Former Senate President Ken Nnamani has been slated to be the chairman of the second National Discourse on Local Government Autonomy billed for Tuesday next week at the Shehu Musa Yar ‘Adua Conference Centre, Abuja.
Speaking with journalists in Lagos the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Mr. Gbenga Ojo, said the aim of the forum is to analyse the issue of local government autonomy that has continued to generate heated debate among the electorate and the three tiers of government in the country.
Ojo who was flanked by Mr. Adeotola Odusote, Group Head, Corporate Affairs of CMC Connect Limited and Mr. Raheem Olabode, Assistant Director of CMC Connect, lamented that? the roles of the local government which include bringing governance closer to the people, engendering administrative convenience, ensuring effective mobilisation of resources, among others have remained elusive
According to him,” These responsibilities have been constantly underplayed due to several issues including the alleged overbearing influence of operators in the control of human and material resources available to the local government authorities.??
He said the 2nd National Public Discourse with the theme,” Local Government Authority: How Autonomous” being organized by CMC in conjunction with O ‘Ken Ventures will bring together key stakeholders on the issue of governance in the country, especially at the? Local Government administration and management.
They include: His Excellency Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar GCON, Prof Francis Fagbohungbe (H.O.D, Dept. of Local Government Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) National President, Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleel, Senator Smart Adeyemi, and Mr Okey Wali SAN, Nigerian Bar Association President,” he added.