OPINION | Sole Administrators For Benue Local Governments: Is That Our Priority?-Franc Utoo.

"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

Recently, the Benue State House Of Assembly passed into Law an Executive Bill on Local Government Administration for the appointment of Sole Administrators to overseer the Local Councils.


The passage into Law of this Bill was faster than the speed of sound. It, therefore, calls for question: between the appointment of Sole Administrators and the prohibition of open grazing as adumbrated in the Bill for Cattle Ranching which has been in the House for God knows how many months, which is more important?

Both the executive and legislative arms in Benue are culpable of relegating matters that affect us more to the background while elevating roles that sought to satisfy individual interests. Too bad. When is the Anti Open Grazing Bill going to be giving this sort of attention and speedy passage?

Meanwhile, what is still stopping us from conducting local elections? The constitution of Nigeria and other material laws do not envisage the appointment of Sole Administrators. For how long shall we continue to be contemptuous of the 3rd tier of government? The 800 million naira demanded for the conduct of local elections can be conveniently met by the sum total of the statutory tax paid by all aspirants for Chairmen and Councillors.

It is seriously not palatable to the ears that more than a year into our change regime no democratically elected local government administrators are in place. It is not even in sight either!