By Dennis Agbo

ABAKALIKI—Chairman of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State Mr. Celestine Eze,  has called for more funds for the third tier of government, auguring that without the local government system, the unemployment situation inNigeria would have been worse than its present state.

Eze faulted views in some quarters for the scraping of the local government system, saying  that the councils are closer to the grassroots and in a better position to solve some of the unemployment problems in rural communities.

Eze who made the call in an interaction session with newsmen,  stressed that rather than scrap the councils, they should be strengthened through adequate funding and autonomy to enable them discharge their duties more effectively.

He said that despite lack of funds,  many councils had embarked on developmental projects that had impacted positively on the living conditions of the rural dwellers, noting that poor performance of few council chairmen should not be generalized.

Eze declared that more than N200 million had been expended by Ivo Local Government Area on infrastructural projects, education and human development within the two years of the present administration.