If the news reaching us that the six Ikorodu Local Government councils received over 5.19 billion naira in one year, then the questions we must ask is, “does that chunk of money reflect on infrastructure in any way?”
Through social media platforms, people, including the intelligentsias are asking the Oriwu Sun to find out how the council chairs appropriated the huge funds disbursed to them.
Concerned people would like to know how the public fund was spent on the division; they want to know how the 5.19 billion has affected our infrastructures, education, health facilities and the entire communities? Though this may be directed to Ikorodu division, the problem applies to other parts of the country because all the councils across the country received equivalent of the federal government allocations.
While people across the country are criticizing the Federal Government for not doing enough, little did many know that the government is making provision for local government. Many will be surprised to hear that the Federal Government sent over 5 billion naira to their local government councils to be used for developmental projects, only for the cash to be used for personal gain by the custodians.
It is a thing of shame for the country that while huge sums of money are being allocated to the State and Local Governments annually, only few projects could be seen in the communities. At least, a whooping sum of 5 billion naira to a local government council should accomplish tangible projects at the grassroots, but what we have today looks like there is no funding accorded for infrastructural development in our communities. Like in many other Local Government councils across the nation, many residents are worried about the slow and underdeveloped physical projects going on in the division. They even went livid when report of the 5.6 billion naira allocated by the Federal Government, became known.
Engineer Adebola Akanni, a concerned indigene, was appalled by the news of the disbursed fund within one year to the six Councils. He wondered how such amount of funds would be spent without seeing any physical impact in the communities.
In a public letter written to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on his social media account, he intimated the Governor on the FAAC allocation in 2019 where 5.19 billion naira was allocated to Ikorodu division. He cited that the allocation never reflected in the primary schools and primary healthcare centres in the division.
In the second paragraph, he wrote, “I am aware of the poor state of some of these schools and health centres in this area. I wish to request that you should please ask your representative on the provision of these services to attend to necessary repairs that are needed in these areas. Some have primary and healthcare centres, yet they lack functioning pipe borne water supply and solar panel electricity system to function.”
In the following paragraph, he complained that the allocation was not used for the official purpose allocated for, “In these days of Covid-19, the receipt of this huge amount should be justified. The rumours have it that such allocations are shared by the personnel at the Local Government Councils and by political party leaders. Many other indigenes have expressed their shock for not seeing any corresponding value for such whooping public spending within one year.”
Most of the influential men in the division are worried by the lackadaisical attitude the Local Government is putting into their affairs, but they are scared to speak openly. Some of them wonder why their own fellow people will siphon public funds, which should be used for development projects in the division.
It is expected of the Council Chairmen to help bring development to the grassroots by the funds made available from the Federal Government allocation, not embezzling the funds and allowing Ikorodu wallow in infrastructure decadence. Aside the State Government -sponsored roads in Ijede-Elepe axis and Igbogbo road, many streets and inner streets in the division are in terrible shape. These roads are worsening by the day for lack of drainage systems, which often lead to flooding and serious gullies; yet, our Council Chairmen would not attempt to fix any of them.
Like the open letter written to the State Governor on social media, many of the notable sons and daughters in the division, who didn’t want their names mentioned in print, urged the State Governor to probe the Council Chairmen for the funds they received from both the Federal and State Government allocations.
A party member, who spoke under the cover of anonymity, told the Oriwu Sun that a huge percent of the public fund went to the pockets of the Council Chairmen and other party leaders while only a paltry sum goes into projects.
He explained that though what the chairmen are doing may not be fair, the issue of godfatherism is affecting them. The so called godfathers usually receive ‘settlements’, a sort of largesse from the public funds and this makes it difficult to have reasonable amount left for any serious project.
This misappropriation of public funds by the politicians could be minimized and the money could be utilized to maximum capacity, when the governments take stringent measures. One of the ways the Federal and State Governments could hold the councils accountable for public spending is to take audit/stock of their projects in every quarter of the year.
If there is a regular check and infrastructural audit taking place intermittently, the Local Council executives and other public executives will sit tight to embark on more infrastructural projects in their various communities.
The local party Leaders, who are indirectly posing as threat to community development by twisting arms of the Chairmen, should desist from this anti-progress attitude. They are shortening public funds by grabbing money from the Chairmen, indirectly stalling community projects. These party Leaders, who should be the ones asking the chairmen to accomplish community projects in their wards, are shamelessly siphoning public funds in proxy. Are they party Leaders or party raiders?
In spite of the excuses, with such reasonable amount of fund, the people should see tangible developments in their communities. 5.6 billion naira is worth doing noticeable projects regardless of the issues the executives are facing. This is also a call to the God fearing Chairmen to ponder on their job. They must look deep in introspection about the society they represent. How will there be real change without good roads, medical facilities and schools? If they lodge all the ill-gotten public fund in their account, they cannot run away from their indigenous communities.
This is the real homes they have and it is their duty to salvage it. They should also think of their children. Most importantly, how will these public executives like to be remembered when they are no longer in office?
They must remember that posterity will decide their place in history and that karma will always take its toll.