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By Zacchaeus Ozovehe.
The popular axiom that a golden fish do not have a hiding place practically manifested in Abuja recently as the chairman of Kogi State chapter of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) and Ijumu Local Government Administrator, Hon. Taufiq Isa was among the few local council administrators conferred with the award of the best performing chairman in the country.
The strategic role of local government administration and the need for its autonomy for effectiveness, had in recent times received a boost with lawmakers in both state and the National Assembly advocating for its autonomy. Being the third tier of a federal system and the closest to the people, experts argued that sustainable development of any society is hinged on the level of poverty index, infrastructural and human development, health care delivery prevalent at the local areas.
The quest to enhance the standard of living at the grassroots through effective, accountable, responsible and prudent administration of local government areas no doubt, are the driving force of the Nigerian Local Government Chairmen Merit Award (LOGMA) which had found Hon. Taufiq Isa worthy of an award.
According to the Coordinator of LOGMA, Prince Bayode Ojo, the award which was instituted in the year 2000 was meant to stimulate fair competition for service delivery among local government chairmen and equally celebrate their sterling leadership qualities. Prince Ojo further noted that local government is unfortunately the most vilified tier of government in the country with some chairmen being subjected to abuses and reduced to errand boys by some state governors.
However, in the midst of all these sociopolitical intimidation and economic deprivation, Prince Ojo expressed delight that some chairmen have lived up to their expectations of delivering dividends of democracy and as such deserve an award to inspire others to emulate them on the quest for purposeful leadership at the grassroots.
Lamenting on how award conferment has been bastardized in the country, the Coordinator said inter alia that “the selection process that led to the final awardees are quite rigorous. This is because of the abuse to which award has been subjected to in the country.
“The first stage was the call for nomination in the media. The various nominees were scrutinised and shortlisted ones were published for further inputs of the members of the public. Th council chairmen that emerged at this stage were visited for on-the-spot verification of claims.
“It is pertinent to mention that after the final list was published, some names were dropped base on genuine petitions against some nominees by members of the public. Therefore, the local government chairmen being presented for the conferment of the 16th edition of the LOGMA could be said to have passed the litmus test of responsible leadership,” he submitted.
Corroborating the views of Prince Ojo, the chairman of the occasion, Dr Dikko Umaru Radda described the local government areas as the most difficult tier of the government to lead. As a one time local government chairman and presently the Director-General, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), Dr Radda admonished the various States House of Assembly to support the ongoing call for local government autonomy.
Hon. Taufiq Isa whose admirers fondly call ‘The Jagaban of Kogi State’ was on the historic and epoch-making occasion being conferred with the award of the best local government chairman on poverty alleviation and security.
The visibly elated Administrator who dedicated the award to the Almighty God and the good people of Kogi State noted that it is another testament that the New Direction administration of Governor Yahaya Bello is on the right path to improve the socioeconomic wellbeing of the people.
Hon. Taufiq, while addressing the gathering of diplomats, representatives from the National Assembly and chairmen across the federation, urged them to disregard the seeming negative reports by some media outlets that Kogi State Government is owing workers’ salaries up to twenty months.
While describing the allegation as unfounded, he noted that the government is not oblivious of the antics of diaspora politicians whose anger against the present administration is based on Governor Bello’s insistence on fairness, equity and justice.
He reiterated that the era of misgovernance, misappropriation of fund, ethnicism and nepotism is gone in Kogi State with the divine installation Yahaya Bello, adding that those benefitting from the old order would attempt to fight back.
Kogi State, he continued, is united and peaceful beyond what is being peddled around and the presence of friends, traditional leaders, religious leaders and political appointees from the state is enough evidence of our unity.
Nigerian National Merit Award, Merit House in Maitama Abuja was of course filled to capacity by Kogians who have troop out to identify their leader. Dignitaries present from were, Secretary to the Kogi State Government, Dr. Folashade Ayoade Arike; Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Kolawole Mathew, Chief Whip of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Victor Adewale Omofaiye, Commissioner of Education, Hon. Sunday Tolorunleke, Special Aadviser to Kogi State Governor on Youth Empowerment, Sport and Students’ Affairs, Hon.M. D Eseyin.
Others are Special Adviser on Multilateral and Donor Agencies, Hon. Adoga Ibrahim, Special Adviser on Culture and Tourism, Hon. Lewis Asubiojo, SSA IGR, Hon.Obadunmi Emmanuel, SSA Mobilisation, Hon. Sunday Faleke, Administrator Kabba/Bunu local government, Hon. Olorunleke Moses.
In a remark, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashade Ayoade Arike revealed that the various reformative steps taken by the present administration in Kogi State will start yielding results in no distant time. She added that the task of correcting the wrongs of the past requires patience and diligence from both the government and the people.
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