By Chris Chimezie
|
Determined to support the Akeredolu-led administration at accelerating the socio-economic and infrastructural development of Ondo State as well as improving on the well-being of people at the grassroots, the newly inaugurated local government Caretaker Chairmen have reeled out their priorities.
The Caretaker Chairmen, who spoke with The Hope in separate interviews, thanked the state Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for considering them worthy of representing their people in their various council areas.
They expressed their willingness to consolidate on the track record of the Akeredolu-led administration targeted at making the people, the focal point of his administration by bringing governance to their doorsteps.
According to the Caretaker Chairman of Okitipupa, Mrs Morenike Alaka who is one of those re-appointed, described her coming back as divine, saying it would afford her the opportunity to complete the big market she had started constructing in Okitipupa.
“I acquired about 22 plots of land where the construction of a spacious market for our women is ongoing to enable them transact their businesses conveniently as the old one could not accommodate them”
The Human Right Activist who described the their appointments as a call to render quality services to the people, said during her previous tenure, she among other achievements, created a website where her programmes and achievements were uploaded for people’s assessment and also organised a holiday coaching for secondary school students.
For Caretaker Chairman of Akure South Local Government, Mr Gbenga Akinniyi, he said he is familiar with grassroots administration, having spent most of his career in the local government.
On what will be his administration’s top priorities, he said he would improve on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the local government, establish a periodic sanitation exercise to make the state capital look more cleaner and would also ensure a cordial relationship with security agencies to improve on the security of lives and property of the people.
On his own, interim Chairman of Akoko North West Local Government, Mr Ayodele Akande, hinted that one of his top priorities would be to find a lasting solution to the issue of security challenges experienced in the area.
Describing his appointment as a big task, Caretaker Chairman of Owo Local Government, Mr Adebayo Benjamin assured that he would make the people in Owo proud by ensuring that his development agenda is in tandem with their aspirations asking that the people would be at the center of his actions.
Also, Interim Chairman of Ondo East local government, Mr Akinkuotu Augustine said his plans for the agrarian community would be to improve on has road network which would include grading some of the ones in a bad shape and construct bridges and drainages where necessary.
He said the gesture would enable farmers get their farm produce to where they are needed, adding that he would leverage on the present administration’s policy which is principally, to impact positively on the lives of people of the state.
While addressing Journalists shortly after the ceremony, Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Mr Femi Idris, charged the newly inaugurated Caretaker Chairmen not to lose focus on the vision of the Akeredolu-led administration which is service to the people of the state and Nigeria at large.
He however, enjoined them to join hands with Governor Akeredolu in his avowed determination to move the state forward.
Special Assistant to the Governor on Political Matters, Hon Tunji Fabiyi commended the Governor for the appointment of the Chairmen whom he described as ’round pegs in a round holes’.
Inaugurating the newly Local Government Chairmen, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu charged them to align their development agenda with the aspirations of the people for their co-operation and partnership.
He urged the chairmen to always put the people at the center of their actions and activities, adding that their development agenda must align with the aspiration of the people and that of the party so as to attract the people’s co-operation and partnership.
Akeredolu, while stating that Rural Development and Community Extension Services is a core plank of the initiatives of the present administration, disclosed that his administration had in recent times undertaken the grading of twenty-five kilometers rural roads in the 18 local governments and clearing of road verges.