By Jimmy Jackson
The Governor of Cross River State, Senator Prince Bassey Otu, on Thursday inaugurated the Local Government Service Commission, urging them to uphold their primary responsibility with an unflinching dedication.
Governor Otu during the inauguration ceremony, stressed on the critical role of local government in the broader agenda of his administration during the inauguration ceremony of the seven-member commission in his temporary office in Calabar, Cross River State.
The governor explained that the exercise is politically imperative, socio-economically expedient, and administratively wise.
“I want to welcome all of you to the train, which of course is a government that is delivering to the people what we call the People First Agenda.
“The local government seems to be one of our greatest problems in the system ever since I assumed office as Governor,” Otu remarked.
Otu further stressed the importance of delivering the dividends of democracy through an inclusive government. “We have a major challenge ahead of us: to ensure that we run an inclusive government that carries everyone along,” he stated.
“But I’ve discovered that the system is fraught with too many issues, so I do not envy the challenges you are going to face. However, I trust that you will meet these challenges head-on.”
One of the challenges, according to the Governor, is ensuring that gratuities and benefits reach those who are rightfully entitled to them. “We would have started disbursing gratuities by now, but we are encountering serious problems with the local government system. Every time we announce plans, fresh documents emerge, figures escalate, and ghost workers appear. This is a significant problem that needs urgent attention,” Otu explained.
Meanwhile, Mr. Darlington Bassey, the newly appointed Chairman of the Commission while responding to the Governor’s charge, expressed his deep appreciation for the trust placed in him and his colleagues. “We are fully aware that this commission is the bedrock of the administration. We will indeed come out in our element to deliver on the mandate given to us,” Bassey assured.
He acknowledged the enormity of the task ahead but vowed that the commission would work tirelessly to meet the Governor’s expectations and ensure that the local government system becomes a model of efficiency and transparency.
