12th September, 2011
Abayomi Mukaila Tijani is the current Secretary to the Ojodu Local Council Development Area and an aspirant for the position of the Chairman of the LCDA in the forthcoming local government election in Lagos State. He spoke with EROMOSELE EBHOMELE on his agenda for the LCDA in this interview
We have seen many politicians jumping into political offices without mapped-out plans for those they should lead. Why do you think the people should trust you with their votes?
I have a wealth of experience that makes me qualified. I have served several political leaders and several communities. I have thus taken my time to learn so many things. I have a Masters degree in Political Science from the University of Lagos. I worked in a few places before I joined politics. And since politics is about service to the people, I decided to remain focused on service delivery. I learnt the ropes from virtually all the leaders of my party. I was, for example, the Personal Assistant to the state Chairman of the defunct Mandate Group. During the Independent Campaign Group in 2003, I was a Senior Mobilisation Officer. At the local government level, I have been a publicity secretary of the party and in 2006, I was appointed a member of the research and Strategy Committee of the Babatunde Raji Fashola Campaign. The same year, I was appointed into the Governorâ€
I have articulated a six-point agenda on which the running of my administration would stand. They include education, health service, the environment, security, job creation and community development. You know that these are very important in the life of an average individual. I also know that with the support of the people of my area, they will be achieved. I have told the people that part of my programmes in office would be regular convening of Town Hall meetings so that we would all know what we are yet to achieve and how to achieve them.
If elected, how do you think you can effectively implement your six-point agenda?
It is possible and easy. My specialty is Public Administration and I know that such a thing has to do with delegation of duties. It requires getting the right men to do the job for you while you are always around to supervise whatever they are doing. For five years now, I have into local government politics and getting the right people to help me execute the agenda will not be a problem. It is just a matter of interest and sacrifice. I have done it before and I can do much more. I have been involved in the implementation of several policies including the running of the five health centres in my local government. Right now, we are working on the sixth one. Currently, one of them works 24 hours. It is my intention to add two more to run for 24 hours so that health services can be rendered more effectively. We have secondary schools we cater for. In the last administration, we provided 10 computers each to each of the schools in the local government. We also provided them with generating sets and we service them. I will definitely improve on this. We have always made it our role to provide notebooks and school uniforms to school children and this will continue and will be improved upon. In terms of road construction, though we have touched virtually all the wards in the local government, I will continue with the ones that are yet to be handled. We have empowered people in the area and right now, I have a seven-man committee to understudy other problems we have in the local government and come out with a blue-print. One thing that has made administration very easy for me is because I believe in delegating powers, just as I take time to know the type of people to do the job for me. The committee is already working and the blue-print will be submitted before I resume if elected so that I can start working right from the first day. Just as I have been proving myself in the past, I want to have my name written in gold in the area.
There is the belief that local governments have underperformed generally and you have been part of the system. Now how do you think you can put a lie to this belief when elected considering the fact that you need funds to execute projects?
I am one of the people that do not support the assertion that local governments have failed. I tell you earnestly, I donâ€
The Peoples Democratic Party is latching on to the accusation of non-performance on the side of some council chairmen, like in Alimosho, to campaign for votes. How do you hope to survive this?
We are confident in Lagos state because we know we have done a lot. In the case of Alimosho, you canâ€
There varied opinions as to the joint accounts for local state governments. What is your opinion on this?
Well, I donâ€