By Chukwudi Enekwechi
While the controversy rages over the autonomy of local government councils in Nigeria, the Kwali Area Council of Nigeria’s capital city, Abuja, is not leaving any stone unturned in delivering democracy dividends to its residents. The Council, under the leadership of Honourable Joseph Shazin, has adopted robust developmental strategies towards ensuring its development. The administration has embarked on various projects, especially the rehabilitation of some road networks, schools, water boreholes and repair of offices at the secretariat.
It is interesting to note that the council’s leadership has continued to deliver on its mandate to the people, despite the paucity of funds arising from a significant drop in its monthly federal allocations. The developmental strides of the Council in a little over one year into Shazin’s three-year administration can be attributed to the leadership style of the chairman and his team.
On assumption of office, Shazin realised the peculiar needs of his people which are mostly development-related and he hit the ground running by tackling them sector by sector. Having laid a road map for the realisation of the most basic of the needs which is education, his administration embarked on the provision of motorable roads to the long-abandoned remote villages and agrarian communities.
It is noteworthy that most of the projects the administration has focused on are people-oriented. To commemorate his first year in office, he commissioned various projects like the timber market, and the cattle market at Koroko.
He also renovated classroom blocks, office blocks and toilet facilities in the Pilot Science Primary School, Kwali and Yangogi Primary School. He has also drilled several water boreholes in some Kwali communities.
These achievements are remarkable, considering that some local government councils in the country usually give lame excuses for their inability to deliver life-changing projects to their people. The difference is the commitment leaders bring to bear on the responsibilities entrusted to them.
In the case of Kwali Area Council, the management team has continued to work tirelessly to improve the lives of the residents. It has also proven that despite the lean federal allocation which has become a national malaise, with prudent management, the local government can still deliver some developmental projects to the residents within available resources.
The implication of the drop in Nigeria’s national oil earnings is that both states, local and federal governments are affected. The solution, however, lies in innovative thinking and prudent management of human and materials resources and being done in Kwali Council where Shazin is steering the ship with humility, wisdom and knowledge. His many years of experience as an educationist, teacher and administrator have amply equipped him to manage the Council well.
He has also accomplished significant milestones based on the cooperation of the people, staff of the area council and traditional rulers. The council has, today, become an example of how local governments in Nigeria should operate and this achievement and style of leadership are worthy of emulation.
In this era of diversification, all levels of government have a duty to ensure that other means of generating revenues are explored in order to meet the increasing demands of their constituents. In the case of Kwali council, agriculture happens to be the mainstay of the economy and it is gratifying to note that the Shazin administration has been supporting farmers with necessary tools and implements to ply their trade.
Abuja, being the seat of the federal government, is already witnessing expansion and surrounding areas like Kwali, with its strategic location, can take advantage of the opportunities that will result from the expansion of the city centre. The local government, as the third tier of government, remains the closest to the people. Therefore, the federal and state governments have a responsibility to adequately equip them towards meeting their day to day challenges.
The support they need most is the allocation of more resources which will enable them to cater for the various needs of the rural dwellers which, in most cases, are numerous. Kwali Area Council has shown a good example of how a local council can manage scarce resources for the benefit of the citizens.
This commitment is noticeable in the regular payment of staff salaries while carrying out other pressing responsibilities in the area.
Enekwechi writes from Abuja