By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
A bill to create new local government areas in Ondo State has been committed to Committee Stage for scrutiny.
It was committed to the Committee of the whole House after scaling through the second reading at a plenary presided over by the Speaker, Olamide Oladiji.
Earlier, while moving a motion for the bill to be move to second reading and committed to Committee stage, the Majority Leader, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi noted that the bill is a very important one that cuts across the 18 Local Governments and the 26 Constituencies for progress and development of the State, hence the need to give it accelerated consideration.
The motion was seconded by a Lawmaker representing Odigbo constituency 2, Oluwarotimi Fasonu and a lawmaker representing Ifedore constituency,Tope Komolafe.
Deliberating on the bill, the lawmakers noted that the creation of additional local governments is long overdue as the State have the lowest number of local governments in the South West.
According to them, it will further add value to the State by bringing dividends of democracy closer to the people.
The lawmakers added that the creation of additional LCDAs will complement efforts of the existing ones in opening up rural areas to revitalize and widen the scope of economic potential of the State.
While noting that local governments were last created in 1996 in the State, they applauded the steps taken by the government in fast-tracking development and bringing government closer to the people.
To them, with the creation, leadership positions will further spread to those clamouring for it, while natural resources left untapped will receive attention.
After debate by the lawmakers, the Speaker while ruling for the bill to be committed to Committee Stage, recalled that the bill was sent to the House few days ago by the State Government with the objective to further bring governance closer to the people for growth and development.
The Speaker said that Local Government is very important in bringing development closer to the people, hence the LCDAs when created will complement the function of the existing local governments.
He commended the giant strides of the State Government, assuring that the House will do justice to the bill and pass it in record time.
Also, a bill to amend the Ondo State House of Assembly Service Commission Law 2021 also passed through First Reading during the plenary.
