. It is saddening and arouses morbid fear. Therefore, instead of wasting our time engaging in futile debates with those in government, we should continue to strategize on ways to develop a new political system and come together to create a collaborative, value-driven ecosystem that prioritizes our people and country.
“We can construct one of the biggest economies in the world, one of the most progressive, integrated and stable nations under the sun, and the most creative, productive and innovative population. But an effective leadership must be in place.
“We may be confronted by the deluge of economists, econometrics and statistical strong managers and policy workers. This will certainly come to nothing. Leadership is about people, not machines and economic and monetary theories.”