Kwara govt organises retreat for new LG council leadership

Kwara state government has organized a four-day capacity-building training for the newly inaugurated local government chairmen and vice chairmen to prepare them for their new roles as chief executives at the grassroots level.

The programme, which commenced on Friday, September 26 and ended on September 29, 2024, was organized in collaboration with 7-Yard Resources Limited, a top management firm.

Majority Leader, Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. AbdulKadir Magaji, who chaired the interactive session, said that essence of the retreat was to equip the participants with basic issues and prepare them for the tasks ahead.

He requested them to take the workshop very seriously by tapping from the wealth of experiences of various speakers.

“Irrespective of whatever experiences they must have had, there would be areas to learn from. No knowledge is a waste. I urge you to take this very seriously,” he said.

Commissioner for Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Hon. Abubakar Bata, who relied on Section 7 of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution and the CAP. K33, 2005 of the Kwara State Local Government Law, took them through some of the functions of the council chairmen and what their relationships with the Ministry should be.

He said the Council leaders are responsible for formulating economic plans and development schemes for their respective local government areas, and charged them to provide quality leadership and pursue programmes that will add value to the lives of their people.

“I charge you to provide quality leadership and pursue programmes that will endear you to your people. I also wish to enjoin you to exhibit a high sense of responsibility and transparency in the discharge of this onerous task”, he said.

Professor Hassan Saliu, who was the lead speaker at the occasion, said it becomes imperative for the new Chairmen and Vice Chairmen to understand what federalism and democracy is “because they are going to operate under this system. They have to know their realities, moderate their expectations, and know the kind of promises they make to their people”.

Speaking on financial autonomy for local governments in the country, Professor Saliu noted that the concept is evolving in the Nigerian context and still requires a lot of clarity.

He advised the administrators of the third tier of government to be financially prudent.

“Three principal factors they must consider include the vision and mission of the APC government because that is the ruling party. Secondly, autonomy has been granted, but there are still some cobwebs surrounding the issue of autonomy,” he said.

“So, it is not as if you get into the office and think the rain of autonomy will just be falling on you. You are still under the state government, and you should be clear about that. There are still certain issues that need to be cleared regarding the full and effective implementation of autonomy. You need to understand all the issues.”

He said the state has continued to evolve since its creation in 1967, particularly under the present administration, alluding to the infrastructure development, peaceful coexistence, relative religious harmony, and national political visibility among other indices.

Participants, who spoke with newsmen, such as the Chairmen for Ifelodun, Ilorin West and Baruten LGs, said the training gave them the opportunity to further understand their responsibilities and what the people’s expectations are.

They pledged to work to positively impact the lives of people at the grassroots level.

Majority Leader Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Magaji, chaired the interactive session that featured lectures and discussions that centred around the responsibilities of the local council chiefs, challenges of leadership, the prospects and how they can tackle the different challenges that may come their way.

Resource persons took the chief executives through different themes on Democracy, Federalism and Evolution of Kwara State (taken by top scholar Professor Hassan Saliu); Public Relations and Effective Local Government Administration (by acclaimed strategic communications guru Professor Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi); Overview of Kwara State Local Government Council Law (by Mr. Oluwaseyi Thompson); Financial Management in Local Government (Dr. Mohammed Ndas Ndaeji); Financial Autonomy in Local Government by Dr. Adebola Bakare; and Executive Legislature Relations at LG in Nigeria by Dr. Aminu Umar; among others.

The retreat was attended by government officials and top civil servants, including Commissioner for Local Government Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development Hon Abubakar Abdullahi Bata, represented by Permanent Secretary Iyabo Dupe Adekeye; Commissioner for Finance Dr Hauwa Nuru; Chairman State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Prof. Sheu Raheem Adaramaja; Chairman Teaching Service Commission Taoheed Bello; Accountant General of the State Alhaji Abdulganiyu Sani; Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Rafiu Ajakaye; among others.

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