By Josephine Oguntoyinbo
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Ondo state now has 33 new Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state.
A bill to create them was passed by the state House of Assembly yesterday.
The bill sailed through following the submission of a report by the house committee of the whole house led by the deputy Speaker, Prince Abayomi Akinruntan. Last week Thursday, a public hearing was held by the assembly during which stakeholders expressed their views on the bill.
It would be recalled that the State Government about few weeks ago proposed the bill to the State House of Assembly which scaled through first and second reading before it was committed to the House Committee of the whole house.
Presenting the report, Akinruntan explained that the Committee of the whole house observed that many representatives called for continued existence of peace inspite the creation of new LCDAs.
He said the Committee observed that operational facilities for the creation of the new LCDAs have been made available by various communities and also the need for State Surveyor General and his team to map out the boundaries of all the communities in order to avoid communal clashes in future .
The lawmaker said the Committee observed that appreciation was shown to the Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for creating additional LCDAs and the State Assembly for bringing up the public hearing, while some clamoured for creation of more LCDAs, and need to change names of some LCDAs headquarters.
The Majority Leader of the House, Oluwole Ogunmolasuyi while moving a motion for the bill to be passed into law, appreciated the entire Committee members for ensuring that the needful was done. The motion was seconded by a Lawmaker representing Akure South constituency 1,Olajide Oguntodu.
The Speaker in his speech recalled that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu transmitted the bill for the creation of 33 LCDAs in addition to the existing 18 Local Governments in line with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as part of efforts to bring government closer to the people and by extension generate development to the grassroots.
According to him,due to the lofty objective of the bill, the house swift to action, committing the bill to the whole House in order to elicit meaningful and maximum contributions from members of the public.
He said to further elicit contributions from members of the public, the proposal was subjected to public hearing in order to feel the pulse of the people and give room to necessary recommendations and adjustment where necessary.
“Today, l wish to bring to the notice of the entire people of Ondo State that the Committee of the whole House has painstakingly looked into the agitations and complaints raised by the good people at the public hearing, and necessary corrections and recommendations have been made to the Executive Arm as appropriate.
“It is expected that our submission today will be looked into by the Executive Arm and considered in case of further amendment to the law creating the LCDAs in the nearest future.
“On this note, let me appeal to the good people of Ondo State to please keep their hope alive as the current position of the House is not an end itself but means to a positive end.
“To this end, communities across the State are enjoined to eschew all act that can generate undue rancor and acrimony that may be inimical to the existing peace and harmonious relationship among the people.
“Let me at the juncture again congratulate the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for taking the bull by the horn in joining other Southwest States to achieve this great feat. l also wish to commend my Honorable colleagues for registering your footprints in the sand of time by giving this historic bill your maximum commitment and the desired attention.
Thereafter, the lawmakers unanimously agreed for the bill to be passed into law through a voice votes.
