Take charge of security in communities, Gov Hyacinth Alia charge Royal fathers

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state has directed traditional rulers in the state to take charge of the security in communities in their respective domain.

The Governor said state government was entrusting the security of communities into the hands of the traditional rulers because they are closer to the people who are their subjects.

According to a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, the Special Adviser to the Governor, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, BLGCA, Dr. Dennis Akura said this was part of the resolutions reached at the end of the Governor’s meeting with the traditional rulers.

The Adviser said the Governor as part of effort to reform local government administration in the state also directed the BLGCA to immediately restore some of the statutory obligations meant for the LGAs in the state.

He said “the move is part of the governor’s steps towards reforming the Local Government system, giving the third tier of government in the state a new lease of life.

“I resumed duty just a few days back and in our first JAC (Joint Account) meeting we introduced certain reforms that were not implemented in the last administrations.

“We directed DGSAs who are the Acting Chairmen of our various local government councils to revert to the old methods, old policies, old ways of paying and the required imprest and other administrative running costs to staff of LGAs, the Heads of Departments, HODs, and all other relevant staff of Local Governments so that they have what is required for them; so that we can hold them accountable for their actions.

“So as it is for now, in the Local Government system, the HODs are going to collect their correct imprest, not the one that was being paid by past administrations and that will boost their morale so that we will get the best out of them.

“We were able to release some money for administrative running costs so that some other things that are very necessary for the smooth running of the government can be done at that level.”