The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has declared that making the 16 local government Areas of the state stronger and efficient in the discharge of all deliverables remains a top priority of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration.
The Deputy Governor stressed that Oyebanji is unwaveringly desirous of taking proactive action to energise the local government system through adequate funding to ignite development at the grassroots, where over 65% of the population are domiciled .
Mrs Afuye gave the assurance in Ilawe Ekiti, Ekiti South West Local Government Area, on Tuesday, while declaring open a three- day workshop organised by the Ekiti State Institute of Local Government Studies for local government workers.
Addressing the participants in line with the kernel of the training tagged: “Agenda and Target Setting Towards Laying a Solid Foundation for Effective Service Delivery’, Mrs Afuye, said the training was in tandem with the Human Capital Development focus of the Oyebanji’s administration.
Cataloguing the pivotal interventions championed by Governor Oyebanji to fortify the local governments, the Deputy Governor, revealed that the current administration, had disbursed car and house loans to council workers, and defrayed backlog of staff salaries and deductions to palliate their sufferings.
Justifying that the governor has done creditably well in strengthening the third tier of government, Mrs Afuye, said the steady and progressive opening of the rural areas to better economic, human and physical development substantiated the high level of Independence enjoyed by the local governments.
Mrs Afuye assured that nothing will be spared to ensure that the drivers of the system, who are the available human resources are well groomed to be able to respond positively to the onerous task of making the LGs more efficient and responsive.
She said; “The government of Governor Oyebanji had purchased official vehicles for the Heads of Local Government administration, created additional departments at the Local Government Service Commission, and renovate some structures in this institute to make it more functional as a training ground for our workers.
“This government has also ensured regular payment of monthly pension of retired officers and part of their outstanding gratuities. It has also confirmed the appointment of 22 heads of local government administration and signed the local government administration law”.
She added further: “We are all witnesses to the notable changes that this noble institution had experienced over the years. The school which started in the year 2000 as a staff training school has been upgraded to an institute for the training of both junior and senior staff.
“I enjoy the management of the institute to effect the affiliation of the institute with Ekiti State University to commence the issuance of Diploma Certificate in line with the vision of the government for upgrading the school”.
Speaking on the significance of the Local Government Administration to the development of any nation , the Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Babatunde Jegede stated that the tier remains the foundation for any development.
He said: “I want the workers to join hands with the Governor Oyebanji and the Provost of this institute, who are both visionaries to develop this institute and make it a responsible citadel of learning established to imbue the workers with better mental capacity”.
Jegede praised Governor Oyebanji for bringing radical development to the institute through renovation of some of some deplorable structures to bring a facelift to be able to deliver on its mandate as a training ground for local government workers.
The Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Oba Ajibade Alabi, said the country must prioritise the welfare of those at the grassroots and the council workers, for it to achieve the task of building a virile economy that will be of tremendous benefit to all citizens .
The Provost of the Institute, Dr. Olufemi Akinola, commended Governor Oyebanji for showing interest in the development of the institute, saying this has helped in broadening the mental horizons of the council workers.