By Jesse Ese, Yenangoa
A former chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Chief Okpu, Augustine Naru, has said that the Local Government Autonomy will boost the development of rural areas in the country if it is put into play in Nigeria.
He also warned that the country would continue witness slow pace of development in the rural areas if the Local Government Autonomy is not put into practice.
Speaking from his personal experience as chairman of the council, Chief Okpu said it is due to the fact that the chairmen always obey the state government because their LGA finance is controlled by the state government thereby using it as a tool against them.
He added that the Local Government chairmen cannot complain of their finance which is not enough or oppose indiscriminate actions of the state government because they are always threatened of failure in the next elections if they dare oppose any action.
“As someone who knows the benefit of being a chairman; I will not complain; even if the money is not enough. Who will want to be boy-boy after serving as an LGA chairman? Who will want to go and beg commissioners for money? At the end who will suffer? It is those at the grass root level. It is painful.”
He also said the rural areas would develop speedily if the Local Government Autonomy is put into play in the nation, that every LGA chairman will concentrate on how to develop his own LGA and no pressure will come from above to direct them on what to do.
Concerning godfatherism, Chief Okpu stated that it cannot be ruled out of politics; adding that there are also reverend fathers in church that mentor the young Christians.”
“In politics too, you need to have somebody who will put you through, you can’t just wake up from nowhere and land on top.” “But the issue is; who is your mentor?” “If you have a bad mentor; you’ll definitely be bad because he’ll lead you in the wrong direction.”
