By Mike Puia
PARAMOUNT chief of Maringe District, in Isabel province, Mr Clement Rojumana, has called on the national government to abolish the provincial government system.
Rojumana made these statements during his enthronement as paramount chief for Maringe district in Buala, Isabel’s provincial centre, on August 1.
In his maiden remarks, Rojumana said for years the provincial government system did not serve local people well.
He said the provincial government system has replaced the role of traditional leaders in maintaining law and order, peace and harmony in their communities.
Rojumana said the national government has failed to enhance the roles traditional leaders offered free.
He said traditional leaders have done nothing members of the communities sees them as ordinary voters.
The provincial government system was introduced by the national government in 1998 replacing the area councils and traditional leaders system that existed in the political structure.
Rojumana urged the national government to re-visit the Lulei report of 1987.
Among other things, the report, which produced the white paper in 1988, calls on the government to involved chiefs and traditional leaders at appropriate levels of the political structure.
Rojumana reiterated that the government is making a big mistake by excluding chiefs and traditional leaders in the political structure.
The report noted that chiefs and traditional leaders hold a higher degree of control and authority over the people and resources than those at the national and provincial government levels.
Rojumana said the provincial government system should be thrown out as no modified and improvised role and responsibilities will improve the image it has imprinted in the mentality of rural people.
“The best thing to do is do away with the provincial government system as there is no way to modify and improve it,” Rojumana said.
He said the provincial government system was a “haste and regretted at leisure.”
Rojumana said the provincial government system is good on paper but impractical to implement in nature.
He said this is because of the country’s geographical setup.
“When other essential factors are considered, the amount of implementation is becoming burdensome and cumbersome to the point of mission impossible”.
“It is about time the provincial government system be aborted and then bring back the traditional systems that has been in practice before the colonial rulers came,” Rojumana said.
He said the introduction of foreign government system has given birth to corruption in communities.
