Industrialist Hails S'Court Judgement On LG Autonomy, Says Corruption May Truncate Implementation
By polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
As Supreme Court of Nigeria continue to receive accolades on the recent judgement of Local Government autonomy, an industrialist, Chief Johnson Okolo has joined his voice in commending the South Court for their sound judgement.
Chief Okolo who is the Chairman of industrial Cluster Awada Obosi in Idemili North local government area of Anambra State in an interview with newsmen in Onitsha described the judgment as a landmark judgement which he said if the autonomy of local Government is fully implemented would attract progress and development down to the grassroot.
He said that court has actually delivered its judgement and issued directives but to implement it would be a hard nut to crack, even as he contended that corruption in Nigeria would truncate the Implementations.
"I believe it would be the same corrupt people who are in the governance will still oversee the local government. So, they must device a means to make sure that the development of the local government will not be possible. They will look a way to build one kilometer road at the cost of 100 kilometers road"
According to Chief Okolo, if there is no appropriate measure to checkmate corruption in Nigeria, any law and directives would be bunkum, stating that corruption is the greatest challenges to Nigeria.
"If the Governors are using the local government fund very well, there is no need for the judgement. If they are doing things in a such a way it is supposed to be done, there is no need for the judgement of the Supreme Court. So, it would be the same spirit in the Governors would be in the people who are agitating for the local government autonomy"
The renowned industrialist reiterated that Nigeria has no impediment in promulgating law but how to implement it is a great task, pointing out that Nigerians should adequately tackle corruption very well before anything could be properly work out.
"Many people in Nigeria are feeding on corruption. So, corruption is a serious virus in Nigerian system. The only way Nigeria could survive is to eradicate corruption, first from the public office holders/trust and public authority. They would implement the court directives but the same corrupt practices in the State House and by the State Governors will still re-surface in the local government system"
"Now, let me even tell you, before you become a local government Chairman, there may be two agreement on how to handle the funds. Some people will go to extent of engaging shrine and swear on how to handle the funds even before the local government Chairman is elected. So, Implementations could be physically observed but internally the same people will be there. There might be election in the local government but still, the same corruption would not allow the right person to be elected" Chief Okolo concluded.