From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Governorship candidate of Young Progressive Party (YPP) and Senator representing Anambra South Senatorial district, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah has promised to conduct local government elections within six months if elected governor in November 6 election in the state.
Senator Ubah made the promise when he presented his working documents of Manifesto to the people of the state.
He said that the greatest tragedy of a failed system of all time was the obvious neglect of the power of the local government.
The senator christened Anambra Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation (ASSET) agenda towards his quest to the seat of the Governor of the State.
Among his other agendas, dwelled on: Local Government Autonomy;
Civil and Public Service Reforms;
Judiciary Reforms and upholding the Rule of Law;
Intolerance towards Corruption – entrenching Transparency, Accountability and Probity;
Community Development;
Traditional Institutional Reforms; etc.
According to him within six months into his administration, he would ensure a free and fair (clean) Local Government election, thereby showcasing the needed autonomy to the Local Government Administrations.
He further opined that such would enable him to concentrate on other main issues in the administration of Anambra State, while at the same time exercising just an assumed supervisory role over the LGAs, stressing that development starts from the grassroots, nay the Local Government Areas.
On his supervisory role, he intend to replicate the “Anambra State Agency for Civil Service Compliance and Monitoring (ASACSCM) at the Local Government levels.
Ubah said that one of the interesting portions of the Reforms at the LGAs would be his proposal to borrow from how community development at the grassroot worked successfully after the Nigeria civil war; wherein the then East Central State of Nigeria was rebuilt, mostly by Town Unions.
The senator also said he will culturally make Town Union President-General the fourth tier in governance; by making sure that those PGs remains democratically elected by their respective town people, without Anambra State Government’s dictatorial tendency that has remained the order of the day for years past now across about 179 of Towns Unions.
Ubah further insisted on honouring and properly recognising each democratically chosen Traditional Rulers elected by their subjects.
“With this, the era of imposition of Traditional Rulers on indigenes of any Town would be a thing of the past. This will, in addition and in turn, ensure a reorientation of the concept of community development.
“Considering nipping in the bud the endemic corruption associated with institutions development, our government shall establish Community Based Organisation Department (CBOD).
“My Government shall encourage Community Leadership, such as Age Grades, Vigilante and Women Leadership, by assigning responsibilities” he stated.