Executive Chairman, Yakurr LGA, Yibala Igri Inyang
By Anietie Akpan
The people of Yakurr Local Government Area (LGA) of Cross River State have lauded the aggressive renovation projects in the council and empowerment programmes of the council executives led by Hon. Yibala Igri Inyang in barely 100 days in office.
In an interview with Pillar Today most people spoken to said this bullish endeavour the Chairman is a clear sign of good things to come given what he has done in just 100 days in office.
According to a statement from the council, much work has been done in the renovation and upgrading of the Legislative Chambers, Departments of Works, Finance, Women Affairs, the National Identification Capturing Unit, the Office of the Paramount Ruler of Yakurr LGA and the Traditional Council of Chiefs’ Hall.
The renovation work also captured the Office of the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Head of Local Government Administration (HOLGA), Director General Service and Administration (DGSA), and the Secretary of Council.
Hon. Inyang who is also the Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), stated that the renovation work will enhance efficiency and boost staff morale, ensuring that Yakurr Council continues to function optimally in a productive work environment for council officials as well as visitors to the council headquarters coming for one business or the other.
Hon. Inyang who is an advocate of human capacity development, organized a two week hands-on training in fashion designing, solar installation, professional barbing, ICT/bulk SMS, and content creation for over 35 women and youths through skill acquisition programmes and business support.
In view of this, he distributed empowerment materials which include sewing machines, solar kits, barbing equipment, and mobile phones to the beneficiaries to boost their entrepreneurial skill acquired in the period of training.
To justify his drive for human capital development, Hon. Inyang said the Council is mulling over strategies to partner with the state and federal agencies to expand training opportunities for more young people in Yakurr LGA to further enhance their skills for self employment, as he reiterated his administration’s resolute commitment to create economic opportunities and self-sufficiency for the people of Yakurr.
High point of the empowerment programme featured the Director General of Cross River State Microfinance and Enterprise Development Agency (MEDA), Mr. Great Ogban, presenting the empowerment packages to the beneficiaries.
He assured them of free business registration, logos, letterheads, and enterprise development training at the state level.
Keeping in line Governor Bassey Otu’s charge to council chairmen at their inauguration on November 4, to put priorities on community development, addressing infrastructural needs and improving public services at the grassroots levels, Hon. Inyang commissioned a newly restored solar-powered borehole at the council premises to provide regular water supply.
Some of the projects .
The Chairman emphasized the importance of renewable energy solutions in meeting community water needs noting that proper piping systems have been installed across all council facilities, ensuring easy and hygienic access to water.
The Chairman who was accompanied by the Vice Chairman of Council, Hon. Keppy Obeten and The Director General of MEDA, pointed out that such water facility will improve sanitation and environmental sustainability in alignment with the 2030 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 6 of Clean Water and Sanitation) and (SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities) to meet the needs of the people.
Within this short period in office, the Council Chairman said his team was able to increase revenue generation, attributing it to strategic financial reforms and curbing of leakages he put in place.
The people of Yakurr who thrilled with the performance so far, lauded the Chairman’s 100 days in office saying, “considering what he has done within this period, these are signs of good things to come”.
Most people spoken to by Pillar Today said, 100 days was too short for any chairman to do any tangible thing but “our chairman has set the agenda of good things to come from the human capacity development programme to infrastructure projects in the council headquarters, we are hopeful “.
For instance, a trader, Eteng Bassey said, “for me I expect the Chairman and his executives to lead deligently and maintain transparency, and accountability taking into consideration the interests of the people and with what Hon Inyang is doing, I think it’s the right step in the right direction“.
Another respondent, a businesswoman, Mary Ofem said, “the period is too early for any assessment but it is often said that you know a good palm fruit that will give a good yield when it is young and signs from the council are encouraging.
“My only appeal is that now that governance has started, much emphasis should be on people oriented programmes to empowerment and development to the book and cranny of Yakurr”.
Recall Governor Otu had during the inauguration of the 18 Council Chairmen said “as the closest tier of government to the people, the core mandate of every local government council is the provision of basic amenities. The accomplishment of this task shall be a litmus test for the huge confidence the electorate repose in you and a referendum on your capacity to deliver on your campaign promises”.
And for the Yakurr people, they said “so far so good and our Chairman is on track”.
