The jury is still out on the creation of additional 31 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) by Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola. Correspondent ADESOJI ADENIYI examines the arguments for and against the councils.
The creation of 31 Local Council Development Areas (LCDA), three area councils and two administrative councils, in addition to the existing 30 councils and one area office in Osun State, is generating ripples. The Area Councils are: Ife North (Oyere-Aborisade), Ede North (Owode Ede), and Ifelodun (Iba). The Administrative Offices are Orolu (Diisu-Ayekale) and Okinni (Okinni).
Before creating the councils, Governor Rauf Aregbesola dissolved the management of the existing ones headed by the executive secretaries. Also, their deputies, special advisers and other functionaries were relieved of their duties.
After several legal procedures, the request for additional councils by the people was sent to the House of Assembly through an executive bill. Aregbesola presented the bill to the House for the creation of additional 27 local council development areas from the existing 30 local government areas on December 16, 2013.
Following the passage of the bill into law by the 26-member House, the government set up a committee headed by former Speaker Mojeed Alabi, now a member of the House of Representatives from Egbedore/Ejigbo Constituency, to look into how the state could create viable councils with sustainable socio-economic potentials. It took the committee some weeks to submit its report to the governor. At its inauguration, Aregbesola pointed out that the state would create local governments that will meet the required standards, noting that the basis for the exercise was the genuine desire and consent of the people.
During the inauguration of the committee, the governor stressed that government is determined to ensure that all legal, technical and constitutional procedures are followed, hence, the referendum at the wards. He said: “As it is in democracy, what we are trying to do is to feel the pulse of the people to know what their preferences are. I am sure the state will not have any problem as being envisaged by some people because we will do everything possible to meet the constitutional requirement. We are working round the clock; as you can see, voting is taking place all over the state to know the feeling of our people on the creation of additional local governments. We will create councils that will meet all constitutional requirements. It is the genuine desire of the people for self-government.”
Also, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSIEC) conducted a referendum. According to the its chairman, Otunba Oladunjoye Oladitan, the essence of the referendum was to authenticate the consent of the people. He noted that the turnout was overwhelming during the exercise. He said: “I am particularly impressed by the number of people that trooped out to vote; it has clearly shown that the people are actually desirous of having additional local governments. Our own assignment is just to conduct a referendum with the voters register at our disposal and thereafter send the result to the Osun House of Assembly for further action. The turnout witnessed today is overwhelming.”
It was not a surprise, therefore, when the governor, in a recent broadcast, announced the creation of the councils. Various comnunities have been looking forward to it, because many of them had made requests for the sitting of the headquarters in their localities. As the governor made the announcement, many of them jubilated, agreeing with Aregbesola’s remark that the creation of the new councils at this time of financial challenges would help to achieve even development.
According to the governor, procedures had been put in place to reduce cost amd foster development. He added that the primary responsibilities of the newly-created councils are to bring development to the people, ensure market management, revenue mobilisation and generation. The governor also said the state would be saving a huge cost, adding that the same number of staff will still run the councils and that new appointments will not be made.
Aregbesola further disclosed that the local government system will be managed by Council Managers for three months. The managers shall be appointed and deployed by Local Government Service Commission from among the substantive grade level 14 officers in the local governments. He said: “Many would be wondering why we are creating more councils at this time of financial challenges. We have also given sufficient consideration to this. With this new parliamentary system, it will cost less to run the new councils and save a lot of money for the government than in the past. The beauty of this new system is its parliamentary nature, which requires the chairman and the vice chairman to be elected by the councillors from among their own ranks, thereby saving cost. Also, because the geographical space of the local government makes it the smallest unit of administration, it is easier to get things done at this level. The local government is also the ideal training ground for political leadership.”
But, some community leaders are questioning what the government has done. For instance, some are of the view that the governor has introduced the parliamentary system in the local councils, without the backing of the constitution. They also doubt that running the councils as claimed by the governor would be cost effective. They referred to the governor’s claim that no new staff will be required for the new councils. Many are also wondering whether new secretariats will not be constructed or rented for effective administration of the new councils.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) do not agree over the newly-created councils. While the PDP described the new LCDAs as “part of confusion introduced into governance by Aregbesola,” the APC congratulated the people, saying it is a step in the right direction. The Director of Publicity and Strategy, Osun PDP, Prince Diran Odeyemi, said Aregbesola has introduced several confusions to governance. He said: “The creation of additional 31 LCDAs, when the existing 30 local government areas are unable to pay workers salaries, let alone embark on any developmental projects in the last five years of being in office, is an evidence that our governor is confused and bereft of ideas. Aregbesola is controversy personified and infusing such clumsiness into the governance of Osun State once a pride among states in the country, is now a laughing stock.
But, the APC spokesman, Kunle Oyatomi, said: “It is a joyful culmination of the long-standing aspiration of the people to have government closest to their communities. This is one great moment for Osun State, because the landmark achievement of creating new local governments will further enhance peace within and between communities, as well as increase the potential for more efficient internally-generated revenue for the local governments and the state. So, people should stand firm and fully give their support to the government, which in spite of the financial challenges is ensuring that Osun is not standing still.”
The House of Assembly has explained that the new LCDAs were those approved by it. According to the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the governor took a bold devision
Observers say the creation of additional councils will be of mutual benefits to the government and people, because it would afford the government the opportunity to reach the grassroots and effectively monitor the generation of revenue. They also believe that it would create room for even development in all parts of the state.
But, for these objectives to materialise, they added, there should not be acrimony and suspicion among communities, as presently being witnessed in some quarters. One of such observers said: “For instance, the people of Aagba, Ada and Ororuwo, have rejected the citing of headquarters of the recently established Boripe North LCDA in Iree and have thus demanded a reversal of the decision. The communities have written a protest letter to the governor. In the letter signed by Alaagba of Aagba, Oba Rufus Olayinka Ogunwole, Olona of Ada, Oba Abimbola Abioye, and the reagent of Ororuwo, High Chief James Dada, they maintained that the reversal was necessary because it was at variance with the content of the White Paper released on the memorandum written by the three communities in 2012.
They complained that Iree was not part of the struggle for the creation of the new LCDA and Ada was proposed as the headquarters of Ifesowapo LCDA as presented by the three communities before the Prof. Alabi committee.
