Enugu govt trains perm. secs, AG on policy alignment, innovation
Stakeholders in the local council administration have called for the full implementation of Local Government Autonomy, saying that it will revolutionise grassroots development, local governance, and community engagement.
 
They noted that full implementation of financial autonomy would significantly aid in transforming and restructuring local council areas.
 
At a one-day training on the Local Government Accountability Index (LAI) forum, aimed at strengthening the capacity of local council areas in Enugu State, participants also called for more inclusion in the local government system.
 
The event, organised by the South Sharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) in partnership with the United Kingdom (UK) government and the Nigeria Society for Situation Room, was part of the broader implementation of the Enugu State Local Government Accountability Policy (LGAP).
 
Executive Director, SSDO, Dr Stanley Ikechukwu, said the training was aimed at preparing key stakeholders and technical working groups to assess and improve transparency and accountability within local councils.
 
He emphasised that the initiative is a yearly effort to promote local government transparency, especially as discussions continue on granting greater autonomy to local councils.
 
The training included developing policies and scorecards to enable local councils to evaluate their performance in transparency and accountability, with the goal of empowering them to be more accountable to their constituents once full autonomy is achieved.
 
Participants, particularly those involved in finance and administration, were equipped to assess their local councils’ accountability levels and to develop modalities for ensuring inclusive budgeting processes.
 
Ilechukwu said the ultimate aim is to foster a culture of accountability that will persist beyond the current training, leading to more transparent governance at the grassroots level in Enugu State.

Meanwhile, the Enugu State Government has commenced a four-day onboarding retreat for Permanent Secretaries and the Auditor-General as part of efforts to strengthen public service delivery and entrench a results-driven governance culture.
 
The retreat, themed: ‘Strategic Policy Alignment and Disruptive Innovation’, organised by the Office of the Head of Service, was designed to equip top civil servants with the skills and mindset required to effectively implement the policy direction of Governor Peter Mbah’s administration.
 
Declaring the retreat open yesterday in Enugu, Mbah, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said the programme was aimed at aligning the civil service, which he described as the “engine room” of government, with the administration’s reform agenda.
 
He noted that effective governance depends largely on a professional, innovative, and accountable civil service capable of translating policy into measurable outcomes.