Residents of Plateau have called on the newly elected local government chairs to pay special attention to infrastructure development in their councils.

Some residents who spoke with journalists on Saturday in Jos decried the infrastructure deficit across the state’s 17 local government areas (LGAs).

Kachollom Michael, a petty trader, called on the chairs to compliment the state government’s efforts by building markets, roads, hospitals and schools.

Ms Michael also advocated the provision of potable water by the councils and other critical needs of the people.

“With the financial autonomy, the local government chairmen have no excuse but to perform. Everybody now knows that they will be collecting their monthly allocation directly from the federation account.

“The availability of infrastructure at the grassroots will curb rural-urban migration in the state,” she said.

On his part, Alex Dimlong, a teacher and farmer, called on the chairs to support rural farmers and promote all kinds of agricultural activities in their localities.

Mr Dimlong advised them to support farmers with fertiliser and other farm inputs, adding that such a move would encourage them to strive towards making Plateau the country’s agricultural hub.

“We are blessed with arable land across the 17 LGAs; all we need is the support to scale up our farming activities,” he stated.

However, Danladi Mwantok, the Plateau liaison officer in Abuja, raised deep concerns over the Supreme Court’s ruling on LGA autonomy.

Mr Mwantok noted that there were still some grey areas in the ruling that the apex court had not clearly addressed: the separation of duties between the state and the local governments.

“One key component that the Supreme Court did not look at is the fact that states own almost everything in the local government. The staff of local government commissions and that of the local education authorities are all staff of the state.

“So what happens to all those people? Are they going to cede them to the local government? I think those areas are not clearly defined, and they are grey areas that may hamper the implementation of the autonomy,” he said.

Mr Mwantok said that despite the lacuna in the Supreme Court judgment, the Plateau government had expressed its readiness to give total autonomy to its local governments.

“However, Plateau is ready to go ahead because I am aware that the chairmen were part of the last FAAC meeting.

“For it means more money in the local government, more resources in the local government, more development and a better life for people at the rural level.

“The local government should be seen to be doing more because they have more funds; there should be some infrastructure on ground,” he said.

 (NAN)