The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Council

  • Council holds stakeholders forum on road construction

    Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos has urged all contractors handling construction of roads in Oshodi to establish a cordial relationship with the host communities.

    The council boss Dawood Olajobi said this during the stakeholders’ forum on the construction of Ogunyinka, and Kalejaiye/Sunday Solola Streets.

    According to Olajobi, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has given a directive that councils should involve all major stakeholders in any projects embarked on in fulfilment of the state vision 20:20:57 whereby the state will construct 114 roads in all councils.

    Olajobi therefore appealed to the contractors to do in accordance with the state standard, hence the need for supervision and proper monitoring by the stakeholders.

    However, the proximity of Sunday Solola street to Kalejaiye street in Ewu ward prompt the approval of three street in Oshodi instead of two.

    He implored all contractors to move to site, promising to mobilise them if their work is justifiable.

    He urged them to engage the services of artisans needed within their construction site.

  • Council holds stakeholders’ meeting on budget

    Council holds stakeholders’ meeting on budget

    The Executive Secretary of Badagry West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Prince Joseph Adeoluwayemi Agoro has reiterated the council’s commitment to engage the people in participatory government in which citizens will have their say and way.

    He also said the administration would promote growth and development of the LCDA in accordance with the democratic principles of due consultation, full disclosure, transparency, inclusive participation, responsive leadership, rule of law and due process.

    Prince Agoro spoke during a stakeholders’ meeting on the council’s 2016 Budget held at the council’s secretariat Kankon, Badagry.

    “It is, therefore, in this light that this forum has been organised to demonstrate our commitment to fulfilling that pledge,” he said.

    In the face of continuous dwindling of Federal allocation to the state and local government with attendant challenges to providing critical infrastructure, the need to look inwards has become imperative.

    Stressing the need for the council to generate enough funds to carry out more development projects that will impact positively on the people’s lives, Prince Agoro added that it was as a result of that need that the LCDA had repositioned its revenue collectors to enable them to deliver on their assignment. He enjoined the residents to co-operate with the council’s revenue collectors by paying the necessary taxes and dues in order to help the council to embark on more people-oriented projects.

    On achievements recorded by the council in the past one year, the council chief noted that “in spite of the challenges of dwindling allocation, we hit the ground running and have deployed our mandate in the last one year to accomplish several development projects in more communities in the council.

    “The achievements wouldn’t have been possible to accomplish without the support and patience of the residents of the Badagry West LCDA. We appreciate and cherish the confidence you have continued to repose in us.

    “Today, our collective vision for year 2016 Budget will be discussed so that all of you can make inputs into its transformation into a viable working document. We expect that your contributions will make viable impact in this year’s budget for our collective good. We don’t have monopoly of wisdom; hence our resolve to always bow to superior reasoning and ideas.

    “As you are aware, government cannot provide all your needs because we need to work within our available resources to carry out more important projects which the communities have prioritised in their requests.

    “I assure the people that our administration remains committed to the realisation of its promises. These are good governance, health, security and education.

    Few days ago, Governor Ambode announced the inauguration of 114 roads to be constructed in the 57 LGAS/LCDAS in the state in which our Apa Palace Road and Kweme Road were included.

    “The mission for the actualisation of the project started in October last year when Governor Ambode met and agreed with us on the need to massively embark on rehabilitation and construction of inner roads across the state. The road is going to be of good standard with walk ways, street lights and drainage.”

    He advised the people not only to be security conscious but to be also keen observers of the environment, urging them to report any suspicious act to the appropriate authorities.

    “Remember that the Lagos State Government has warned that any building without toilet facility would be sealed. Please, ensure that you have good toilet facility in your homes.

    “As Lassa fever has broken out in the country recently which has claimed some lives, I advise the residents to always keep their surroundings clean and keep their homes rat-free to prevent any unforeseen situation,” he said.

  • Pharmacy council inducts new members

    The Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, Mr. Elijah N. A. Mohammed has inducted 36 fresh Pharmacy graduates of University of Maiduguri.  The ceremony held at the El-Kanemi Hall of the university, with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Abubakar Njodi in attendance. Others at the event were Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) and Bursar of the institution.

    Prof Njodi who chaired the ceremony hailed the induction of his Pharmacy graduates.  He stated that the Faculty of Pharmacy in the University, being the only accredited Faculty of Pharmacy in the Northeast has played a leading role in producing the pharmaceutical manpower in the zone. He added that the faculty has graduated over 300 pharmacists since inception in 2002.

    He used the opportunity to plead with the Federal Government and its drug regulatory agencies to vigorously put into operation the legislature that will curb drug abuse, faking and quackery. He urged the graduates to venture into the society as good ambassadors of the University stressing that they are expected to be honest, trustworthy and dedicated in all their undertakings.

    The Registrar, Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) in his remarks thanked the Vice Chancellor and the University for the support given to the Faculty of Pharmacy. He stated that he had earlier carried out assessment of the facilities of the Faculty in company of the PCN Accreditation Team. The Accreditation Team had been in the University for four days assessing facilities and human resources of the Faculty towards the re-accreditation of the Bachelor of Pharmacy Programme.

     

  • ‘How to prepare council budget’

    ‘How to prepare council budget’

    EVERY council’s budget must reflect the policies and programmes of the state government,  Executive Secretary of Agege Local Government Area, Mr. Omofunmilewa Adejombo has said. It should also weave its expenditure around the expected income for the year. This is so because it is unlawful for any entity to spend more than it can earn.

    Mr Adejombo stated this while addressing residents of the council during a stakeholders’ meeting on preparation of the council’s budget.

    Highlighting the importance of the stakeholders’ meeting, the council chief said it was necessary that residents contribute to the preparation of the budget because it would be in line with government’s policy on Local Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (LEEDS).

    According to the council chief, in the new budget system of the medium-term expenditure framework, stakeholders’ inputs are very important if the local government is to have a realistic budget that would impact meaningfully on the lives of the people.

    Mr. Adejombo noted that the stakeholders’ meeting which was aimed at allowing the people to tell government what is of paramount importance to their different communities is a sign of transparency and commitment on the part of government to improve people’s standard of living.

    He disclosed that the stakeholders’ meeting was a means of identifying ways to improve the standard of living of the people, reduce rate of unemployment, improve standard of education, youth and sports, rural infrastructure, provide good health facilities and enhance agricultural development.

    “We are gathered here to present to the council the various needs of your communities. You shall work with the officials of the council to prioritise the various needs of your communities.

    “Stakeholders’ meeting is a deliberate attempt to give room for grassroots participation in the decision-making process because we are all stakeholders in the process of building a virile society. We have duties and responsibilities to perform,” he said.

    Hinting that each local government has its own set objectives which it intends to carry out, he said this time around, it has to be in line with the specific needs of the communities because all the communities may not be in need of the same amenities at the same time.

    He further stated that gone were the days when government at all levels decided what development programmes particular areas would have without minding whether the communities need them or not.

    “This is a deliberate policy initiative by government to empower the people economically. It is a bottom-up approach as well as participatory form of governance. All suggestions and requests from the various communities will form components of the budget,” he said.

    He, however, stressed that residents should not be unmindful of the economic challenges confronting the nation while making demands of projects the council should execute for them.

    Mr. Adejombo said such challenges are in the areas of high inflation rate, decrease in crude oil prices at the international market, high exchange rate and so on are signals for all that we should prudently manage our resources and at the same time ensure service delivery in a more accountable, transparent, responsive and responsible way.

    The head of administration in the local government area, Mrs Mayowa Ikuforiji, urged all residents to assist the local government in performing its responsibilities through prompt payment of their bills and rates; as this would go a long way in ensuring availability of funds for the local government with which it would execute development projects for the people.

    Various communities and Wards used the opportunity to present to the council proposals for projects which are vital to the development of their communities which they want the council to budget for.

  • Ondo council polls April 23

    The Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) has fixed local council elections for April 23.

    The Chairman, Prof. Olugbenga Ige, broke the news to reporters in Akure, the state capital, yesterday.

    He said the commission was ready to follow the Electoral Act in the conduct of the election.

    Ige said both the councillorship and chairmanship election would hold on the same day.

  • Council chief relives attack on Shoprite complex

    The suspended Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Henry Baro, yesterday recounted the incident that led to the destruction of Effurun Shoprite Mall by rampaging youths.

    He condemned the destruction, which he blamed on the miscreants who hijacked the peaceful protest for their personal gains.

    The police command, in a statement at the weekend, blamed the attack on the suspended chairman.

    The statement reads: “Preliminary enquiry revealed that Henry Baron, the suspended chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area, had an altercation with a naval rating identified simply as Ma’arafu at the shopping mall. Baron invited his community’s youths, who invaded the shopping mall and attacked anyone on sight.”

    But Baro said some youths came to his rescue when he was being molested by the plain-cloth officers.

    The embattled local government chairman said he was attempting to resolve an issue with a fleeing trailer driver, who hit his vehicle, when the plain clothes intervened.

    According to him, an argument occurred, escalating into the altercation.

    Baro said some youths tried to rescue him after the ratings molested him, adding that the peaceful protest was hijacked by miscreants.

    He said: “One of the Naval ratings crossed over to meet me where I was sorting out issues with a fleeing trailer driver, who hit my Toyota Venza car at Niger Cat on Army Barracks Road but was held up by traffic grid at the Effurun Roundabout…”

  • Council holds stakeholders’ forum

    The Mosan Okunola Local Council Development Area of Lagos State has organised its 2016 security and budget stakeholders’ meeting. Addressing residents at the council’s secretariat on the essence of the meeting, the Executive Secretary, Mrs. Akindele Adunni-Opeyemi urged them to pay their taxes and levies promptly. For the council to succeed in its efforts to better the people’s lives, the residents must devote their energies towards the growth and development of the area, she said.

    On the 2016 Budget of the LCDA, Adunni-Opeyemi said all hands must be on deck for its success.

    The issue of security dominated discussions as stakeholders expressed their worry over what they called unsavoury security challenges confronting various communities in the council. They urged the management of the council to tackle the problems head on in order to protect lives and properties of the residents. They also expressed their optimism that the council has the capacity to make the 2016 budget workable.

    The Community Development Associations (CDAs) and the Community Development Committees (CDCs) were bothered about issue of boundary adjustments. They canvassed for an adjustment that will enhance the council’s internally-generated revenue (IGR). They called on the state government to urgently do something about the issue.

  • Umahi to council chiefs: no excuses for non-performance

    Umahi to council chiefs: no excuses for non-performance

    Ebonyi State Governor David Umahi has challenged chairmen of the local government caretaker committees to remain committed to the provision of democracy dividends to the people at the grassroots.

    Umahi spoke when the chairmen paid him New Year homage at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara council. He told them to think outside the box to generate income and not give the economic meltdown as an excuse for non-performance.

    The governor encouraged them to have the fear of God and passion for the people at heart.

    His words: “God did not make a mistake by bringing you on board at a time like this; you have to sit down and think of what you can do.

    “If you fear God and have passion for the people, God will definitely meet you at the point of your needs. So, I challenge all of us, like the economy is challenging us, to do things differently. If you put your mind in stealing money, you will never get anything but if you focus on the people and have passion for them, money will chase you.

  • Council gives health materials to mothers

    Council gives health materials to mothers

    Afikpo South Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has distributed medical equipment worth N5 million to nursing mothers, pregnant women and health care centres in the council area.

    The items include cartons of soap, pampers, baby clothes, dettol, powder, baby food, 60 units of hospital beds, seven giant electricity generating sets, 12 units of weighing scales, 20 units of baby colts, deep freezers and delivery couches, among others.

    The Chairman of the council, Mr. Eni Uduma Chima said the exercise was not only for the smooth implementation of the health policies of the present administration but also for the revival of primary health care centres in the area.

    The exercise took place during the inauguration of the second round of this year’s Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Week at Egbebu Central School play ground, Ekoli Edda, Afikpo South Local Government Area.

    While inaugurating the exercise, Governor David Umahi, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe, expressed the determination of the present administration towards improving the health of the people.

    He urged other Chairmen of Caretaker Committees to emulate the gesture demonstrated by Afikpo South Local Government Area in the area of primary health care, stressing that improved health care delivery was necessary for the sustainability of any society and its future.

    Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike stated that the aim of the Health Week was to ensure reduction in maternal mortality and improve child survival ratio in the state.

    He said the exercise entails antenatal care, health education and immunisation, among others.

     

  • Commission seeks better deal from council officials

    Lagos State local government officials have been urged to improve on service delivery to compliment Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s efforts.

    Lagos State Local Government Service Commission chairman Mr Babatunde Rotinwa gave the charge when members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Lagos branch, visited him on Friday.

    Rotinwa said since the local government is closer to the people, its officials should be conversant with their needs so as to meet them.

    He advised the officials to improve on their community relations, noting that the Lagos City Hall, an edifice on Lagos Island, was built by a local government.

    Earlier, Lagos branch of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), president, Comrade Afolabi Ajose hailed Ambode for his choice of chairman.

    The appointment, he said, showed Ambode’s commitment to transforming the councils.