In a bid to ensure that people at the grassroots in Ekiti State have a voice in the selection of Local Government programmes and projects in their various communities, Local Councils in the State have agreed to always consult people at the grassroots before embarking on programmes and projects in the third tier of Government.
This was part of the resolutions agreed upon at the recently concluded 3 – day retreat for the newly elected Council Chairmen and other top Local Government functionaries in Ekiti State, organized by the Ministry of Local Government Affairs.
According to the communique issued at the end of the retreat and made available to newsmen in Ado -Ekiti, local councils are henceforth to hold community engagements where critical stakeholders and other members of communities itemize their needs, preferences, and feedback before initiating projects and programme in the various council areas .
It said the budget cycle of January to December shall be adopted at the Local Government and LCDAs with call circulars being issued in the month of August while the budget shall be passed and signed into law latest by December 31st of the preceding year.
The communique also stated that stakeholders at the retreat agreed that Local Government/ LCDAs shall review the earlier approved 2024 budget where necessary to incorporate projects/programmes that were omitted in the former, and the revised budget must be approved latest by the ending of January 2024 while more emphasis shall be made on participatory governance at the Local Governments and LCDAs.
It also stated that participants agreed that a circular be issued from the Ministry of Local Government specifying the threshold on direct labour projects viz –a- viz contract award adding Local Contractors registered with Local Governments/LCDAs shall be patronized, in line with the Local content policy of Ekiti State Government .
The communique stated that Local councils should embrace new orientations towards improved service delivery, which shall be a total departure from the old stereotyped designed while they should also develop a comprehensive data base to aid effective planning and service delivery.
The stakeholders also resolved that due process shall also be followed in all projects/programmes of Local Governments and LCDAs stressing that procurement policies, best practices in budgetary and Fiscal Responsibilities be entrenched by the Local Government’s and LCDAs.
Participants appreciated the State Government and Ministry of Local Government for organizing the retreat which they said gave them the opportunity to share from the wealth of experience of the resource persons promising to cascade the retreat across all department of the Local Government/LCDAs.
