By Victor Ojei
The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) clearly states in 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 14(2)(b) that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government.” Yet, in Delta State, our 25 local government chairmen seem to have forgotten this duty.
Instead of improving lives, they unleash endless levies, task forces, and exploitative agents on market women, tricycle operators, and small business owners—all in the name of revenue. While Section 7(5) of the Constitution gives councils the power to generate income, it was never intended to 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐧.
In Sokoto State, local governments give monthly cash aid to residents. That’s governance. Here in Delta, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐚𝐫𝐞, 𝐧𝐨 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬, 𝐧𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭, only exploitation. Meanwhile, our leaders travel abroad, enjoy the benefits of social welfare, but fail to replicate that system at home.
Even tenancy laws are ignored. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 8% 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐮𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫.
To make matters worse, 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 roam freely, bullying citizens with 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐈𝐃𝐬, while the authorities look away.
𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
• 𝐀𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐱𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
• 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩
• 𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐱 𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬
• 𝐒𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬-𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.
Let the government empower, not oppress. 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞.
Signed:
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗷𝗲𝗶 ,(𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗼𝘅) is
𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲,𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻..
4𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹, 2025
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