A lawmaker in Anambra State on the platform of the Labour Party (LP), Henry Mbachu, has said that the insecurity and criminal activities bedevilling the state are majorly due to the non-conduct of local government council elections.
Mbachu, who is representing Awka South Constituency I in the State House of Assembly, said due to the nonexistence of local government councils, all Transition Committee chairmen in the 21 LGAs of the state, traditional rulers, Presidents-General of community groups, local politicians and other top community leaders are now living in the state capital, thereby increasing house rent and standard of living and depriving the LGAs of effective leadership at the grassroots.
Speaking yesterday when he hosted the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union Journalists (NUJ), Anambra State, at his residence, Mbachu frowned at what he called government’s insensitivity to the need of having elected members at the local government councils, which he described as the breeding ground for future leaders and politicians.
He said if the local government council elections were conducted, it would assist in reducing the increasing rate of insecurity and crimes in the state, noting that any elected chairman, who resides among his people would know their challenges and address them.
“Those youths who are supposed to be groomed at the local government areas are neglected, thereby leaving them to roam the streets and becoming easy catch for criminal activities,” he added.
“So, I am using this opportunity to appeal to the state governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, to conduct the local government elections, as he promised Ndi-Anambra during his governorship election campaign,” he said.
