Federal Ministry of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs has organized a validation workshop on the scheme of service for Local Government employees and model IPSAS-Compliant financial memoranda for Local Government. The event which is sponsored by UNDP was meant to review the drafts of revised LG Scheme of Service and Financial Memorandum.
In his opening speech, the Hon. Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki said the government is not only committed to uphold the values of the service but also in reaffirming the indispensability of local governments’ sustained contribution towards enhancing prudent management of resources at the local government levels and thereby enhancing transparency and accountability.
He pointed out that the endeavor of the government is to improve and increase the flow of fountains of democratic dividends. According to him “The underlying objective is therefore to constrict areas of wastages in order to channel savings towards providing basic amenities to our various communities. He revealed that international Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) which has already been identified as critical in the management of finances is now to be part of the local government system.
The Minister charged the participants at the forum to rededicate themselves to the noble goals of rewriting history and charting the course of the future in being part of the validation workshop.
One of the participants at the event, the president NULGE, Ibrahim Khaleel said the validation workshop was very relevant for LG system to function. He described the two statute books as very important. He went on to explain that the life of local government staff is contained in the document. “Without it local government will continue to be chaotic condition and polarized”, he said. He identified the problem of LGs to be basically the attitude of state governors who perform all manner of experiment with LG. “They decide when to have LG election or not. They decide what goes to the LG from federation account disbursement. He posited that the governors should be meant to know how to respect the rights of LG areas.
The Chairman of presidential committee of one of the documents being reviewed, Barr. Usman D. Ambursa said the documents will guide employment process in the LG level. “It will encourage people to go to the LG to take up jobs”. He revealed how his committee has been able to raise medical doctors’ entry point from GL9 to GL12. He also submitted that the new documents were improvement on the 2006 versions.
Abia State representative at the workshop, Hon. Chief Dan Egbogu, Chairman LG Service Commission, Abia State, praised the organizers of the workshop, saying that it came at the time the nation needs it most. He added that the new minister noticed the seeming neglect of LG and decided to effect change by making sure that the workshop took place.
The workshop was meant for senior officers of LG in the nation.
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