The Secretary to Imeko Afon Local Government, Comrade Nafiu Olawale Abimbola, has described the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a means of making education tactically free, saying repayment begins two years after the completion of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
In an interview with Edunright correspondents at his office, Comrade Nafiu described leadership as servantship, which he defined as selfless service to humanity that does not focus on personal enrichment.
He highlighted the roles and responsibilities of the Secretary to the Local Government as “the summarization of duties as the Chief Administrative Officer of the local government.”
According to him, the local government is divided into two major components, the executive and the legislative arms, while the civil servants and government workers are headed by the Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), who works under the overall leadership of politically elected officials.
“The Chairman is not only the Head of the Local Government but also the Chief Security Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, and Chief Welfare Officer. He looks after the welfare of the staff,” he explained.
Comrade Nafiu further elaborated on his responsibilities, which include overseeing the administrative arm on behalf of the Chairman and ensuring that all operations comply with the law.
“In just four to six months, we’ve embarked on life-impacting development projects, including classroom renovations and several other projects across the ten wards of the local government. Imeko Afon Local Government has ten political wards, and each has received attention in terms of project delivery.
“Places like Iwoye, Oke Agbede, and Owode Idiayi Wards have classroom projects, while Afon and Atta Idofa in Idofa Ward have benefited from borehole projects, as well as the construction of an office complex within the council. Every one of the ten wards has gotten a project,” he stated.
Speaking on hopes for the future of local governance in Nigeria, Comrade Nafiu expressed optimism that more projects would soon be commissioned. “I hope that in about two months, there will be more projects to commission. In no distant time, overall development in Nigeria will spring from the lowest tier of government because the local governments are the closest to the people,” he said.
He added that the importance of local government administration cannot be overemphasized, stressing that effective communication between the state and the grassroots promotes development.
“The governor will appreciate us more because capable people are representing the citizens and effectively disseminating information from the state level. When things happen quickly, development follows naturally. More people will be encouraged to participate at the grassroots level since the population in rural areas is growing,” he added.
Comrade Nafiu also advised the government to remain transparent and responsive to citizens’ needs. “If attention is not paid to people’s complaints or questions go unanswered, then democracy is not truly in practice,” he said.
He urged Nigerians not to doubt the efforts of the government, noting that a lot has been achieved, especially in balancing development between urban and rural areas. “The government is working to provide infrastructure, power supply, and water in the rural areas. The Imeko Iwoye road is currently under construction, and I hope it will be completed soon,” he said.
He concluded by assuring residents of open communication channels with his office. “People can come to our office and demand to see whoever they need to see. It is their right,” he affirmed.