By Success Afolayan.
The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has declared that the adequate funding being accorded the Local Governments was intended to propel local economy and shore up the internally generated revenues of the state.
The Governor assured that his government will continue to add values to the councils through strong and adequate funding to be able to discharge their duties optimally to the entire Ekiti residents, saying the LGs won’t be starved of funds under his watch.
Oyebanji spoke in Ayebode Ekiti, during a ceremony marking the one- year ceremony of the creation of the LCDA by the administration of the former Governor Kayode Fayemi.
Oyebanji represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, stated that the 19 LCDAs created by Fayemi’s government and sustained by his administration, were conceptualised to ignite rural development and bring governance closer to the populace.
The Deputy Governor, also commissioned the Ajoni Central Market, comprising 5-lock-up shops and 50-open market stalls at Ayebode Ekiti, built by the Council boss, Prince Michael Ogungbemi.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Deputy Governor, Victor Ogunje, Oyebanji posited that in the last one year, the LCDAs have been living up to the biddings of ensuring that development springs across all strata of the society.
He added that besides ensuring infrastructural development, the LCDAs have served as veritable weapon for human capital development, by providing career progression for council workers, while also employing new ones, where vacancies exist.
The Governor commended the leadership of Ajoni LCDA under Prince Ogungbemi, for not disappointing the people, by ensuring good governance, and boosting the accomplishment of the vision behind the creation of the LCDA.
“I assure you that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will continue to ensure adequate funding for all the LCDAs, so that life can be more comfortable for our people”, she said.
While commissioning the Ajoni Central Market, Mrs Afuye, described the project as impressive and capable of adding values to the LCDA in terms of revenue generation.
Mrs Afuye, said it was specifically conceived to boost local economy, in line with the policy-thrust of Governor Oyebanji that all rural settings in Ekiti must be opened up to business opportunities.
She added that the closeness of the market to Kogi State border, is also another advantage the council and the residents of Ajoni LCDA will derive from this laudable project.
“I know that this project will put smiles on the faces of our traders, who have been yearning for modern structures under which they can market their products in this council.
“I bring assurances of our Governor, Biodun Oyebanji to partner all the council areas in Ekiti State to develop our rural potentials and arrest the rural -urban drift that used to affect local economy negatively.
“I commend the Council Chairman and his team for this project and I charge all the residents to cooperate with them to advance the economy of this council”.
Responding, Prince Ogungbemi, commended Governor Oyebanji for sustaining the LCDAs and also grants them free hands to operate.
The council boss said the Central Market at Ayebode would increase the Gross Domestic Product(GDP) and internally generated revenue of the council, thereby making lives more comfortable for residents.
Ogungbemi stated that his administration would continue partner the government of Ekiti State and willing private sector to attract development to the council.
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