Lagos Assembly committee Tasks LG Chairman on council chamber, commends others over performance

Temitope Musowo,Lagos

Chairman of the Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Community Affairs, Hon. Abdulsobur Olawale Olayiwola has urged the chairman of Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Fuad Atanda-Lawal to provide a conducive chamber for the council's legislators.

Hon. Olayiwola spoke during the continuation of the committee's visit to Local Government and LCDAs in the state on Friday, 12th March, 2021.

The Committee Chairman and members of the committee observed that the council chamber lacked proper furniture and ordered the chairman to provide a befitting chamber for the councillors and make provision for a gallery.

The lawmaker stated that the committee embarked on the visit to feel the pulse of the staff and the councils to see what is going on in the various councils and chart the way forward.

Olayiwola however, commended the chairmen of the three councils visited during the tour; Lagos Island LG, Lagos Island East LCDA and Ikoyi/Obalende for bonding with the staff and politicians in the councils.

"Well appreciate the relationship between the management and the councillors and for taking care of the workers. 

"We are here to see some of the projects the councils have done, the ones they have completed and the ones that have not been completed

"It has been a busy and hectic day, but we thank God that we went to three local government and LCDAs today. 

"We went to Lagos Island, Lagos island East LCDA and Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA. We are satisfied with Labour/Management Relationship in the councils. It is very cordial and we are happy as we were informed that what exists between labour and management in the councils is congenial. 

"The councils have really worked hard and it showed that the dividends of democracy is being felt by the people because we visited some project sites in the councils. The various works they are doing in the local governments are encouraging," he said.

In his response, the Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government, Hon. Tijani Adetoyese Olusi said that the visit would encourage the council chairmen to do their work.

Tijani stressed that his government has given the people of the area the dividends of democracy and gave an instance of Aroloya Street that was tarred in the area.

This was corroborated by the Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Kamal Olawale Salau-Bashua, who said that the visit would make them to be on their feet and that it was meant for checks and balances, saying that this was what governance was all about. 

In his comment, the Chairman of Ikoyi/Obalende LCDA, Hon. Fuad Atanda-Lawal said that what the committee did was an oversight function to see how government funds were being utilized. 

"We need this kind of visit for the people to feel the impacts of the government. 

"The committee has been to one of our Primary Health Care Centres and they have seen that the local government has done well. We can do more for the people. I want to appreciate the chairman of the committee and the members for visiting our local government, he said.

Other lawmakers on the tour were Hon. Rauf Age-Sulaimon (Amuwo Odofin 2),  Hon. Rasheed Makinde (Ifako/Ijaiye 2), Hon. Nurein Akinsanya (Mushin 1) and  Hon. Kehinde Joseph (Alimosho 2).

Lagos Assembly Committee Commends Council Chairmen On Infrastructural Development

Temitope Musowo

The House Committee On Local Government and Community Development of the Lagos state House of Assembly, has commended the Executive Chairmen of Surulere local government, Mr Tajudeen Ajide, Coker/Aguda LCDA, Alhaja Omobolanle Akinyemi-OBE and Itire/Ikate LCDA, Mr Ahmed Apatira, on infrastructural development in their councils.

The committee made the commendation while on oversight tour to Surulere, Coker/Aguda and Itire/Ikate local governments on Thursday.

After inspecting the various projects executed by the Council Chairmen, the Chairman of the House Committee, Hon. Abdulsobur Olawale, said that the committee was surprised with the high level of developmental projects and its quality, saying that the committee noticed a symbiotic relationship between the councils executives and their councillors.

Olawale said that the committee was pleased with how the welfare packages of the councillors were structured, adding that there was a smooth relationship between the labour union and the chairmen of the councils.

He added " In every local government, Labour is the engine room. They are the one who ensure the smooth running of the local government and what we met was very encouraging.

" Lastly, the various projects we inspected were well structured and of quality. We inspected roads constructed at Surulere LGA. At Coker/Aguda, we visited the vocational centre and in Itire/Ikate, we visited Ikale street. By and large, it was a good experience".

Speaking separately with journalists, the Council Chairmen, said that the oversight tour would put them on their toes to do more for the people in their local governments, saying that it let them know that every money spent on projects would be accounted for.

In his comments, the Chairman of Itire/Ikate LCDA, Mr Ahmed Apatira, said that the tour would make council chairmen to do the right thing and to correct where there were mistakes, adding " It is to put us on our toes. It also let us know that public fund is not something you can just deep your hand into, you have to be accountable for  whatever you use the fund for".

The Chairperson of Coker/Aguda LCDA, Alhaja Omobolanle Akinyemi-Obe, said that the visit was insightful and that the committee was particular about ensuring socio-welfare was provided to the staff and the councillors.

Akinyemi-Obe said that it was an eye opener for council chairmen in the state to know where they had erred, saying " Nobody is an island of knowledge ".

Also, the Executive Chairman of Surulere local government, Mr Tajudeen Ajide, said that it was good that the committee was on the tour to know local governments that were performing, assuring that the primary health centre he was building would be completed by April.