By Monday Uwagwu
Recently, the Chairman of Ika South Local Government of Delta State, Engr Jerry Ehiwarior, set the pace in public sector stewardship at the third tier of public administration by holding a town hall meeting with stakeholders in the area.
The meeting spanned three days ,beginning from August 6.
The event itself has come and gone but its critical import will, like a pebble cast on a pool of stagnant water by midday, have many positive ripple effects in the political space and the Ika landscape for a long, long time yet.
Significance of the Meeting .
The meeting has multiple layers of significance.
First, it is the first in the history of the local government area since it was created from the now defunct old Ika Local Government Area on August 27, 1991, by the military administration of General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida.. This element of importance is amplified by the other elements of timing( the first anniversary and the most opportune time to do so) and the venue- (Ika National Hall, which is of historic and cultural significance of the entire Ika nation for which it is a great symbol of unity, foresight and progress).
Of course there is the element of the choice of strategy- town hall meeting.
The choice of the town hall.module of communication ( and accountability in this instance as well) is well established in its overall appeal. This is because, unlike other modules of inter- personal communication such as press releases, press briefings, legislative oversight, audit reviews, etc, the town hall meeting strategy, which was invented by medieval -era Greeks in their city states, has some unique additional merits in relation to others.
This is because, aside from breaking geographic and social boundaries, it enables participants see the emotional postures of those involved, including eye contacts, body movements, mouth pouts,and so on, all of which, as ingredients of non- verbal communication, form a critical influence in the concept and practice of believability in communication, especially in the public space.
By opting for the town hall module, therefore, Engr Ehiwarior chose the most intense form of communication, which only the truly confident and self- assured do.
After all, is it not said that only the safe and secure can be venturesome?
Another element of significance of the event related to the sheer size and spread of participants as well as the number of days. By devoting three whole days to the event, Ehiwarior and his team ensured maximum availability of time spectrum, and consolidated this vital factor by inviting virtually every segment of the local society. For instance, on the first day, attendees were drawn from Edike, Baleke, Abavo and Alifekede markets, fruit dealers, cattle dealers, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Okada riders, artisans and the local branch of the Butchers’ Association.
Day Two followed the same pattern, with representations from the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN), Landlords/ Landladies’Association, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Civil Society Groups, National Association of Ika Students, Non- indigenes,National Youth Council of Nigeria, Agbor Community Union, Abavo Community Union and Onu Ika, a socio- cultural group of the Ika Nation.
On Day three, it was the turn of security agencies, all of which turned up in their numbers.
The wide spread participation ensured that the chairman and his team not only reached directly as many worthy representatives of as many credible groups as possible, but also heard directly from them on their felt needs and their suggestions on the way forward.
And then this: there were no holds barred at the meeting, meaning that the most probing questions on even the most hazy issues were publicly asked, to which the Chairman had frank, effective responses.
It was a delight to watch the Chairman effortlessly,yet frankly, dish out responses to the vital questions on insecurity in the area, environmental sanitation, under- staffing of public primary schools in the area and enhanced support for institutional security agencies and local vigilantes.
It is expected that the vital feedback from the meeting would guide the actions of the local government, going forward.
Beyond The Town Hall Meeting : The Projects That Mark Out Ehiwarior’s First Year
It is said that a wise child can safely navigate the most treacherous terrain if he applies prudence to his gift of wisdom.
The truism in the African proverb above is what has guided Ehiwarior and made him sail successfully ashore the ship of the local government in his first year in office.
By combining wisdom and performance, he has demonstrated effective service delivery and redefined public service at that tier of public administration in the local government area, and, by so doing, earned the goodwill of stakeholders.
The projects that profile the first year of Ehiwarior include
(a) Alihame Modern Market, which he initiated and completed in about eight months to serve the community (which is) a major host of the University of Delta, (Unidel), Agbor. The market has both stores and lock up shops.
(b)Modern Fruits Shops At Edike Street, Agbor.
This project, which was initiated and completed by the Ehiwarior administration, is now serving the rapidly growing metropolis of Agbor:
(c) Grading of earth roads across all the wards in the local government area;
(d) Completion of the inherited yet – to- be commissioned multi- million naira Orogodo River Bridge and adjoining streets with dual side drains and solar- powered street lights;
(e) The 1.15kilometre Abude Street Project with culverts / drains on both sides: This project wax initiated and completed by the Ehiwarior administration. It was commissioned recently by Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, FCA;
This project is historically significant , just as the Orogodo River Bridge, because it is the first time that the local government would tar a road and build a modern bridge.
(e)Construction of a modern health centre at Abavo; this is nearing completion;
( g) Retrofitting of Abavo Civic Centre with a perimeter fence and other facilities.
This is also nearing completion.
(h) Retrofitting of Alifekede Market by the construction of lock up shops, a water borehole and conveniences , and
(I) Initiating the almost completed Ekikuu – Agbor Modern Market of 480 stores and lock up shops.
The LG Beyond Today
In Africa, it was long said that the road to the future is always under construction, never fully made.
This is a fact of life.
But like all visionary leaders, Ehiwarior, while deferring to the import of the above proverb, is clearly determined to leave a stoic legacy, a challenge for his eventual predecessors by leaving huge indelible foot points on the sands of time and history.
Towards this end, he has vowed to up his development strides, drawing heavy from the huge feedback he sourced at the town hall meeting.
In this wise he has vowed not only to sustain the tempo of infrastructural development of the area, but enhance effective liaison with security agencies for the increased safety and security in the area as well as explore viable new development options, including human capital development, as he leads his team, sure- footedly, into his second year in office.
For stakeholders in the LGA, there is hope because, as sages said long before now, when a seeker begins to descend the valley, the river, ( which is) the object of his search, is within easy reach.
For Ehiwarior and his team..there is just one supplication on his lips and heart…the plea and prayer for the sustained support of stakeholders for his administration which has, by its performance, earned the goodwill of all, including cynics.
For now, it is pointless to argue whether his prayer will be answered.
Afterall, does a responsible society ( as ours) turn its back on its worthy emissary, its worthy son as Engr Ehiwarior?
