Cross Rivger State Labour Party Chairman, Austin Ibok has lampooned local council chairmen in the state for their abysmal performance in the last two and half years.
Ibok who stated this in a statement in Calabar, said as the third tier of government, the local government councils are the first and most tangible contact with government and indeed democracy that the people have hence the need for LG’s chairmen to deliberately pursue the implementation of
programmes,/project and initiative aimed at improving the lives of ordinary Cross Riverians, a feature he said was completely lacking in the present crop of chairmen.
He lamented a scenerio where most local government chairmen spend little or no time in their respective domains which he maintains has widened more than ever, the gap between the elected and the electorate. “Two years after coming to power, it has become evident that the chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors have lived below expectations as clearly seen in their poor performance, misappropriation of funds as well as embarking on projects that have little or no value to the electorates; leaving them to the mercy of God for survival as well as the total collapse of the local government system.”
According to him, the desperation of some of the chairmen to get second terms in office has also led to massive embezzlement of public funds meant for developmental projects in preparation for the forthcoming local government elections and “yet they shamelessly go around to tell the electorates, there are no funds; how can a business man continue in a business that does not fetch him profit”
The LP boss appealed to Governor Ben Ayade and the Cross River State Independent Electoral Commission, CROSSIEC, to provide a level playing ground for all contestants irrespective of party affiliation as the Labour Party under his watch is determined to chase the PDP out of the eighteen local government councils of the state. “The determination of the party to play very active role in the forthcoming elections necessitated the decision of the state working committee of the party to embark on a statewide membership drive to further solidify the structures of the party in all the nooks and crannies of the state”, he added, while challenging the Chairmen and by extension the PDP to show the people what has been their achievements since they were elected as only then will the people consider entrusting the local councils to them again.
