By Ibrahim Obansa, Lokoja.
Former president of the National Association of Kogi State Students, (NAKOSS), Suleiman Mazai Farouq, has commended the leadership style of the Special Adviser for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Engr Abubakar Ohere, saying that the local councils in state has witnessed growth and development under his watch.
According to him, the free hand given to the Administrators of the twenty one local councils in the state and the transparent manner he has handled the affairs of the local governments calls for commendation.
Speaking with journalists in Lokoja on Tuesday, Farouq who is also the immediate past Chairman of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) and project coordinator, Kogi In Safe Hand Project, said in line with the vision of the New Direction government, Governor Yahaya Bello has remain an advocate of a functional local government system in the state.
He maintained that the administration of Governor Bello has carried out reforms in the state in order to make the system work for the development of the state and its people.
He noted that prior to the Governor Yahaya Bello’s administration in Kogi state, “our people were particularly concerned about the ineptitude of the local governments developments at that tire of government.
“The aim of creating local governments in our country has been defeated severally. In other climes, the local governments were developed with concrete innovations to make the people at the grassroots have a feel of development.
“The Bello administration, in its desire and yearning to make the local governments in Kogi state virile and working based on the new direction policy of this administration, appointed a round peg in a round hole in the person of Engr. Ohere to bring in the needed innovations and build the needed institutions to make this wish happen and become a reality.
“Opon his appointment, Ohere compiled a series of guidelines that captured the policies and implementation modalities that will assist him in fulfilling this mandate. The guide is anchored on promoting good governance best practices in Kogi state.”
According to Farouq, this involves providing municipal officers with the basic tools for improving investments management, transparency mechanisms and citizen participation in governance.
He added that this guide covers four key areas, namely, participatory budgeting, multi-year investments management committee, transparency and accountability.
According to him, Engr. Ohere has meticulously compiled and prepared a framework of rules that had been forwarded to the state House of Assembly, which is also the missing link in the development of the local government system in Kogi state for the purpose of decision making and the process of which decisions are implemented at the local government level.
“Ohere has offered a lot of pragmatic and well articulated ideas to the governor, which have made the local government system the state virile and productive. The special adviser has identified and highlighted impediments to the realisation of good governance at the local government level.
“Today, in Kogi state, the special adviser on local government has successfully redefined the perspective and measures of good governance in our local governments.”
He called on the people to support the administration governor Yahaya Bello to ensure the deliverance of dividends of democracy to the people at the grassroots.
Farouq charged the people to support the second term ambition of Governor Bello, saying it is the only way the state and by extension, the local councils in the state can continue to enjoy unhindered development.
He enjoined Ohere not to be distracted, but to be focused in discharging the good works which he said has helped to provide the needed support for the administration of Governor Yahaya Bello.
