By Ndife David, Obosi.
The President General of Obosi Development Union Worldwide (ODU), Barr. Chimezie Obi, has thrown his weight behind Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo’s proposed legislation establishing Community Administrations and recognizing Town Unions as the fourth tier of government in Anambra State.
Obi, who is also the legal adviser of the Anambra State Town Union Council (ASTUC), in a statement made available to journalists in Awka on Wednesday, described the initiative as a bold governance reform capable of taking development closer to the people and transforming the administration of communities across the state.
The ASTUC legal adviser said the proposal demonstrated a deliberate shift from a system in which governance was largely driven from Awka and local government headquarters to one that gives communities a structured role in identifying needs, setting priorities and participating directly in development.
He stressed that Town Unions had for decades remained indispensable to community development in Anambra, mobilizing citizens and resources for schools, healthcare, roads, infrastructure, peace, security and other projects, while also maintaining strong links with indigenes in Nigeria and the diaspora.
Obi, however, noted that the absence of a comprehensive statutory framework defining the powers and responsibilities of Town Unions had generated institutional challenges, describing the proposed legislation as an opportunity to establish clear, effective and accountable structures for community administration.
He said the framework should clearly distinguish the responsibilities of traditional institutions, particularly Ndi Igwe, from those of Town Union leaders headed by Presidents-General and their executives, stressing that both institutions were vital to the stability and progress of their communities.
According to him, traditional rulers remained custodians of culture, customs and heritage, while Town Unions served as major instruments of organized development and grassroots administration, adding that clearly defined and mutually respected roles would minimize conflicts and strengthen community leadership.
Obi further said the proposed Community Administration system could create stronger institutional links between Town Unions and Local Government Areas in development planning, project execution, data collection, security, monitoring and accountability.
He also identified opportunities for greater participation by women, youths and Anambra indigenes in the diaspora, saying a properly structured legal framework could unlock the enormous human and material resources within communities and empower residents to monitor projects, demand transparency and assess results.
Obi also affirmed Soludo’s initiative as a potentially historic reform rather than a mere administrative adjustment, maintaining that when communities are properly organized, empowered and integrated into governance, Anambra would become stronger, more responsive and better positioned for sustainable grassroots development.
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