We only play supervisory role in disbursement of LG’s fund —Ondo Commissioner, Takuro

Honourable Amidu Takuro, Ondo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, speaks with Hakeem Gbadamosi on national issues, local government administration, and the recent influx of prominent politicians into the All Progressives Congress (APC). Excerpt.

Sir, could you share your perspective on the state of the nation over the past two years under President Bola Tinubu, particularly regarding security and the economic situation in Nigeria?

I believe God has favoured us in Nigeria by choosing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for us at this very crucial period. ‎This is the first time we are having a president that is prepared, not only prepared, but competent, someone who has what it takes to be president and knows what to do at a particular time to fix the economy of Nigeria. He has the courage and everything it takes to lead us. Looking at the economy of our nation today, he has been truthful to all Nigerians about what he is doing. When he was campaigning, he made it known that at the beginning it was going to be tough, but at the end of the day, as time goes on, it would bring smiles to our faces. hen his government started, it was very tough, even for people who believed in him. But in less than two years, we have been reaping the fruits of that pain, surely, hope is here. ‎Today, during the December and Christmas period, there is no queue for petrol anywhere in the country. It has got to a level where even filling stations are bringing out bonanza to entice customers.

Meanwhile, in the past, we had to queue and pay multiple times what we used to pay. This is also the first time in Nigeria that petroleum prices went high and are now gradually coming down. Some time back, we paid over ₦1,000 per litre, but today, we are paying about ₦700 or thereabouts. He has told us it will get to ₦500, meaning that what he promised us, he will fulfill. When you look at commodities today, prices are coming down; none of them is going up. Look at the stability of the naira to the dollar. It has not been easy, but he has been able to stabilise it, and it has affected the entire economy positively.

On security, let us not deceive ourselves. This is a government that is serious about security. They have been defeating criminal elements across the country. These criminals are now crying and seeking negotiation because they know the government is serious.

This government is confronting them head-on to free Nigeria from insecurity. We need to appreciate Mr. President for the wonderful job he is doing on security and the economy. Compared to the past, Nigeria has not had it this good. This is an excellent president. We must celebrate him, pray for him, and support him.

On tax reform, many people fear it will bring pain to Nigerians, but that is not true. The tax reform is pro-masses and compels the rich to pay more. That is the simple interpretation of the tax reform. If you are poor, you have nothing to fear; you are not going to pay anything. But if you are rich, you must pay more. Anywhere in the world, America, Britain, the rich pay heavy taxes. I read about Anthony Joshua being paid over £60 million and paying over £30 million as tax. People want to live in the UK and are ready to pay taxes there but not in Nigeria

As an APC leader, what factors are driving the influx of politicians into the party at the federal and state levels, and could this trend pose a challenge to internal cohesion in the future?

All these happened because of the personality of Mr. President. He is the number one Nigerian president that is rooted as a politician in the history of Nigeria. He is the first president that you can have to be a core politician. He knows the game very well. And what he has achieved so far convinced so many of our people. They know they can’t really play the game against him unless they align with us.

And some of these people that are decamping believe aligning with Mr President will make their state to benefit more from the system and will give them the privilege to be part of the government at the centre.

Yes, we know that turning this country into a one-party state country is dangerous. But we believe in his capacity that as much as he lives, that he has what it takes to manage the system because he is a proactive leader. He is a leader that can speak the truth to anybody at any time. And if you still continue in that dimension, no matter the situation, he has the capacity to manage the system.

Many people are predicting that there’s going to be an implosion in the party, this and that. I just laugh at it, because it’s assumed that they don’t understand who Bola Ahmed Tinubu is. Even before he became president as an opposition leader, he had been able to manage his party. But now as a president, he has all the machinery at his disposal. I don’t think so.

How would you assess the political climate in Ondo State under Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s administration so far?

I won’t deceive you, Aiyedatiwa is the first governor with strong financial knowledge. He is a financial expert and Fellow of the Chartered Accountants (FCA). Since the creation of Ondo State, we have had governors who were principals, lecturers, medical doctors, and lawyers, but this is a man who understands finance and how to transform Ondo State from a civil service dependent state to an industrialised one. All the steps he is taking are aimed at industrialising Ondo State.

The first is creating a friendly environment for investors to to come in. In Akure, infrastructural development is ongoing, and the same applies to the southern senatorial district, there are initiatives springing up. Our seaport is coming alive, and that alone means massive economic growth. There will be a refinery producing over 500 barrels per day. The bitumen project is also being seriously pursued. Moribund industries like Oluwa glass are being revived, with new investors coming in. This is not a paper-MOU governor; he believes that whatever is signed must be implemented. If you are not an administrator or financial expert, it may be difficult to understand him because he takes rational, well-researched decisions.

What factors do you think are driving the state’s development?

It’s because of the governor’s deep knowledge in the financial sector. He knows what the state needs. He knows that with all the natural resources God has endowed Ondo State and human resources, what we need is leadership. And he has been able to provide that leadership for the people of the state.

Don’t forget, he worked with his former boss, Rotimi Akeredolu, and they have the same vision of how they can turn the state from being a civil service to an industrialised state. It is then that we can be self-sufficient. It is then that many things can happen in terms of development and growth. Talking about employment for our people, how many of our people can the government of Ondo State alone absorb in its service? It’s limited. But with this development from every nook and cranny from these investors that are coming in, they are the ones to absorb our people. So, the government’s target is about the youth of Ondo State to make sure it provides work for them. But it cannot provide work for them directly unless it brings investors to the state that can do the needful.

In most of his targets, he always emphasises indigenous people first. Many of the contractors that are handling some of our projects are indigenous contractors because he believes we must develop them so that they can have a sense of belonging that truly, they have a government that cares for them.

How would you assess the level of autonomy available to local governments under the current federal structure, and what changes do you believe are necessary to strengthen their effectiveness?

As far as Ondo State is concerned, we are fully aligned with the Federal Government on autonomy. Development must start from the rural areas, and that can only be achieved through effective local government administration. ‎It is a constitutional and legal matter, but Ondo State has been implementing it. When the NFI policy was introduced, Ondo was among the first state to implement it. Today, funds meant for local governments are being spent by the local governments themselves. Our role is supervisory to ensure funds are used for their intended purposes.

How do you monitor this?

We partner with other agencies like the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). All projects go through ODPP’s approval, and we carry out inspections alongside them and the media to ensure transparency. Local governments have the right to spend their funds, but it must be monitored to prioritise the interests of the people and align with state policies.

On the issue of local government autonomy, have any reforms been introduced to strengthen accountability and transparency at the local government level, and how effective have these reforms been so far?

Our major reform is about proper supervision of every kobo that goes to each of the local governments. And we do go there unannounced sometimes to make our verification. We also have some teams that provide information for us in each of the local governments. We partner with all the Kabiyesi to get some of the information they have within their local governments so that it won’t be that a local government was expected to perform by way of providing drainage or building some social amenities to these people, and he has not been doing this and he did come to Akure that he has done it. And we are not sitting down in Akure; we also go there to make our verification. ‘Mr Chairman, you say you have done this. We want to come and inspect it because the government gave us a directive that the money made by the local government must be spent by the local government, and we are doing that to make sure that our chairmen comply with that.’

I want you to know that the set of chairmen we have now are the kind of people that are ready to pay their dues by making sure the local government administration really works. The governor that supported their emergence has tasked them that they must not disappoint. Whatever they are doing in their respective local governments will complement the effort of Mr. Governor. If they are doing anything contrary, meaning that they are sabotaging the effort of Mr. Governor. Not only that, we always ensure that we give them all necessary trainings that they need in order to perform optimally. And in the area of accountability, they attend seminars on that so that they are aware of what to do and what not to do. The last one we did was about the Code of Conduct. You should remember the other time we organised for an anti-corruption body, EFCC, ICPC and the Ondo State Anti-Corruption Agency and by January, the ICPC is coming to train them about how to generate revenue by making sure that money generated from IGR is spent for the people, and not that it should end in their pocket.

READ ALSO: FG urged to establish spending template for LG funds