The chief executive of LGNA, Tunde Jakande, has expressed his gratitude while celebrating the 12 years anniversary.
In his words, he stated that the organization was started with only one purpose to promote good governance, excellence and good administrator.
While they have different step in which they tried to achieve that. They have a newsletter called LGNA news magazine which has been in existence for basically 12 years while they capture event, activities and publish.
“We basically centred on good governance and excellence in public administration, also we hold seminars, conferences, and lectures on capacity building and training toward competence and then sometimes, we hold lectures and award like this to give the recognition and celebrate public officers that are doing very well in their office.”
He said after 12 years of been existing, it is their mandate to look back and see how much they have been able to impact.
“Are we going toward the right direction, are we doing something that is right, are people feeling us in any way” he said.
While speaking on the challenges faced by the organization he said, If you’re passionate about something, society do not give you things on a platter of gold, you have to prove yourself, you have to be consistent, you will realize eventually that when you’re consistent, things that you find difficult will become easy.
Also, the executive of Egbe Idimu Lcda, Honourable Santa -Olu Olowopajo describe Jakande as a selfless person and someone who loves humanity
“What we know of him is somebody that will come around, he wants to see what you’re doing, how you’ve been going about it, and he’s never there for his own gain, so we bank God for having him and for what he has done, and how much he has projected us positively, the seven council in Lagos state. Especially those of us that have work closely with his media house.”
“Lagos is the centre of excellence, and as the state government is doing his bit, we at the Local government are also doing our part.”
In his words, Olowopajo say, for any government to be successful, he has to have the fund. We don’t have enough resources but, with the little we have at our disposal, if you go around, visit all the seven council, there’s hardly any council that you will find wanting. Virtual all of us are up and doing, and we can show you what and what we’ve been doing. We just passed our 100 days in office, on my part I think I’ve delivered about 12 roads as at the last count, and I have about another five ongoing and a concrete bridge which I’m about to commission before Christmas. The council in Lagos state are operating like a state government,
“My word of advice for the TJAK and the team LGNA, is to keep doing what they have been doing, what we’ve known them for. We know then never to be bias.” He said.
Furthermore, representatives of Nigeria Financial Intelligence Units ( NFIU), Mr Felix, revealed that as an organization they got to know of LG news in 2019, shortly after they release this guideline of local government funds, and they approached them to facilitate a seminar for local government chairmen in Lagos state, and from there, they have had about 5 or 6 interaction and got collaboration with them, with respect of building capacity of local government administrator both the elected and unelected.
“Over the years since we’ve known them, they have maintained steady progress, standard, and they have passion for the development of Local government council. They have grown for 12 years in Lagos state, and they should move to other part of Nigeria.” He said.
The local government system is federation wide, so they should move on to other part of the country and also bring this message, this gospel of quality local government administration in other part of Nigeria so that if Lagos state is doing well others too will be doing well.
“As a unit we are worried, and hence on the guideline we released because we discovered that the management of the state local government joint account need much to be decided, is not a compliance to the constitution, it’s also not quite strictly in compliance with best practices, and that have deprived the local government system of what needed funds.”
He stated that it also politically impeded the progress of local government system, it is the reason why most state prefer to run local government system with care taker and others elected acronym and that has led to the decapitation of local government system in Nigeria.
In fact recently, the former president, Goodluck Jonathan, say that the reason or one of the major reason for the sustenance of this security is the absence of development of local government system, and we all know that. We are all worried that financially, the local government is mismanaged.
There are very few states that have maintained steady physical proper management of local government system, but in total it’s less than average, so it’s a failure. A local government financial management system is a failure.
The way out is that, in strict adherence to the constitutional provision, the fund that are meant to be local government should be given to them. The local system should be administered in line with section 4 of the constitution, that’s by elected officials.
Once we have elected official who are accountable to the electorate and the fund meant for them are given to them, we will make progress because you can challenge them, you can question them. The electorate have the power to remove them, but now when we have our pure administrator who are answerable to their appointees and the result are made available to them, so they do not have much allegiance to anybody except their appointees.
In his words, Jakande said in the next couple of years, the organization is looking out for more international engagement on how it will impact the various communities in the state.
He also appreciates the entire member of Arise TV for their steady support in terms of covering their event.