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By Emma Njoku
South East Former Councillors Forum has applauded Governor Alex Otti of Abia State over, what it described as, his rare gesture of paying all statutory entitlements of all former councillors in the state.
The body, in a statement issued by its Coordinator and Secretary, Hon Chinedu Opara and Hon David Uka, respectively, noted that the governor’s action has gone down in history of the region as the very first time, under the democratic dispensation, that a governor would demonstrate such uncommon leadership compassion, by offsetting a huge indebtedness left behind by his predecessors.
The body stated that l, before now, the normal practice in the region was what could be called a selective payment model, which led to the payment of some sets while others were not paid.
The statement noted that the third tier of government, like the federal and state governments, was also a creation of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.
It noted, however, that because of the constitutional provision that placed the control of the tier in the hand of state governments, successive administrations had always relied on that constitutional privilege to hinder the smooth and dignified operation of that tier of government.
It stressed that some of the well known strategies governments at that level had employed for decades, to hamper the full fledged practice of democracy and smooth running of the local government system, were the administration and management of local governments with appointed officials, and the perennial poor treatment of elected officials and the staff of the councils.
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The forum said across the South East region, and likely the whole country, apart from the unending disruption of the democratic process at that level, elected, appointed, and even staff remuneration and other statutory allowances were often not fully paid when they’re in service, just as their severance and other entitlements due to them after leaving office are hardly paid.
That frustrating treatment, the group further highlighted, often leads to a situation where, as soon as they leave office, the councillors and other elected and appointed officials return home empty handed to start struggling with poverty, hunger, and hardship.
That unfortunate situation, the forum pointed out, not only makes it extremely difficult for them to take care of themselves and their families, but, also, exposes them to different kinds of ailments, some of which end up incapacitating them for life, or even costing them their lives.
The South East Councillors Forum emphasised that Governor Otti, by his compassionate and humanitarian gesture of paying all sets of former councillors in Abia State, has set a high standard, made history, and restored hope and life to the thousands of the benefitting councillors, and their dependents, even as it further observed that the funds being injected into the state economy with the payment would further boost the economy.
It pointed out that it was because of the numerous positive effects of that demonstration of rare leadership that it decided to applaud and celebrate Governor Otti.
The body, while acknowledging that the other governors in the zone were also trying to address the challenge of payment of outstanding allowances owed ex-councillors in their respective states, urged them to borrow a leaf from Governor Otti and demonstrate the political will needed to permanently rest the lingering issue.
