LGAs: Drain on nation’s economy, should be scrapped ―Akinkunmi

A political analyst in Benue State, Chief Isaac Akinkunmi has described the third tier of government in Nigeria as a drain on the nation’s economy.

Speaking with the Tribune Online yesterday in Makurdi on the heels of autonomy being canvassed by local government workers in the country and stakeholder, Akinkunmi suggested the scrapping of local government in the country.

Akinkunmi who however said that in the event that federal government decides to retain the third tier of government advised that its leadership should consist of religious and community leaders who he said should be appointed on part time basis.

The political analyst canvassed this on the basis of what he described as rots inherent in the third tier of government in the country which he said has made it difficult for the council to provide the good governance and other purposes for which it was established.

He highlighted the rots to include: over-bloated staff, embezzlement, idleness nepotism and favouritism which he said were inherent in all council areas across the country.

“Eighty per cent of local government workers are idle, they contribute nothing to the system, they only wait and collect their salary at the end of the month, in some cases, the same people still plan to pilfer from the council.”

“Imagine some local government which should not have more than 150 workers, having over one thousand workers on their pay rolls, aside this, you have elected chairmen, councillors and appoint supervisory councillors, all these burdens are on the allocation from federal government.”

“To me there is no need of having local government in the country because they serve no purpose and I prefer that they be scrapped or in the alternative if government insists on retaining it let the councils be administered by religious and community leaders on part time basis.”

He stated that only few of the 774 local government areas in the country are capable to stand without relying on the federal allocation for survival.

“Despite this problem, 85 per cent of the allocation is expended on recurrent expenditure, while most of the council areas do not have record of internally generated revenue because it is diverted into private use.”

“With all these rots in the system, of what purpose does local government serve in the country?” Akinkunmi asked.