The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lagos LCDAs

  • ‘Lagos will hold elections in 20 local govts, 37 LCDAs’

    ‘Lagos will hold elections in 20 local govts, 37 LCDAs’

    Elections will hold in the pre-existing 20 local governments and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State next year, chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) Cornelius Ojelabi  said yesterday.

    He dismissed as distractive speculation the insinuations that the polls may not hold in 57 councils.

    Ojelabi said:”We wish to inform all and sundry that the Local Government elections will hold across the state in the 20 local government areas and the 37 Local Council Development Areas in the year 2025.”

    The chairman said since the creation of the LCDAs, they have not only been the closest to the grassroots, but they have also fostered developments across the state.

    He said the party has noted with keen interest the debates on the desirability of the existence of the LCDAs and the need to hold elections into the political offices.

    Ojelabi said: “Our position as a progressive party is that we cannot discountenance the contributions of the LCDAs to the overall political and socio-economic development of the state.

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    “Our landscape is dotted by several infrastructural projects by the LCDAs which include road , drainage and market construction , school and housing projects, primary education and health facilities and various social service interventions etc

    “The various collaborative efforts with the state government on refuse disposal, drain clearing and security are also pointers to their continuous relevance.”

    He added: We hope this release will put paid to further speculations as regards the local government elections in order not to unnecessarily heat up the polity.

    “We implore our members and all Lagosians to continue to coexist peacefully as we all strive to maintain the leading position of our state in the federation.”

  • 2025 council poll won’t hold in 37 LCDAs, says Lagos lawmaker

    2025 council poll won’t hold in 37 LCDAs, says Lagos lawmaker

    Lagos State House of Assembly says elections will not be conducted in the 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) of the state next year.

    The Chairman, House Committee on Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mr Okanlawon Sanni, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos yesterday.

    NAN reports that local government elections will hold in the state next year.

    Sanni, representing Kosofe Constituency II, said elections into the 37 LCDAs would only be conducted if they were listed through constitutional amendment by the National Assembly.

    He said this was due to the recent Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to the 774 local governments, which the House was obligated to abide by.

    The lawmaker said Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) would only conduct chairmanship elections into the 20 local governments in 2025 as recognised by the constitution.

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    “Lagos State House of Assembly is repealing the Local Government law 2016 to further support the Supreme Court judgment on the financial autonomy granted the 20 local governments in the state.

    “If the new bill before the House (Local Government Administration Bill) is passed, the other 37 LCDAs will henceforth be under the supervision of the constitutionally recognised 20 councils.

    “The governor will appoint mayors into each LCDA, subject to confirmation by the House of Assembly and they will be funded by the local government under which it falls.

    “The assembly is trying to fashion out a way where the parent local governments and LCDAs will work together without the latter being short-changed.

    “The functions of the 37 LCDAs will include every duty of a local government in its area of delineation and any duty assigned to it by any law of the House or executive directives of the governor.

    “Also, the LCDAs may also employ their workers as it may consider necessary for optimal execution of its development programmes,” he said.

    Sanni said salaries, allowances and other benefits of employees and all statutory payments, deductions and payments due for essential local services shall be a first line charge on funds of local governments.

    The lawmaker reiterated that the state Assembly had no intention of scrapping  the LCDAs as being portrayed, saying LCDAs had promoted grassroots development.

    He, however, said there was need for the National Assembly to understand why the LDCAs should be listed as substantive local governments.

    According to him, constitutional listing of the LCDAs is important because of the size of the state in terms of population and its economic importance to Nigeria.

    Sanni said Anambra State had 21 local governments and that the Southeastern state could not be compared to Lagos in terms of resources, economic importance and population.

  • Lagos to push for special status, listing of LCDAs

    Lagos to push for special status, listing of LCDAs

    Lagos state will explore all avenues to reintroduce the issue of the 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the ongoing Constitutional Review process, with a view to legalising the council development areas.

    A communiqué issued at the end of the 18th Executive/Legislative parley organised by the Office of Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, stated the need for collaboration between the Executive, National Assembly members representing the state and members of the State Legislature in advocating for a ‘Special Status’ for Lagos in the ongoing Constitution Review.

    The Executive/Legislative parley was themed ‘Engaging All for an Inclusive Governance: Hands On for a Greater Lagos Rising’.

    Participants at the two-day parley agreed to enhance the existing harmonious relationship between all arms of government through recognition and mutual respect for their constitutional roles.

    The communiqué, signed by the special adviser to Governor Sanwo-Olu on Political, Legislative and Civic Engagement, Afolabi Tajudeen, stressed the need to create awareness and educate the people on the importance and roles of each arm of government.

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    The communiqué reads: “There is a need for the political office holders to prioritise citizens’ welfare above personal interest and ambition in the discharge of their constitutional roles and responsibilities. Due consideration should be accorded the party, its philosophy and manifesto in governance and the tripartite relationship among the Executive, Legislature and the people as it is the only platform for elective office.

    “Participants suggested the possibility of suspension of some taxes, levies, charges, and rates for a few months, as well as introduction of rebates where necessary for the most vulnerable in order to alleviate the pains of the current economic challenges.

    “A proposal was also made that there should be regular meetings of Mr. Governor, members of the National Assembly representing Lagos State and members of the Lagos State House of Assembly to foster robust relationship.

    “It was also recommend that the government should reactivate the school feeding programme for primary schools, government and other stakeholders should work in harmonious relationship by meeting with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) through senatorial districts’ town hall meetings for empowerment.

    “The government should continue to enhance the Public Works Corporation (PWC) to adequately address the bad inner roads to reduce gridlocks.

    “Participants also urged the government to expedite action on the proposed establishment of a Lagos Airline to enhance the economic prosperity of Lagos. There is a need to engage with all state-owned tertiary institutions  to support various sectors of the government, while government policies and reforms be properly propagated to all arms of government.

    “The participants also urged the government to put in place methods that would help to track out-of-school children before their initiation into social vices for reintegration.”