The 774 local government areas may fast be on the way to restoration of development indices and in turn state and national growth and development, especially with the right persons in place.
While some local government council leaders may see the approval of autonomy to local government areas by the National Assembly as a way of personal enrichment, some were already putting in place the best ways to improve the well-being of the people they represent.
In Zamfara, Tsafe LGA is standing out due to the efforts of the Sole Administrator, Dr Aliyu Adamu Barmo, a development analyst cum politician whose prowess in grassroots lobbying and development exposed him to the interests of the state governor, Dauda Lawal, who appointed him to lead the affairs of the local government.
One of the most thoughtful ideas introduced by Dr Barmo is the establishment of a quarterly scorecard to measure progress, track achievements, and enhance accountability in project implementation throughout the area.
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The leadership went further to open a website for the Local Government Area to facilitate regular updates on its activities, events, and developments for public information and engagement thereby ensuring accountability and welcoming criticisms to engender more development. Monitoring and evaluation of state and LG projects will also be easier to ensure accountability, transparency, and effective resource utilization.
Since coming to office six months ago, the sole administrator who has passion for rural development swung into action in all sectors starting with security, and as one of the local government areas most hit by armed bandits’ activities, he engaged the traditional institution on intelligence gathering and dissemination with the security agencies to handle early warning signs of any threat so that it can be averted immediately.
This has greatly helped in decimating criminal elements and their activities throughout the area, particularly on the Funtua/Tsafe highway where travellers had to think twice before plying the road but now, the threat has significantly reduced while information provided on the area’s website will further guide travellers on safety. Even the state government could partly be accessed through the website on its activities in Tsafe local government and how it may have extended to other parts of the state.
Similarly, while the federal government is still bracing up for the next census, the local government has developed an online registration of indigenous persons in order to establish a comprehensive database, facilitate community participation, and strengthen connections among indigenous personalities in the community.
Abubakar Ahmed wrote from Jabi village, Abuja
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