Why I Moved The Motion For Tenure Extension Of Management Committee Chairmen–Hassan
Extension of six months tenure for management committees of the 17 Local Governments in Plateau State have generated series of issues, Rt. Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan; is the chairman House of Assembly committee on Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs, in this chat he talks on the conduct of management committees of the 17 LGCs and sundry of issues. , encapsulates his thoughts, Yakubu Busari was there for universalreporters247.com, The excerpts;
Sir, what are basically the functions of your committee?
Well just as any other House standing committee, ours is also saddled with the responsibility of carrying out oversight functions of how respective local government councils and chieftaincy affairs therein; are faring. Public funds are allocated to all those that are either elected or appointed to lead these local councils and the onus is now on us as legitimate legislators, to wok and ensure that things are done in consonance with the provisions of the law. Our work is not only to oversee the utilization of funds but is to also look into the welfare of the workforce in the councils. The committee is also saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that issues concerning chieftaincy affairs are properly handle.
You have embarked on oversight functions of the 17 Local Government Areas of the State, are you satisfied with what you have seen or heard?
Yes, we have gone round the local government areas, and thank God that you are also among the media team that have accompanied the committee during the tour, and you have also seen and heard from both the management committee chairmen, the technocrats and some People of the localities. We interacted with the People because we also want to know how the Councils leaderships are faring with the common man.
As the committee went round it was concerned about the welfare of the local People, that was why in the previous visits we undertook to the councils then was not to oversee any physical project but to know about how the councils are trying to generate resources, I mean funds through the internally generated revenue (IGR). And now that the management committees of the councils have been in place for more than a year and half, we were also bothered about the funds they have received in form of value added tax (VAT), which is mainly released for projects execution, projects that will have direct positive impact onto the lives of the People.
Therefore, in response to the questions, I for one is satisfied with what we so in some of the Local Governments, some have done well, on the average and others need to work hard and do things that will really, improve the lives of the common man. For instance some chairmen have reached about 75 percent completion of good bridges and culverts that will link so many communities, others have done rural electrification and other good things, while others need to improve, of importance to mention was the fact that the project continuity drive of this administration is replicated at the Local levels, where inherited uncompleted projects were being completed by some of the management committees, so on a whole the House committee has presented its interim report and very soon the main report will also be presented for consideration.
Sir, you have frowned on the purchased of official cars worth N33m, by Chairman of a particular LGC, why the frowning?
The country including Plateau State and all of its 17 LGCs are in recession, I thing rather than the council chairman, going for his personal luxury to the detriment of the larger masses who desired to have for instance a borehole that will provide good potable water, I mean N33m worth of boreholes, or befitting healthcare facilities, are much more important things that will impact on the People we are serving. It is a certain fact that the council Chairman also deserves good official vehicle but not the one that is so expensive, at this time of the recession.
One other area that you have raised concerned was absenteeism by some workers of the LGCs, what is your committee doing to address the issue?
As legislators I think truancy is an unlawful habit that will not be condone, it is an immoral act for any worker that is paid his salary, and in return he or she will end up not working, but to cast aspersions on government that salaries are not paid, as reflected in our interim report, that for instance in Kanam Local Government Council Secretariat, we discovered that the technocrats only show up to work when there is disbursement of funds from JACC or VAT, while in some councils they only show up two or three times in a month, this situation in its self is so disheartening and is also giving room for junior workers to exhibit nonchalant attitude to work. But surely some mechanisms must be in place to check out this attitude, and in that circumstance I think besides tasking the heads of every department to ensue strict supervision, our committee will also explore other lawful means of checkmating it.
Most People in the State seems not happy by the House resolution that have extended another six months for the management committees, rather than making the executive to conduct elections, why did the House took that position?
As I rightly said, some of the management committee chairmen have not done well, and going by this it is certain that People from such places will not be happy, but then our committee has not concluded work on its main report, and considering the fact that the last lawful tenure of the councils management committees, was elapsing 29th-December, 2016, and with no elected executives in place, no request from the office of the Executive Governor His Excellency Simon Bako Lalong, seeking for either extension of their tenure or dissolution, the House deemed it right to reconvened from its recess and do the needful of ensuring that no vacuum was left, that will also lead to unnecessary litigation from some quarters.
It will be recalled that after I have presented our interim report to the plenary in December, 2016, when the matter came up, I was asked by the Speaker of the House, Right Hounourable Peter Azi, to give the House a direction, which having in mind the situation on ground, I moved a motion that sought another six months extension of tenure for the ‘system,’ in quotes, but not for the individual occupants of the seats, it was deliberated on the floor and was resolved at the extension of six months.
After the extension a lot of People have expressed worried, I have received a lot of text messages and calls with abuses, on why I called for the extension of six months, I have said it before and I will say it again that the extension we gave was only for the system but not for the individual person, any chairman found wanting could be sacked today or tomorrow, so is for the system pending when the State Electoral Commission (PLASIEC),get set for the elections, which could come up any time from now.
The Governor had while inaugurating the PLASIEC Chairman and his commissioners, said the executive is ready at any moment to conduct elections, what do you think is delaying the elections?
Well I am of the legislative arm and wouldn’t want to be seen talking for the executive, but being a critical stakeholder, first as an ardent supporter of democracy and democratic process, second as Chairman of the House committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, would like to say the delay is not a harmful one, for the fact that at present the umpire has two different conflicting laws guiding the functions and processes of election including the tenure of elected executives of the councils, formulated by previous regimes, of which now his excellency Governor Lalong deemed it unwise for the state to continue to have these conflicting laws and are before the House for harmonization to come up with one good law that would stand the test of time.
Besides these laws waiting for harmonization through legislation, I think when the State APC-led Government under Governor Lalong assumed office, we are battling on how to pay the huge back-lock of 8 Months of workers salary and the Governor thought it was unwise to begin to talk about local elections without settling the workers’ salaries and we too as lawmakers have to support him, however, now that the issue of salary is put at good condition, we have to also support the governor to come up with good laws that will guide the elections and to do away with anything that would bring about unnecessary litigations.
The Local Government bill is right now with us and is not that we are just going to seat as legislators to write a report and take it to the larger House to come up with a law, but we are going to conduct a public hearing so that the larger People of the State will also make their input to be able to achieve what is rightly obtainable.
I am not an advocate of management committees, just as it is instructive that the People of Plateau State want elected persons to lead their councils, I am also in their support.
Lastly sir, your constituency is said to have suffered neglects from previous regimes, how certain are you that this administration will patronize the communities in terms of citing projects?
It is true that in the last sixteen years of the PDP led administration there was virtually no single project cited in the Jos North-North State constituency, most especially the central and other isolated areas of Jos. For instance areas like Anguwan Rogo-Angwan Rimi, Narakuta, Aii Kazaure, Abba Nashehu, Ibrahim Katsina, Nasarawa, Rikkos and others, suffered absolute neglects from the past regimes.
However, I am optimistic that the APC led administration of Plateau State under the fair leadership of his Excellency Simon Lalong, will do justice to us. Some areas have felt the impact of the government, while the roads at Anguwan Rogo and Anguwan Rimi have been captured and recaptured in the 2016 and 2017 budget. All that I will appeal is for my constituents to continue to pray and give the government the desired cooperation for it to succeed.
