By: Ovedhe Jerry.
As part of activities in commemoration of Nigeria Independence at 56 that coincided with the creation of the Local Government at 25, the executive chairman of Isoko North Local Government, Hon Emmanuel Egbabor, over the weekend organized a Town Hall meeting for the constituents with a call on the people to always embrace environmental laws and take security as a collective responsibility.
Hon Egbabor, who said the Town Hall Meeting is considered to be part of the councils Community engagement and also to render account of stewardship of the two years in office disclosed that, his administration has undertaken and executed a number of social impact projects, cutting across all sectors despite the current global harsh economic realities.
He added that, the challenges have been so enormous that virtually all allocations received from the Federal Allocation Account Committee are not even enough to pay salaries of council workers.
The council boss in his speech drummed support for local government autonomy as the only way forward for development of communities.
He enumerated the council achievements within the period of 2years in the area of Administration, Infrastructural Development, Peace and Security, Health and other social service, Youth empowerment (E-Skills), Welfare, education, environmental sanitation, Agriculture and Internally Generated Revenue, amongst other.
He also identified financial constraint as a major challenge, saying, ”we have been unable to meet most of your desire and aspirations as earlier promised. This as you may be aware has to do with the present economic recession bedeviling the nation at the moment. We pray for a quick resolution so that we could achieve all we had promised, our government remains committed to improving the economy of Isoko North and the wellbeing of the citizenry”.
Meanwhile the chairman in a chat with newsmen, he urged President Mohammadu Buhari to release money for capital projects in order to revive the economy and always engage professionals and seek advice from economist around him.
When asked on his view on Local Government Autonomy he quickly responded thus: “ I am in support of it. And I am sure many Governors, Senators and House of Assembly members are in support of it too. Knowing fully well of what we are passing through, that is not to be debated on. We need autonomy.”
