Lazy LG chairmen risk sack – Anambra commissioner, Nwabunwanne threatens

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

The Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Community Affairs in Anambra State, Tony-Collins Nwabunwanne, has threatened that any local government chairman not performing in his council area will be removed from office and a more competent person will take his job.

The Commissioner who spoke at the Government House, Awka, explained that being a local government chairman is not a meal ticket, adding that such a sensitive position is entrusted in the hands of one with the requisite administrative acumen to propel grassroots development in line with the Solution Agenda.

Although the Commissioner revealed that the immediate past TC chairman of Ihiala local government area was not returned due to myriads of complaints of non-performance, coupled with internal zoning arrangement of political offices in the area, he said Awka-North was more worrisome because the TC chairman did not perform at all.

Nwabunwanne, who stated that government is a continuity, emphasized that all the TC Chairmen have been charged to perform creditably in their respective council areas; that any local government chairman who fails to perform will be removed from office forthwith.

According to him, most of the TC Chairmen now will not be returned in the next dispensation as a result of an internal executive arrangement which makes provision for the TC Chairmen to stay at least one year in office subject to renewal of appointments or otherwise.

He said most of them have already stayed up to one year in office and above and that in the next dispensation, there may be a need for fresh hands to occupy the positions except otherwise.

The Commissioner said, ” It is either you are bringing development to your area with the funds provided to you or you leave the office for someone who has the capacity to run the office.

“We are hopeful that by the time the first tenure of Mr. Governor is over, significant development would have taken place in all the local governments, in terms of projects, conducive environments, trainings, infrastructures and revenue generation for budgetary allocations”.

Nwabunwanne, who said he has toured the 21 local government areas of the State to assess situations, said such assignments are being carried out at intervals to assess, as well as ascertain that the funds given to the TC Chairmen for rural development are being deployed judiciously.

According to him, “much is expected and if it is not seen, the TC Chairman will vacate office”, saying that of Ihiala was partly based on zoning arrangement, adding that from the information available to him, a zone cannot occupy two political offices at the same time, coupled with complaints of non-performance.

The Commissioner also disclosed that Governor Soludo approved only one year in office for TC Chairmen, arguing that it is not their entitlements, stressing that in the next three months, more TC Chairmen would be relieved of their appointments, if they are not performing and meeting the expectations of government and the people.

He said, ”Performance is key for us. Awka-North TC Chairman was removed based on non-performance. Ihiala TC Chairman was removed based non-performance and zoning formula.”

On the question of legality of the TC Chairmen, the Local Government Commissioner stated that the House of Assembly makes laws upon which the TC Chairmen are elected into office through an electoral college, even as he pointed out that the assurance of the present administration is that local government elections will be conducted.