Local governments need improved revenue allocation to have sustainable autonomy —Dr Tella

The Chairman of Abeokuta North Local Government, Prince (Dr) Babatunde Tella is a man of many parts. An accomplished scholar, writer, politician and grassroots mobilizer. He has different positions in the local government administration before his present position as the Council boss. In this encounter with AYO FADIMU, he speaks on his achievements as well as the challenges confronting local government administration in the country. Excerpts:

You are one of the chairmen of the two local governments that made Abeokuta municipality. What has been your experience as chairman of Abeokuta North?

It has been challenging. But the challenges are surmountable. We are trying to do our best being at the state capital. And we are also very close to the government at state level. We know their line of thinking. And we are also working towards that direction to replicate at the state level in our local government. It has been challenging but we thank God for giving us success in our day to day activities at the local government.

Most people see caretaker chairmen as stooge of the sitting Governor. What is your take on this?

I have been performing as executive chairman. And I have been doing exactly what an executive chairman should be doing. When it comes into project, I have done so many of them.  Nothing bars me from performing my duty as an executive chairman. Yes, I may be appointed by the Governor but I have every right of an appointed chairman. And I have been performing.

What has been your achievement so far?

Basically, we have been able to meet the needs of the people because you just don’t do projects. You do projects based on the needs of the people. We asked people what they need. And once they give us their needs, we try to meet them up. Particularly in the area of boreholes. There are four communities in Abeokuta North of 16 wards. We have touched all these communities. In Oke-Ogun, we dug a borehole at Ilogun-Orile and at Ibara-Orile. The one at isaga, we tried to resuscitate it. By this month too, we are going to start another one at Imala. In Oke-Ona, we have been able to make intervention at health center in Iberekodo. We provided solar power for them. At the Secretariat, we provided solar power for the Admin section of the local government. At Elega market, they requested for a toilet. We have been able to do VIP toilet for them. For Gbagura people, we have borehole at Agbo Afoju in Sabo. There is also another borehole at Lafenwa market because they requested for it. For Owu, we dug a borehole at Olomore -Abule Olomore. We have practically touched all the communities. We have also graded so many roads particularly in Oke-Ogun area. Before we got here, there was a grader that had been not been working for 8years. But I have repaired it. Since I got here, the grader has been going everywhere now. They have been hiring it to grade all the community roads in Abeokuta. We have also done empowerment for our people. We thank His Excellency for giving us the chance to do what we need to do as chairmen.

Lately, real estate developers have begun to advertise sales of lands in your local government especially in Sabo, rounder. What are you doing to make sure that your people are not being cheated? And how are you using that to improve your IGR? And what are you doing generally to improve the IGR that you met on ground?

Our IGR have been limited because some of these IGR are under the state government. This is what we met on ground during the previous administration. But the one that is in our care is the market as well as the trade permits they issue to shop owners. What we do is to motivate our staff going out to collect those IGR. Whatever they bring in at the end of the month, we give them 10%. And whenever they are harassed in their line of duty, I make sure that I come to solve the problem. As regards land owner, it’s a private business between the seller and buyer. I have never been involved in that and when  there is a problem they know where to go to. They go to the police to resolve their difference.

There are four different communities in Abeokuta South. What are you doing to ensure that these people live harmoniously and that there is no crisis among them as the chairman?

They have always been living harmoniously. And they will continue in that line. We have relationship with the Kings of these great communities. We relate them as well as the chiefs and the Baales. The Baales have their meetings at the local government every month. We are in touch with what is going on in all these communities.

What is your take on local government autonomy?

This is a burning issue now. We have to look at all the areas before we can say local government should be given autonomy. Let’s look at all the areas, firstly, the payment of primary school teachers salaries. This burden is on the local government. Before seeking for local government autonomy, you should remove the burden and encumbrances of paying the primary school teachers. For example in Abeokuta North local government, I pay over 146 million on monthly basis on primary school teachers. Whereas the salary of the local government staff amount to about 46 million. You can see the difference. Once that is removed from the allocation of the local government, what will be left on ground to provide services for the people? That is why I said if we want to give local government autonomy, the burden of payment of the primary school teachers should be removed. So that we will have enough funds to meet the needs of our people. Once this is done, local government can be autonomous because they will have money to do all the jobs. Then secondly, the allocation revenue formula must change if real development can take place. The revenue coming to the local government has to improve and increase. Otherwise, we will be deceiving ourselves. If the local government attained autonomy but it has no money to do all the jobs, what will be the impact of the autonomy.

Among those people contesting for chairmanship election in the state, your name has not come up. Are you contesting?

I am still the chairman. I am still holding the position of the chairman. I am still the chairman. And I cannot contest for the position I am still occupying. Presently, I am the chairman while others are contestants.

So what’s your next political move?

Personally, I believe steps are ordered by God. Wherever God wants me to be, I will be. And nobody can stop me. That is my philosophy.