Review LG Chairmen’s Qualification in AKS;: Dr Nana
A senior lecturer in one of the tertiary institutions in Akwa Ibom State and former Chief Press Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Dr. Udeme Nana has called on Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to review the current qualification of Local Government Chairmen and Councilors in the state.
He tasked the state House of Assembly to raise the bar for those to be elected to govern the grassroots, as majority of those on the saddle may be engaging in their first Executive jobs.
Speaking on the theme: “Strengthening the capacity of Information Officers for strategic Partnership in Local Government Administration” in Uyo on Tuesday, Nana blame the poor quality of lives at the grassroots level to the half hearted attention paid governance at that level.
According to Dr Nana, Local Government Information Officers in the state have been abandoned to redundancy by the chairmen. He said any council Chairman with an executive capacity would easily recognize and partner the Information Officers as key team players.
“Let me note here that the poor quality of lives, livelihood and service delivery in our local governments owe to half-hearted attention to deliberate and systematic efforts at capacity building and strengthening of capacity of workers in the service.
“Also, the seeming regression in our society today is because those who possess optimum capacity have not been mobilized to make contributions, particularly, at the level of local council administration in our country.
“How can Local Government Administration in Nigeria be left for the “flotsam and jetsam” of the society. How can the Chairmanship of the Local Government Council be the first ever executive employment of anybody. What value can such a person add to the system.
” I suggest that the State Legislature makes a law to ensure that only persons who have risen to the position of a Director in the public service or its equivalent are qualified to serve as Local Government Council Chairmen.
In her welcome remarks, Chairman, Local Government Information Chapel (LOGIC), Comrade Roseline Etukudo said the choice of the theme ” Strengthening the Capacity of Information Officers for Strategic Partnership in Local Government Administration” was a calculated attempt by the Chapel to chart a new road map in information management within the third tier of government in Akwa Ibom State
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“It is our belief that this lecture will recreate a progressive mindset that will promote the collaboration between information purveyors and the administrators at the Local Government level.
Highpoint of the LOGIC press week was the unveiling and presentation of “News31”, a newspaper published by the Chapel.
