FOLLOWING myriad of complains and controversies over the tenure of caretaker chairmen in the 17 Local Government areas of Plateau State, indigenes of the state have attributed the inefficiency and under development at the grassroots to lack of democratic structure.
The Nigerian Tribune findings revealed that since the elected chairmen were dissolved by the present administration more than a year ago, those saddled with the responsibility of running the affairs of the 17 council areas have not been able to meet the yearnings of the people in their various local governments.
In Jos East Local Government Area of the state, some workers of the council who spoke with The Nigerian Tribune on condition anonymity said lack of elected chairman and councilors had brought more hardship to the council and retarded its growth, adding that since the elected ones were dissolved, no project was embarked upon while the few ones inherited have been abandoned.
One of the workers declared thus: “If you notice on your way to this local government, the roads are in deplorable state and recklessly abandoned by both the state government and the local government authority. Apart from this, most of the people in this council area are farmers, and getting fertilizers is becoming a mirage because there is nobody to hold on to”
The Nigerian Tribune investigations further revealed that it is the same hue and cry across the seventeen local government areas of the state, Anthony Alkali who is an indigene of Oua’Pan local government area of the state blamed Governor Simon Lalong for retaining the caretaker Chairmen when it was obvious and glaring that they were not living up to expectation, adding that people could not hold them accountable because they were not elected but appointed by the government based on patronage and support during the last gubernatorial election.
A human right activist who is the Coordinator of Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, Comrade Gad Shamaki, said the present crop of caretaker Chairmen on the Plateau had not add value to governance at the grassroots, adding that it had been complaints since they came on board one and half years ago.
Said he: “Nobody is monitoring them, they are not accountable to the people but to the one that appointed them. Based on the myriad of complain from the local government councils across the state, they have not add value to governance at the grassroots. Most of the things the people need like the fertilizer is not getting to the farmers, primary health care centers are in shamble.
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