Tejiri Ebikeme The Chairman of Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon. George Ekpemupolo has said that effective local councils across the country was only possible if they were granted full autonomy by the Federal Government.
He blamed joint-account system being operated by most states with local government councils as the bane of under-development and inability to pay workers’ salaries in councils across the country. Hon. George, who is the younger brother to High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, however rooted for the scrapping of the joint-account system to allow Local Governments function as expected in the country. The council chairman made the call while answering questions from newsmen during the commissioning of a community town hall executed by his administration at Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom of the council. The town hall which he said cost the council about thirty-five million naira was executed due to prudent management of the council resources. While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government to make LGs autonomous from state government interference, noted that if the councils are made autonomous it would help tackle issue of under-development in the rural areas which councils are meant to serve. The Warri South-West Chairman who is one of the few council bosses in Delta State that are not owing workers’ salaries which had led to strike by many council workers in the state disclosed that councils are faced with the challenge of paucity of funds to meet their statutory obligations. “The major challenge facing local government is fund. There are no funds especially with this joint account with the states. If I’ve my way I’ll make LGs autonomous. They should be free to operate on their own”, the council boss stated. He added that, “If you are a politician and very prudent with the little you have, one can make a different. We have been able to manage the little resources we have prudently that is why we are not owning workers’ salaries. We are not getting money from anywhere. My workers did not embark on strike because we have been able to meet payment of salaries.” “The Federal Government should make Local Governments function autonomously as a third tier of government. The councils should be made autonomous and that is what I’m advocating.” While enjoining the people and residents of the council to remain peaceful, he charged the Kokodiagbene community to protect government projects sited in their areas. In his brief remark, the community chairman, Comrade Sheriff Mulade thanked the council chairman for the project while also appealing for the construction of modern market in the community to save the people from travelling over three hours in speedboats to urban centre to purchase food items. He said; “Mr. Chairman, the people of Kokodiagbene community look forward to you for projects of this nature for the overall development of our communities which suffer lack of community developmental projects. The people of Kokodiagbene community are very much grateful and implore you to key into the construction of Examination Hall, toilets, library, science laboratories for the Kokodiagbene Model Secondary School, and the renovation of the Kokodiagbene community Market in your second tenure; to meet up with modern communities.” He added that; “Mr. Chairman, we the people of Kokodiagbene community are in dare need of a market to boost our local community economy in order to provide local and modern goods to stop our people from traveling on daily basis to urban cities to buy goods and provide services.” “Once more, we are very much grateful first of all to God Almighty for making this day a reality and to you Hon. George Ekpemupolo, Chairman, Warri South-West LGA, Delta State and more so, High Chief Government Oweizide Ekpemupolo are not left out, God, in His Infinite Mercy will reimburse and reward you immensely with unquantifiable blessings,” he stated.
