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| Agba Jalingo |
The local government system has been hibernating in Cross River for five years but with the swearing in of the new LG chairmen, we now have an opportunity to make it work by asking the right questions, getting the right answers and interrogating those answers.
18 new "small emperors" now have their pens inked to dispense over N3billion FAAC allocation every month and it will be unforgivable should we allow only politicians to determined how these monies will be used. There is already mounting pressure from "Calabar politicians" on the new chairmen to find "something" for their purses. Anticipated pressure from the governor and the co-governor can also not be overemphasized.
But I foresee two scenarios. These chairmen will be at the mercy of the Governor and the Calabar politicians on how these allocations are spent if there is no ground swell and support from a vigilant media and active civil society. The House of Assembly will compromise as usual. They will act as a parastatal of government when the chips are down.
Let me break it further, it will be easier to get whistleblowers within the corridors of power if the blowers are confident that they will be protected by the media and civil society. It further strengthens the whistleblowers if they are sure that the Intel they give will not be "wasted"; when they are sure the media will use it well and there is a strong and active civil society that can take action and force reform as well as protect them.
In further instance, if I am a civil servant or Chairman or a Councillor, if I am asked to sign a withdrawal I consider unlawful or improper, it will be more convenient for me to give that intel if I am sure that there is a strong media that will expose it and active CSOs that may decide to investigate and either go to court or call for public action against such development. I won't just give the intel for giving sake.
The imperative for this three legged cooperation will require that we all deliberately stretch our hands in fellowship with a view to making sure our LG funds end where they are meant to....in our villages, not in people's pockets.
Regardless of the way they were smuggled into office, it is now their signatures that are responsible for the dispensing of our council funds, therefore, we must first act to free these chairmen from outside strings and encumberances that may impede their ability to perform.
On the flip side, the penchant of LG chairmen for primitive acquisition is also legendary. We cannot forget in a hurry how rapacious and profligate some of them have been in the recent past. That calls for greater vigilance from communities and the media. NGOs, CSOs and journalists with capacity for tracking public money must now, not only monitor the movement of these allocations but should also begin to help the councils to develop their capacities to manage these huge sums. The reality also is that some of the councils have huge capacity gaps. Some of the officials haven't seen that volume of money before and they lack the capacity to use them judiciously and they require support and training as well as constant monitoring.
The local media should strive to have a reporter in all the 18 LGA legislative councils to monitor the deliberations of the councillors at every sitting. That will give a hint of even things the executive wants to hide. Regular collation and constant reporting of financial activities at the councils will create an air of transparency and improve accountability.
They will still steal some. But more of the money will remain in our villages. That is the goal. It is not to spite anyone or to look for trouble. It is just what has to be done if we want our communities to work for us. If this one fails, the blame will not be on the Governor or the Calabar Politicians or the Chairmen alone, it will be on all of us, including you who failed to ask the right questions because you were afraid.
I do not pretend that my suggestions are the only solutions. Far from it, and I will be glad to read your knocks and your additions.
Thank you and God bless Cross River now now.
Yours sincerely,
Citizen Agba Jalingo.
#FollowOurMoney
#ShineYourEyes
#LeadersAreServants
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