Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu has charged the newly elected chairmen and deputies to unite in the interest of the people and deliver on their mandate.
Sanwo-Olu made the call during a 3-day retreat held at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja and organized by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development.
He said the programme with the theme “Driving Grassroots Development through Strategic Governance, was designed to assist in the business of governance for the Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas of the State.
The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat explained that the retreat was to equip the council bosses with salient information and the requisite knowledge on the intricacies and guidelines for Local Government Administration, as well as Public Sector Ethics..
According to him, “Your victory at the poll is not just a political victory. It is a mandate from the people for the APC to have a clean sweep. The retreat is an understanding of a group. Nobody should be the weakest link. The only way is to learn from each other. The retreat supposed to equip all of you.
“I am happy when I came in and I saw Procurement officers engaging you. I think the Procurement law was introduced into our country by the world Bank because corruption starts and ends with procurement. There is an assumption that everyone who occupies public office is a thief.
“We must learn from one another, if you think you will not have problem, sorry, you are not here for the job.
Governance is more than rocket science. The work ahead of us is very urgent, the expectations of the people are high, you will never satisfy them”. he said.
He acknowledged that problems of West Africa are physical planning and procurement saying effort must be geared at the grassroot towards better understanding of the space.
The Commissioner, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Robert said the retreat was to assist the council chairmen to settle down quickly to the business of governance and equip them with information and the requisite knowledge on the intricacies and guidelines for local government administration.
“The expectations of the people are high. They await the fulfilment of promises, the delivery of critical infrastructural projects and people-inclined services, which are the visible dividends of democracy that would improve the socio-economic lives of the people,” the commissioner said.
In his remark, the Chairman House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sanni Okanlawon urged the chairmen to be problem solvers, stressing that leadership is not a title but trust that you must be earned.
The Chairman Ibeju-Lekki Local Council Development Area, Sesan Olowa in his vote of assurance appreciated the Governor for approving the retreat, saying the successful swearing-in ceremony was testament for them to uphold good governance.
“I want to assure you that at the end of the retreat, we would have been equipped of the task ahead. Our role is very crucial at the grassroots to the survival of democracy and we are ready to deliver,” Olowa promised.