What makes one an elected Executive Chairman is having the ability, through vision, as may have been appraised to provide capacity leadership in all spheres of local government administration in Nigeria.. The Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria recognizes the Local Government as the third tie of government and by extension share statutory federal allocation with all the 774 LGAs including the 21 LGAs in Kogi state.
As at October 2024 , 21 (s) Elected Executive Chairmen were sworn in, these chairmen were/are one (1) year and some days in Office today, the question on many kogites lips is, are these chairmen delivering on their roles as chief Security officers of their respective LGAs? Development is measured by Capacity, do these Men have the CHAIR to really Sit on and act like one? What level of freedom of operation allowed them given the interference of JAC.? All these questions seems rhetorical, but answers to them will guide the Kogi citizens in the judgement or assessment of these MEN that seems not to have CHAIRS as CHAIRmen.
Now, aside the state release of the liver of capacity, does those men have the wisdom to intellectually think outside the box in the bid to attract development to their respective LGAs through conscious seeking of external interventions from the numerous donor agencies and humanitarian prospects available at some recognized fronts?
Few days ago, some of them were flying some of their tip of the iceberg like achievements in one year, while some of them deserve a part on the shoulder, others, majority need to up their games, blaming the government of starving them of fund may not be tenable to a lay man in the communities, I think majority of them should focus on the enormous task of providing expected deliverables through other acceptable means of sourcing for or attracting positive interventions to their LGAs rather than giving up because much is not coming from the state JAC to them..
Apparently, having one year left in office out of the approved two (2) years, I honestly want to charge the Chaimen to put on their thinking cap and think out something that will add glory to their name and reign in office, no matter how little is the resources available to them, they should do need assessment and then prioritize the priorities in order to know what the means at hand can do based on quality deliverables. I think, they should not begin to flog their head with issues of continuity, they have to act and flesh their performances, otherwise, their Personality will be a disaster upon leaving office.
Conclusively, I honestly want to call on the authority acting as supervisors of the LGAs to pls attach even if it’s a two inch sofa on CHAIRS of these Men in order for them to be judged accordingly.
May it be well with the LGAs in Kogi state.
– Amb. Ahmed Suleiman MAS writes from ETUTEKPE.
