Group Tasks State Governors On Development Projects

State governors and local government chairmen in Nigeria have been urged to focus on development projects that will be of benefit to their citizens instead of wasting funds allocated for such on unprofitable things.

This advice was given by Concerned Human Rights Nigeria, Yoruba Citizens Action for Change and Committee for the Protection of Peoples’ Mandate, during the presentation of award of Best Outstanding Performance Award 2010 to Prince Yinka Murisiq Durosimi and Hon. Ramota Oseni-Adeyeri, chairmen Ojo Local Government Area and Iba Local Council Development Area, respectively, for their efforts in giving the dividends of democracy to the people of their local government.

Comrade Declean Ihekare, national coordinator, Concerned Human Rights Nigeria, said the group decided to give the chairmen the award for the spectacular projects they embarked on which were assessed and adjudged to be the best in the country.

“We embarked on projects inspection in all local governments in the state because we are of the belief that local governments in Lagos State are not doing anything with the funds they are collecting but to our surprise what we saw was beyond our expectation. Even, some projects undertake by local governments in the state cannot be compared to what some state government would called state government projects.

“We are now challenging state governors and other local governments in the country to emulate local governments in Lagos State in terms of service delivery to their citizens,” he said.

The group thanked Prince Rotimi Agunsoye, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, for permitting the group to embark on project inspection. —Paul Sanusi

Speaking after receiving the award, Prince Durosimi, chairman of Ojo Local Government area said “the award is to spur us to give more dividends of democracy to our people and to let us know that someone is watching us somewhere.”

He promised to consolidate on the project that gave him the award. The chairman of Iba Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ramota Oseni-Adeyeri, vowed not to rest on her oars until all towns in the area benefit from the dividends of democracy.