Warri North: Ebosa presents 7-point demand to Ashima

Former Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Dr. Godwin Ebosa, has enjoined the new Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Hon. Festus Ashima, to prioritize Sustenance of Unity in the local government, Security, Infrastructural development, Empowerment of the People, Education and Health, Environmental - Climate change or Global Warming and cordial relationship with the Legislative Arm.

Dr. Ebosa, gave the challenge in a welcome address presented to the new Warri North Local Government Boss, Hon. Festus Ashima.

Below are excerpts of the address:

“1. Sustenance of Unity in the Council. Build on the existing unity between the Ijaws and the Itsekiris who are the two major ethnic nationalities that inhabit this Council. I was reliably informed that both you the Chairman and your Vice have both Itsekiri and Ijaw blood flowing in you. My expectation is that you will leverage heavily on this blood relationship to bond the two nationalities closer together for effective development of the entire Local Government Area. The peace that we have over the past years must continue.

Dr. Godwin Ebosa

“2. Security - Security is key to governance, for no meaningful development can take place in a crises ridden area, as an oil producing LGA, criss in your Council will negatively impact your revenue inflow and will impugn your ability to provide the dividends of democracy to our people. It is therefore imperative for your government to identify and work with all critical stakeholders to ensure that the network of crude oil pipelines and other structures in your sphere of control are well protected and secure. The government security agencies - the Police, Army, Navy, NSCDC, DSS and other stakeholders are to be consulted and carried along in order to guarantee the safety and security of our people and oil installations in our area. The waterways must be safe for travelers, traders and fishermen/women. During my tenure as Warri North LGC Chairman, there was no single incident of pipeline vandalism, I expect your government to copy from that template.

“3. As the Chairman I supported and campaigned for, it will be gratifying to me if within your term in office, you were able to surpass the records of all the Chairmen that had served our Council in the past in terms of physical and visible infrastructure. Infrastructural development must be evenly distributed across all wards in the LGA within the limits of budgetary provisions.

“4. Empowerment of our People - Your government should ensure that our people are empowered through appointments into various committees to be set up by you in different sectors of our Council. Any physical infrastructure without stomach infrastructure will not be good enough, the economy is very challenging at this time and the burden should not be left only for the State, our people should feel the positive impact of governance at the Council level.

“5. Education and Health - Your government should ensure schools in our riverine rural communities are closely monitored and that effective teaching and learning take place throughout the length and breadth of primary schools in our LGA. In my time as LG Chairman, I did set up Education Monitoring Committee to achieve this, I encourage your government to the same. Also ensure all our primary health centres are provided with sufficient drugs, nurses and doctors to take care of the health of our people especially in our rural communities,” health they say is wealth” Our primary health centres must be made functional.

“6. Environmental - Climate change or Global Warming which is the rise in global temperatures due mainly to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has a negative effect in our area, this is evident in rising water levels resulting in floods in some of our communities. Your government should monitor and share weather forecasts alerts from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to our communities that are prone to flooding in order to minimize losses that may occur when natural disaster such as flooding happens.

“7. Relationship with the Legislative Arm - For your government to succeed, you must work closely with the Legislative Arm of the Council by ensuring that you carry them along in all that you want to do for the Council. As you are aware, without their approval of budget you cannot spend a dime from funds of the Council and without their passing of bye-laws your policies and programmes for the Council will not be achieved. Do not forget their constituencies in projects distribution so as to avoid conflict in the Council.

“Finally, the joy of any Local Government Chairman is to see the Governor coming to his local government to commission projects, it will be a thing of joy to see you invite our governor in your first 100 days in office to come and commission projects, the joy will even triple if you could have Mr. Governor come to your LGC three times within your tenure to commission projects.

“Always remember that my doors will be open for you where and when my help is needed. I wish you and your government great success in office.”

×