Ondo State Government on Wednesday, urged local government political office holders to chart a new course towards strengthening the security system at their level of governance.
The Ondo state Deputy Governor, Mr Lucky Aiyedatiwa, stated this at a two-day workshop for elected political office holders across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State in Akure.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop was organised by Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with Code of Conduct Bureau, Abuja.
Aiyedatiwa, who said that insecurity retards development, noted that no nation could prosper in the absence of peace.
“I charge you at this critical stage in the annals of our nation that you make necessary sacrifice towards national peace and harmony,” he said.
The deputy governor said that this was important in view of the nation’s current security challenges.
“Insecurity no doubt retards development. No nation can prosper in the absence of peace.
“We must therefore chart a new course towards strengthening our security system at the local government level.
“Advocacy for individual and communal security network platform must not only be embraced, but also be stepped up,”he said.
Aiyedatiwa stressed that the training was to further equip newly elected political office holders at the local government level with skills to carry out their task of delivering the dividends of democracy.
“You are aware that the local government is the closest to the people; therefore, governance at the grassroots is tasking because of the high expectation of the electorate.
“The people who trusted and gave you their mandates are eager to feel the impact of governance through you,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa solicited their cooperation in actualising the mandate of the state government and urged the executive and legislature to work together.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Segun Odusanya, said the training was important for functionaries at the local government level to have requisite operational knowledge of the system.
Odusanya said it would boost the delivery of dividends of democracy to the people, as such training would make the administrators more competent.
The Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr Augustine Oloruntogbe, appreciated the deputy governor for the training. (NAN)
