Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, on Tuesday, sworn in newly-elected chairmen and vice-chairpersons in the 16 local government councils and 19 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) across the state, following their victory at the December 4, 2021 poll.
Speaking during the ceremony at Adetiloye Hall, Ado Ekiti, Governor Fayemi charged them to prioritise the security and welfare of Ekiti people above their personal interest and manage the election year well by averting crisis and violence within and outside their domain.
The Governor, who encouraged them to devise people-oriented projects and programmes that would improve and have a positive impact on the people, urged them to work with relevant agencies and ministries to key into his administration’s programmes and projects designed to bring about rural and community development in the State.
He told the new council bosses to devise mechanisms that would improve the internal generating revenue of their councils and ensure blockage of leakages, enshrine accountability in the revenue-generating process and work hand-in-hand with the State Internal Revenue Services to promote transparency.
In terms of effective administration, the governor advised the new council bosses to familiarize themselves with the Local Government administration laws and local government service commission laws of Ekiti State in order to guide them on the operational activities that are required of them at the council.
He said; “You should see your election and inauguration as a call to service, public service is noble and those who have undertaken to serve with the passion and selflessness have always ended up being on the right side of history and have succeeded in engraving themselves in the heart of the people.
“Your coming at this moment is very officious because there are many projects captured in the 2022 budget that are designed to directly impact on rural dwellers and communities, as a government, we are committed to rural and community development which is part of the five pillars of this administration.
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“I urged you to work with relevant agencies and ministries to key into government programmes and projects designed to make life better for our people.
“You should be conscious of the prevailing financial situation in the country and the need to boost your internally generating revenue to augment your allocation.
“One priority that your performance would be measured by apart from basic education, primary health and rural roads is the generation of internal revenues, you must work closely with Ekiti internal Revenue on this.
“You should place the security and welfare of your people in the fore burner, ensure that your domain is secure at all times and manage the electioneering processes well enough to avert crises in and around your domain. You must hold Security Council meetings regularly and coordinate effectively with the security chiefs in your own LGA or LCDA.
The Chairman Efon Local Government, Engr. Olabode Olatunji, who responded on behalf of the new chairpersons, assured Ekiti people of their readiness to bring about massive development at the grassroots and intensified efforts at improving IGR at the council levels.
He commended Governor Fayemi for restoring sanity and virtues to governance and for creating LCDAs to bring government closer to the people, increase participation and make governance inclusive.
Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman Local Government and Rural Development, Prof Adio Folayan said the inauguration of the chairpersons would make the newly created 19 Local Development Council officially functional.
He added that the existing local government and LCDAs would domesticate the five pillar agenda of Governor Fayemi and as well take ownership of government programmes geared at improving the lives of people at the grassroots.
