LCDAs committee receives 94 memoranda

By Adekola Afolabi
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The Committee on Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) creation in Ondo state, Mr. Adelanke Odogiyon, yesterday said the committee has not received any petition from anybody or group against the move to create LCDAs.

Briefing Journalists, the Chairman the committee, said at the end of the submission of the memoranda, 94 Memoranda were submitted by various communities demanding for LCDAs.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had last month inaugurated a 11-member committee with a three month mandate to submit their report

He explained that what made this current move to create LCDAs different from the previous ones by past governments was that the present administration was planing to create LCDAs and not local government areas which are constitutional matter.

He emphasised that Governor Akeredolu meant serious business and was committed to the creation of LCDAs, saying that the committee report would be implemented by the government which inaugurated the committee.

The committee Chairman said there was no petition against them throughout and that there was no undue pressure from any quarter in the discharge of their duties.

He declared that the reason for creation of LCDAs is to bring governance closer to the good people of Ondo State, just as he described it as a right step in a right direction that is sure of encouraging all round development.

He also stressed the all the LCDAs that would eventually be recommended for creation must be able to finance and sustain themselves without unnecessarily depend on state government for funding.

Odogiyon noted that the committee members would reconvene next week Tuesday after they must have read through and analysed the memoranda to be able members have robust discussion on the memoranda and comply their report.

He further said no attempt by government to create cross-border LCDAs.

Also, the Secretary to the Committee and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr.  Deji Akinwalere, said the exercise was not to create an empire for any individual, but to decentralise governance to bring more dividends of good governance to the people in the affected areas.