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Activist wants independent candidates as council chairmen
By
Segun Fatuase
Snr. Politics Correspondent, Lagos
A human rights activist has called for independent
candidates to control affairs and relate with the people at the local
government level nationwide.
Dr Sam Amadi, a
facilitator for Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS), who made the remark at the
opening of a two-day workshop on local government reforms and the challenges of
democracy in Lagos, said it had been difficult through the years for the common
man, as they continued to suffer while allocations meant for their development
were shared by their leaders.
“We need a no-party based local government in any part
of this country. What the people have suffered so far are deficits of
democracy. It is time for those
leading at the grassroots level to listen to the yearnings of the people and
try to provide those necessary social services needed,” he reasoned.
The activist, who was speaking with the participants from
the various local government areas, congratulated them on the landmark victory
over the local government case with the Federal Government. He however urged
them, the chairmen and middle level officials, to open a process for
development.
”It is not to pay salaries alone, let the real people
feel development in terms of pipe-borne water, good roads, and so on,” he
said.
In her presentation, Mrs Funmi Balogun-Alexander, another
activist based in Abuja, regretted that women and children, in their millions,
are bearing the brunt of poverty in the rural communities simply because most
rural communities are not in any
way connected to the councils.
“The daily challenges of managing economic and social
functions rest solely with women because
of the gender division of labour. This means that they have very little
time to take an active part in local politics,” she pointed out.
She therefore urged politicians to stop the cycle of
poverty, by giving women access
to education, health, and
small-scale loans so that they can have a sense of belonging.
In their numerous comments, the participants agreed to apply
the contributions to the daily performance of their duties.
The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry
of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mrs Davies, advised council officials
to conform to new changes in local government administration.
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