Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has said the state government would continue to encourage local government councils to save for the rainy day, as well as embark on development projects in their respective areas.
He stated this at a meeting with local government caretaker chairmen, vice-chairmen, secretaries and members of the eight councils in the state at the Government House, Yenagoa.
Ewhrudjakpo explained that the compulsory saving policy being implemented by all the councils would enable them carry out some basic infrastructural projects to better the lot of rural dwellers in the state.
He maintained that it was an aberration for local governments to see themselves as mere cash offices for salary payment only, while abdicating their responsibility for the provision of basic social amenities to the state and federal governments.
The deputy governor said that under the watch of the Governor Douye Diri-led administration, the immediate-past local government leaders had embarked on several people-oriented projects to complement the effort of the state government.
The deputy governor, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mr Doubara Atasi, noted that government was desirous of fostering rapid infrastructural development in the local councils, hence the decision to save local government funds monthly to prudently finance capital projects that address the critical needs of the people.
He said, “When I came in as deputy governor, I had to rejig the local government system of our state and initiated the compulsory monthly saving with the full support of the governor. That is why we are able to do projects in our local government areas. When the money (monthly allocation) comes, after paying salaries, 60 per cent of what is left goes for capital projects, while 40% is for recurrent.
“And then from the funds meant for recurrent, we still set aside 50 per cent as savings. So, what comes to the local government councils as recurrent is about 20 per cent of the total allocation. I can’t preside over local governments that don’t execute projects because local councils are supposed to be the first centres of development because of their closeness to the people.
“But unfortunately we have turned local governments to cash offices where people just collect salaries and go home. But I can assure you, that is not possible under my watch. We are in a pretentious recession in Nigeria. Very soon the dollar will hit N2000. So, if we don’t save this money, a time will come when even to pay council workers’ salaries will be difficult.”
Ewhrudjakpo, who called on the caretaker chairmen to meet with their members at least once every two months, charged them to carry the members along in the scheme of things, including informing them of key decisions and developments affecting the councils.
Addressing some of the complaints tabled by the caretaker committee members, he assured them that government would shortly address them through the office of the Secretary to State Government.
The caretaker chairmen of Sagbama, Yenagoa, Ekeremor and Nembe local government areas made presentations at the meeting, while caretaker members from all the eight councils were given opportunity to express their grievances.