In anticipation of change and greater development at the grassroots level, the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, in collaboration with Gershon’s Gate, a legal firm, organised a three-day intensive training for the legislators of the council on understanding the duties and responsibilities of councillors for the sustainability of the nation’s democracy. Blessing Ibunge reports

In less than two months in office, the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council in Rivers State deemed it fit for its legislators to go through rigorous training to understand their roles in carrying out activities that affect the development of their wards. The LGA, which is the second highest in generating Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) across the 774 LGAs in Nigeria after Lagos Island, led by its Chairman, Dr. Gift Worlu, in partnership with Gershon’s Gate, a legal firm, organised the training, bringing in experts who sensitised the lawmakers on the duties of the third-tier legislative assembly.

A Reflection of Good Governance

The Obio/Akpor LGA Chairman, Dr. Worlu, said the workshop became necessary to educate and inform the legislators, some of whom he said are greenhorns in politics and even in legislative business, so they could understand that there is work to be done, and that such work can only be done with proper knowledge and understanding.

He said the resource persons had done a good job by exposing the lawmakers to the basic functions of a councillor and the need for them to pursue those functions with energy, integrity, purpose, and transparency.

Worlu, who was present at the training, said: “Since we came into office, we have been doing our best to run the affairs of the council as put on our shoulders, but we felt that a day like this was necessary so we can expose ourselves to the relevant laws and procedures for conducting legislative business. I want to say that this event is very important,” and urged participants to take the workshop as seriously as is necessary so that, in the end, they could reap the full benefit, which he believes will influence development across the LGA.

He said: “We cannot run the government successfully and effectively without a legislature that is grounded in the business of legislation, advocacy, or representation, as well as making sure that all our communities get the dividends of democracy. The legislature also has a responsibility of oversight, and so I want to encourage us to take full advantage of this opportunity. Let us know that the responsibility ahead of us, or in front of us, is enormous, and we cannot go outside the law in doing whatever it is we may want to do.”

He noted that they must follow the law in policy formulation, execution, and review. “We must ensure that the expectations of our people are not cut short, and we must work together in making sure that we don’t only meet those expectations, but that we exceed them, and exceed them well.

“We believe that when they are this equipped, they will be able to do a good job of collaborating while overseeing the executive to bring about the much-needed dividends of democracy to the people of the local government. I am personally happy with what is happening. I have enjoyed so far a very robust working relationship with the members of the council.”

Urging the legislators to take the programme very seriously, anticipating the impact it holds on their services in representing their wards, Worlu said: “I want to also thank our resource persons for the good work that you have done so far, putting together this programme within a very short period of time. We also recognise the support and the presence of some of our former legislators here, and I want to say to God Almighty be all the glory for making this day possible.”

Building Capacity for Grassroots Democracy

A facilitator and partner in the training, Mr. Iche Wordu, Managing Solicitor at Gershon’s Gate Law Firm, said they are partnering with the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council to onboard the newly elected councillors so that they can start their work.

Wordu said as a law firm: “We made a proposal not just to the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council but to some other local government councils. The Obio/Akpor local government chairman sat down with us, discussed the details and the content of the seminar, and was pleased with it. We also run a centre within our firm for political education and development. So, this is part of the work that the centre has initiated and is taking around the local governments to give the newly elected councillors the capacity to do their work effectively.”

He said: “Our ambition is to empower the councillors to be able to do their work effectively. Nigeria needs people who understand what democracy is and who can practise it in the real way democracy should be practised as they do all over the world.”

Benefits of the Training for the Councillors

One of the resource persons at the workshop, Mr. Igoh Wopara Owhonda, referencing Section 7 (1) and (3) of the Nigerian Constitution during his presentation, said the legislators can impact positively on the laws that govern society, informing the councillors that: “You are the third tier of the government, and as a vital tool, you are expected to represent the people in channelling responsibilities into development. At the grassroots level, it behoves you to ensure peace in your local area of duties.”

Owhonda, who is a legal luminary, told the 17 councillors at the workshop to engage fully in the betterment of the people they represent, saying: “You should know that you are people of power and must use that power properly to ensure that it benefits your subjects at your various wards of representation.”

In an interview with THISDAY, Owhonda, who took the participants on Understanding the Duties and Responsibilities of Councillors for the Sustainability of our Democracy, explained that: “It’s one thing to be a councillor, elected as a councillor. It’s another thing to know what it is, what your duties are as a councillor. So, what I taught them there is that as a councillor, your powers are derived from the Constitution, and you have certain duties and obligations which you are meant to carry out for the people in your ward.

“Now, some of those duties are making laws that make life easier for the people of your ward. You know that the way our country is structured, the local government is at the grassroots. It’s the basis upon which the entire country is built. So, if the basis is faulty or weak, the structure itself can fall. The councillors should know that they are people of power and that they must use that power properly to ensure that it benefits those who are with them.”

Speaking on the issue of oversight, the legal luminary said: “They have an oversight function, which means if the executive chairman goes outside his powers, they have a duty and an obligation to rein him in and say, ‘Sir, you can’t go this way; it is outside your powers.’ Basically, this session I had with them was for them to understand that they do have a duty and obligation to the persons they serve at the grassroots.”

Appreciating the LGA leadership for putting up the workshop, and seeking that such a programme be replicated across the 774 LGAs in the country, Owhonda stressed: “People should know what their councillors should do for them. We sit down and say it’s from the top. No. We have three levels of government, and each one should be held accountable. So, this kind of programme should be replicated across the nation. Let people know, especially councillors, what their powers are.”

Towards Sustainable Governance

Another resource person, Mr. Amaechi Kelechi, said the workshop will go a long way in bringing about sustainable governance and development in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council.

Amaechi explained that the training will build the councillors’ capacity on issues around budgeting and oversight, rights and privileges, the new National Tax Act 2025, and how they can effectively have a harmonious and constructive relationship with the Executive Arm to the benefit of their wards, ensuring there is less conflict.

“We also took them on conflict resolution, how they can map their stakeholders and engage with stakeholders at the ward level for effective legislative work. The essence of the workshop is to make sure that most of the councillors who are first-timers are abreast of what they ought to do when they get to the council so people do not begin to undertake responsibilities that are not theirs. They are not supposed to undertake duties that are not statutorily their responsibility and which might end up creating conflicts between the legislative assembly and the executive arm of the Obio/Akpor Council.”

He continued that after the workshop, it is expected that “they (councillors) will be able to use their regulative skills and knowledge to impact on the people at the grassroots, to ensure there is duty and social services that the people enjoy more and more of the dividends of democracy. It is our conviction that this workshop will go a long way in bringing about sustainable governance and development in the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council.”

He, however, called on the other 22 LGAs in Rivers State to emulate what the Obio/Akpor Chairman has done with the initiative and “call us if possible, and we are ready to build the capacity of their councillors and other important principal officers of their councils on how to build very robust leadership in their various LGAs.”

Impact and Reflections from Participants

The leader of the 10th Legislative Council, Obio/Akpor, Rexmilia Amadi, who thanked the LGA Chairman, Worlu, for organising the workshop for them at the legislative assembly, noted that the knowledge acquired will strengthen their performance at the grassroots level of governance.

Amadi, who represents Ward 5, Elelenwo, at the legislative assembly of the council, said: “Indeed, what it means is that he (Worlu) wants to equip us for the task ahead of us, knowing that when we are not knowledgeable enough to carry out this duty, everything about it will be lukewarm and this will speak against the people. When we are unable to discharge our duties, it will affect the people that we are representing. And so, what he did was to see how he can equip us in order to carry out our duties as legislators.”

Similarly, Councillor representing Ward 8, Rumuomasi, Victoria Chinda, said: “I am so grateful to our trainers, they did a very good job taking us on the path of rights, privileges, and duties of legislators. I know with this insight I have gotten from this impactful training, it is going to help me legislate well and bring good governance, by-laws that will positively affect my people. I learnt that with this we will be able to have a good synergy with the Executive arm of government. With this training, there will be no rift between the executive and legislative arms.”

A Call for Service and Accountability

In her closing remarks, Vice Chairman of Obio/Akpor, Dr. Joyce Nyeche, urged the councillors to be closer to their communities, saying: “We have priority. Our people have put their trust in us. And don’t forget that we’re dealing with the grassroots. When things go wrong, it’s the grassroots that suffers it. And so, we have been chosen as representatives of the people, and it will be bad that at the end of the day, our people will look at us and say, we regret sending you.”

Urging the legislators further to make use of the knowledge gathered from the intensive training to attract development in their wards, she said: “They say no knowledge is a waste. But any knowledge acquired that is not put into practice automatically becomes a waste. So, what we have learnt today, or in these three days, I sincerely urge us to put into practice. Let us not just be hearers, but let us be doers of the word. So that at the end of the day, if after three years you leave this office, you walk within your community with your shoulders held high.

“And of course, when you do well, you don’t know where and how your recommendations will come. It may not even be politically. Somebody can say, when she was a councillor, when he was a councillor, he did well. Of course, we’re going to get money. But if we put what we’re going to take back home first in the forefront, then we won’t achieve anything. Why do I say that? If, for instance, because you think that after three years you should have something to show, of course, why not? If you plan well, you will have something to fall back on. Because they say, he who fails to plan, plans to fail. So, it’s not about how much you have; it’s about how well you utilise how much you have,” Dr. Nyeche advised the councillors.

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