Gov. Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, on Friday, says his administration has given grants to all the 20 local government councils in the state to immediately embark on, at least, three projects each in their respective areas.
Abiodun stated this during the inauguration of 50 open market stalls at Ashero and a public toilet at Isale Ijeun, both in Abeokuta South Local Government area of the state.
The governor, represented by the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape, noted that there was no local government that had not embarked on a minimum of three projects.
“Local governments are no more for paying salaries alone, but to bring more projects to the people.
“There is no local government that has not embarked on a minimum of three projects, and when you multiply three by 20, it will give us 60. This is to complement the efforts of the state government.
“When we were campaigning, we promised that our local governments would not just be salary-paying centres, but ones that would be functional, and that is exactly what we are witnessing today,” he said.
Abiodun assured that governance at the local government level would be active again through empowerment and be alive to their responsibilities.
He stressed that his government would ensure that people at the grassroots were not left out in its ‘Building our Future Together’ agenda.
In his address, Mr Ayomide Somide, the Transition Committee Chairman, Abeokuta South Local Government, commended the governor for his efforts at ensuring equitable distribution of dividends of democracy to the nooks and crannies of the state.
“The governor gave us the privilege to do these projects, like the way it used to be in the past. Local government administration is having a new face and part of his promises is to revive the local government.
“These projects became the initiatives of the local government as a result of the challenges we are facing at Adatan market because of the traders trading on the road.
“We are trying to decongest the Adatan market by bringing people here to come and trade.
“The public toilet constructed at Isale Ijeun is to put an end to open defecation in that axis.
“This is just the beginning. We have ongoing projects across the local government, part of which is the construction of a modern shopping complex at Itoku market,” he said. (NAN)
