By Christian Njoku
Ms Phylo Odu, a Senior Special Assistant to Gov. Bassey Otu, says local government council chairmen in the state are not promoting development at the third tier level.
Odu made the allegation in a statement titled: “Cross River’s LGA Chairmen are not helping Otu’s Administration” which was made available to newsmen in Calabar on Tuesday.
She said that council chairmen in the state had failed to establish the needed connection with the people.
“They routinely complain of insufficient allocations, yet they acquire new property and live very expensive lifestyles.
“They run the councils from Calabar and Abuja. They appoint unqualified relatives into sensitive positions, and exclude qualified citizens from opportunities,” she said.
Odu also said that the chairmen had refused to key into the governor’s agenda to develop public infrastructure, and promote community needs.
“The governor has set a strong leadership example, but the chairmen’s performance falls short of the administration’s expectations,” she said.
In his reaction, Mr Yibala Nyang, the Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, (ALGON), Cross River Chapter, described the allegations as untrue and unverified.
Nyang, also the Chairman, Yakurr Local Government Council, said that the generalising statements from the aide
misrepresented the reality at the councils.
The ALGON chairman urged the governor’s aide to come up with specifics, adding, ” please investigate the performance of each chairman, don’t rely on broad assumptions”
“Local government chairmen are part of the governor’s political family, let’s not be quick to wash our dirty linens in the public,” he said.
He said that council chairmen in the state had performed their duties creditably, and remained committed to the development of tbe grassroots.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)