COMMISSIONER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS CHARGED CALABAR MUNICIPAL COUNCIL ON GRASSROOT ORIENTED PROJECTS, COMMENDS HOLGA.
By Adoga Michael Oyi
The commissioner for Local Government affairs, Hon Mrs Stella Oreme Odey who has embarked on an 'on the spot' assessment of Local Government pension board and Local Government councils has commended the HOLGA of Calabar Municipal, Rev. Mrs Christiana Elemi and her staff on work improvement in the council Secretariat, and charged them to embark more on grassroot oriented projects.
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| Honorable Commissioner for Local Government affairs, Hon Mrs Stella Oreme Odey |
On arrival, the Honorable Commissioner told the HOLGA that she came with her team for an on the spot assessment of the council. She said she was delighted with Calabar Municipal because the council is like a home to her, and the improvement of work she has seen so far is commendable.
"Governor Ben Ayade is a man with the heart of effective service delivery, so as his staff we have no option than to render effective services for the industrialization agenda to be achieved". She said, the local government is the arm that must render selfless services to the rural populace as it is the nearest government to the grassroots.
"Our mandate is that, the LG administrator must stay within their Local Government and render selfless and sacrificial services to the people". " Sen. Prof Ben Ayade is poised at seeing the Local Government working and we have no choice than to deliver on the mandate", she said.
The head inspectorate, ministry of LG affairs,Mr Sylvanus Enang, also commended Calabar Municipal HOLGA and her staff, but also charged them on improvement in record keeping. He left a template with them and promised to visit back.
The HOLGA, Calabar Municipal Council, Rev. Mrs. Christiana Elemi while speaking, commended the commissioner and her team for their visit though uninformed. Mrs Elemi said, the Calabar Municipal is collaborating with Smartgov in making sure all businesses operational in Calabar Municipal are collated into a data base. According to her, the collation is gear towards having the data of all businesses in the LG and their contribution to revenue generation. "I'm proud to say that Calabar Municipal is about the first LG to embark on this".
Rev. Elemi further stated that, the revenue of the LG was politicized before her arrival but after series of dialogue, the LG has been able to enter into agreement with the revenue contractors on percentage sharing formula, which brought synergy between the LG and the revenue contractors.
The commissioner commended the HOLGA for the innovation in the council's IGR, and prayed other LGAs emulates Calabar Municipal on the innovation of Data base collation on Revenue that would boast the council's IGR. She advised that, the HOLGA carry all staff along. "Unite all staff because in Unity they could achieve a lot, even His Excellency Prof Ben Aayde believes in togetherness.
Speaking further, the HOLGA Rev. Elemi also lamented on the hosting of Christmas village in the council Secretariat. She said, offices were invaded and items stolen. "The premises of the council were messed up with faeces, urine, electric poles vandalized, etc. She suggested that, if the environment and security of the Christmas village can't be properly handled, the Christmas village be relocated.
The commissioner advised the HOLGA to write officially to those in charge of the event, and to his Excellency stating all that she has stated.
The heads of department in Calabar Municipal LG, briefed the commissioner and her team on all projects executed and ongoing. The Agric department took the commissioner to their demonstration farm where the Honorable Commissioner advised them to key into one of the seven (7) points agenda of the State Governor, Prof Ben Ayade, which is Agriculture. She told them the concept of G-Money (Green-Money) which is centered around Agriculture is realistic and should be tapped into.
She also advised the Agric head to demonstrate rice farming in next planting season.
The commissioner and her team then took the tour of the offices and the environment.
Read also: Local Government Affairs/Pension Board: Ayade, Stella Frowns At Fraud In Pension Board.
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