Convene conference on LGs, Osu Ajiri advises Abdul Rahman
|By Abubakar Ibrahim & Musa Ishaq
Concerned by especially the inability of local government areas to properly run their affairs, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Halilu Bala Usman, the Osu Ajiri of Udege Kingdom, has challenged authorities of Federal University of Lafia (FULafia) to organise a conference to discuss the way out of the problems.
The traditional ruler of Udege, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, specifically highlighted the inability of local government areas to pay staff salaries, saying that the problem “should not be allowed to persist.”
He spoke in his palace when he hosted the Vice-chancellor of Federal University of Lafia, Professor Shehu Abdul Rahman, who was on a courtesy visit there.
According to the Osu Ajiri, other problems bedeviling the local government areas included incompetence, lack of equipment and facilities and inefficiency in management of resources.
He said: “The problems that undermine effective administration at the local government areas are many and complicated by several factors among which is corruption. These problems need people of different backgrounds to come together to discuss and find lasting solutions to them.”
The Osu Ajiri, a retired seasoned local government administrator and deputy governor of the old Plateau State, therefore, urged the vice-chancellor “to be part of the process of saving the local government system through organising a conference for people like me to come and brainstorm.”
While praising the Nasarawa State Government for granting semi-autonomy status to the local councils, the traditional ruler, however, lamented that administrators at the local level have failed to live up to expectations of people in the state.
Earlier, Prof. Abdul Rahman told the traditional ruler that he was at his palace to seek for his blessings and advise on how best to pilot affairs of the University.
He described the Osu Ajiri as an important person whose wisdom and knowledge cannot be ignored by the University, in particular, and the country, in general.
“Me and the University community admire you and highly appreciate your contributions to the development of our country,” the vice-chancellor said.
Those who accompanied the vice-chancellor to the Emir’s Palace in Udege included the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Idris Amali, Bursar, Mr Daniel Wilson, Dr Abubakar Hassan Ahmed II, Dr Abdullahi Dan’asabe Jibrin, Dr Surajudeen Junaid, Mr. Adamu Kuyamba Egye; Deputy Registrar, Musa Bashir Agbawu and Bashir Ozomata, PS-VC.