Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu has challenged the newly elected Chairmen and Vice Chairmen in the twenty Council areas and thirty seven Council Development Areas, LCDAs, to collate data for infrastructure in their locality for development planning and maintenance.
Governor Sanwo-olu who threw the challenge at the opening of a three day onboarding retreat for the newly elected LGA and LCDA Chairmen and Vice Chairmen at Ikeja, tasked them to engage in healthy and competitive rivalry for development to thrive.
The Governor who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, urged the Council authorities to brace up for the challenges ahead, noting that issue of waste management, youth restiveness, among others must be tackled in line with the renewed hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
” Lagos residents have voted for you and you need to do well in the office to be able to impress our party leaders, the APC will encourage you, government will support you to achieve your objectives for the benefit of all residents of the state”
In a vote of assurance, the Chairman of conference 57, Mr Sesan Olowa who is the Chairman of Ibeju-Lekki LCDA, maintained that his colleagues are battle ready to bring development to the grassroots with a promise not to disappoint the people of Lagos.
” We are battle ready as all of us here know the task ahead of us. We know we are the closest to the grassroots and development will be fast tracked at the grassroots”
In an address of welcome, Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Mr Bolaji Robert, emphasized that the theme of the retreat driving grassroots development through strategic governance was to prepare the participants for efficient and impactful administration for the benefit of all residents who voted them in office.
” The task ahead of you is not a child’s play, so you must all buckle up and do tangible projects that will impact the people of your local government, so that you can justify the confidence reposed on you through their mandate”
The participants were exposed to relevant topics to enable them perform optimally which include “Emotional Intelligence: Leading with Empathy, Harmonizing levies and revenue generation, Promoting Ethical decision making in public service and Preventing corruption in local government administration among others.
Reporting by Yemisi Dada