With the quality of individuals tasked with the responsibility of managing local councils, Rivers State will soon leave others behind. Credit should go to Governor Sim Fubara for allowing some of the best to move to the grassroots for something different.
I do not want to delve into the politics of party affiliation. Fubara belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), all but one of the 23 Council chairmen are affiliated to the Action Peoples Party (APP). The lone ranger, Uzodinma Nwafor, in charge of Etche, is of the Action Alliance (AA).
Many State governors, in the bid to control local government allocation from Abuja, make sure the best are kept away from the Councils. The result is the proliferation of lackeys, touts and people with questionable backgrounds all over the third tier of government.
Fubara, an accountant, understands the power of allocation and as an insider in the disbursement of money to politicians, must have come across quite a number of undesirable elements entrusted with local government funds.
And the Governor has stepped out boldly to sanitise the system. A look at the profile of the new faces in power, speaks volumes. An admixture of religion and ethnic incorporation is visible and adds to the calibre of those whose job is to redefine Rivers politics through accountability and service delivery.
Tonye Briggs – Oniyide, Chairman of Akoku – Toru Local Government Area, is highly exposed. She was a member of the Federal Character Commission in 2013, during the presidency of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Her last job before the local government elections was Commissioner for Culture and Tourism.
Sule Amachree, presides over Asari – Toru Local Government Area. He is not just an Electrical Engineer, the man, beyond politics, holds a PhD. This is not the kind of Chairman that will be resuming and closing at Government House, Port Harcourt. Ishmael Oforibika is another Engineer.
Chairman of Degema Local Government Council, Harry Agiriye is a Medical Doctor. His area deserves high concentration. As an Orthopaedic Surgeon, he is an expert in Arthroplasty ( knee and hip surgery). This Fellow, West African College of Surgeons, was also a Permanent Secretary.
Those of us who follow fuel politics and activism, must be familiar with the name, Igwe Achese. The fear of NUPENG and PENGASSAN was the beginning of wisdom until 2015. Achese was President of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) Workers. He is now Chairman of Okrika Local Government Council.
In Ogba/ Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area (ONELGA), Prince Isaac Umejuru has assumed office. He is a former Commissioner for Urban Development. This is the base of Dr. Peter Odili, a former Governor of the State and the man who raised ex – Governors Rotimi Amaechi and Nyesom Wike.
Give it to Fubara. He did not go about looking for shoe shiners and motor park tenants. The business of local government administration needs distinguished ladies and gentlemen who can put smiles on the faces of the people, without sending 90 percent of total allocation to an emperor.
I look at this new arrangement and remember when our local government councils functioned because we had capable hands. President Shehu Shagari showed the way in 1976 when he was elected Chairman of Sokoto Urban Development Authority.
Here was a man who distinguished himself at the Federal House of Representatives and by 1958 had become Minister of Economic Development and Natural Resources. Shagari later served in the Federal Cabinet at different times as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, Works and Finance.
In the First Republic, Gabriel Oviasu, a Pharmacist, was minister of Finance in the Western Region. When the Mid – West Region was created in 1963, Premier Dennis Osadebay made him minister of Chieftaincy Affairs. Much later, he became Chairman of Benin City Council.
In this Fourth Republic, Ogiri Ajene, after serving as Deputy Governor of Benue State, moved to Obi Local Government Area, as Councillor for Ibarike – Ito Ward. It did not take anything away from his personality and profile.
Fubara is trying to make the local government areas breathe. Some Governors do not want that freedom. While President Bola Tinubu tries to bring back autonomy, there are people opposed to that move because they feed fat on free money from Abuja.
No motor park local government chairman can challenge a Governor over local government allocation. Many of these men are just happy to be called ‘Honourable’, enjoying the perks of office. They attend all naming ceremonies and traditional weddings, spraying the taxpayers’ money, like ever flowing water under the bridge.
Other Governors should learn from Fubara. As a former Accountant General of Rivers State, he knows so much about the evil called money. Just wake him up at any time, in the wee hours, the Governor will tell you how money allocated from the centre journeyed to different pockets – male, mole and female.
There is a Supreme Court judgment that emphasised fiscal devolution. And by law, 10 percent of internal revenue generated by States goes to the local governments. This is what we are about to witness in Rivers State. Here comes the change the people have been dreaming about.
However, this change can only happen if the Governor remains focused. This Rivers Renaissance is indeed alluring. Nothing good comes easy. Let me believe that Fubara will not go back on his words and play the politics of absolutism. And I do hope that this is not just a way of fighting those who want to pull him down. It must be permanent.
OBASI, a historian and versatile penman, wrote this piece originally for Saturday Vanguard.
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