The Executive Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been commended for his initiative over creation of 27 additional Local Governments in the state.
The spokesperson of the Lagos State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Strategy, Security and Publicity representing Epe Constituency II, Hon Segun Olulade made this commendation during a chat with the newsmen in Lagos.
Olulade said the creation of additional LGs in the State of Osun is a welcomed development and is due. According to him, more Local Governments will bring developments to grassroots and people will be able to feel presence of government more especially in the remote rural communities where government finds it difficult to reach people due to the size of most Local Governments in the state.
“I commend the Government for taking such initiative; I also congratulate the people of the State who are the larger beneficiary of the good things coming along with the initiative. I have no doubt that having commenced due process by the Governor towards final ratification of the bill, the Lawmakers in the State House of Assembly will give speedy passage of the bill creating those new
Local Governments’, he said.
“I seize this opportunity to commend the community leaders, CDAs, CDS, market women, the youth and especially the traditional rulers for the roles played and contributions made towards ensuring that the Governor’s initiatives on taking governance to people living in the most remote parts of the state through additional Local Government creation is being realised. Surely, history will never forget all the people of the State for these laudable achievements.
Olulade stressed that Lagos has set a good example over additional Local Government creation occasioned by necessity, and as such, State like Osun is doing the needful by embarking on such project that will better the lives of the people. The Lawmaker said development is about people, and that is the essence of having democracy in place.
“Considering the developments going on presently in the State in all sectors such as education, health, infrastructure, roads, agriculture and many more,I have no doubt that the people of Osun will see this move by the Governor as act of good governance they deserve, and as such cooperate with the Governor in concluding all processes required for successful creation of the LGs”, he said.
Osun State currently has 30 Local Governments which is expected to rise to 57 with the additional 27 presently being created.
NAIJA HOTTEST GIST
The 1976 Local Government Reform was a systematic and deliberate reorganisation of the local government administration in Nigeria. The military needed a link between their centrally controlled political system and the people at the grassroots to mobilize the people to get their support with the aim of legitimising their illegitimate regime, after they have edged out a democratically elected government. Ever since, the local government has continued to remain a vibrant and quintessence form of government, both the 1979 and 1999 Constitutions guarantee democratically elected local government councils.
Today, the total number of local governments recognised by the 1999 Constitution are 774 in numbers. However the 1999 Constitution empowers the state Assembly to create new local government but must be forwarded to the National Assembly for ratification for the purpose of including such a local government in the constitution.
In 1999, when the democratically elected government was ushered in, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, was uncomfortable with the 20 local government areas he met in Lagos. Tinubu could not comprehend how Lagos State, with a population of 15 million at that time would be given only 20 local governments when Kano was having 44 local gvernment, despite the fact that Jigawa State had been carved out of it, which almost doubled local government areas in Lagos State. For instance, Alimosho Local Government Area alone, both in population and land mass was bigger than Bayelsa state with eight local governments.
The military leaders were masters of deception, they knew the importance of Local Government, and they utilized the creation to benefit their states of origin; knowing that the more the numbers of local government, the more the Federal Allocation would be given to their local government. He immediately set in motion necessary machineries to increase the numbers of the local government areas. At the end of the exercise, the number of local government areas remained 20, but 37 new Local Government Developmental Areas (LCDA) were created.
Lagosians welcomed the development, praising Tinubu for such vision. But the People Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the newly created developmental areas. The PDP led-Federal Government seized the monthly Federal allocation to local government areas. And the action was challenged in the court in the celebrated case of AG Lagos Versus AG Federation. At the end of the case, the Supreme Court held that the House of Assembly is empowered to create local government areas in their states but must forward their newly created local government to the National Assembly for the purpose of adding them to the existing local governments and for the purpose of enlistment and allocation of fund to the local governments. That although, the newly created local governments in Lagos State were in order but, “it is Inchoate,” until it is enlisted in the constitution by the National Assembly. It held further that the Federal Government has no power under the constitution to withhold allocation to any part of the states in Nigeria.
Why Osun need more local governments?
Osun is located in the Western part of Nigeria. It covers an area of approximately 14,875 square kilometers.
According to the National Population and Housing Census exercise conducted in 2006, Osun has a population of 3,423,535. As an agrarian area, there is the likelihood that its annual population growth will be around 5 per cent.
In the next few days, the governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, may give the state a Christmas gift of new Local Government Developmental Areas (LCDA), in accordance with the power vested in him, and to an extent, the State House of Assembly. It is important to solicit for the cooperation of the people of the state on the forthcoming exercise, as the new LCDA may not satisfy all the interest groups in the state. But it is incontrovertible that a local government brings progress and development to its people . However, the viability of local government is vital to its running and sustainability.
Apart from the constitutional functions of a local government, grassroots politics will be encouraged as government will be brought closer to the people. The much desired development in the state will further be pronounced and experience if will whole heartedly welcome the newly created local governments.
It is important that the people of the state cooperate with the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola and support the LCDAs and to ensure that nothing is to disturb the existing peace reigning in the state, irrespective of political or religious persuasion. We are one and must see the need to continue with the developmental agenda in all areas of our state.
THE NATION
In 1999, when the democratically elected government was ushered in, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, was uncomfortable with the 20 local government areas he met in Lagos. Tinubu could not comprehend how Lagos State, with a population of 15 million at that time would be given only 20 local governments when Kano was having 44 local gvernment, despite the fact that Jigawa State had been carved out of it, which almost doubled local government areas in Lagos State. For instance, Alimosho Local Government Area alone, both in population and land mass was bigger than Bayelsa state with eight local governments.
The military leaders were masters of deception, they knew the importance of Local Government, and they utilized the creation to benefit their states of origin; knowing that the more the numbers of local government, the more the Federal Allocation would be given to their local government. He immediately set in motion necessary machineries to increase the numbers of the local government areas. At the end of the exercise, the number of local government areas remained 20, but 37 new Local Government Developmental Areas (LCDA) were created.
Lagosians welcomed the development, praising Tinubu for such vision. But the People Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the newly created developmental areas. The PDP led-Federal Government seized the monthly Federal allocation to local government areas. And the action was challenged in the court in the celebrated case of AG Lagos Versus AG Federation. At the end of the case, the Supreme Court held that the House of Assembly is empowered to create local government areas in their states but must forward their newly created local government to the National Assembly for the purpose of adding them to the existing local governments and for the purpose of enlistment and allocation of fund to the local governments. That although, the newly created local governments in Lagos State were in order but, “it is Inchoate,” until it is enlisted in the constitution by the National Assembly. It held further that the Federal Government has no power under the constitution to withhold allocation to any part of the states in Nigeria.
Why Osun need more local governments?
Osun is located in the Western part of Nigeria. It covers an area of approximately 14,875 square kilometers.
According to the National Population and Housing Census exercise conducted in 2006, Osun has a population of 3,423,535. As an agrarian area, there is the likelihood that its annual population growth will be around 5 per cent.
In the next few days, the governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, may give the state a Christmas gift of new Local Government Developmental Areas (LCDA), in accordance with the power vested in him, and to an extent, the State House of Assembly. It is important to solicit for the cooperation of the people of the state on the forthcoming exercise, as the new LCDA may not satisfy all the interest groups in the state. But it is incontrovertible that a local government brings progress and development to its people . However, the viability of local government is vital to its running and sustainability.
Apart from the constitutional functions of a local government, grassroots politics will be encouraged as government will be brought closer to the people. The much desired development in the state will further be pronounced and experience if will whole heartedly welcome the newly created local governments.
It is important that the people of the state cooperate with the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola and support the LCDAs and to ensure that nothing is to disturb the existing peace reigning in the state, irrespective of political or religious persuasion. We are one and must see the need to continue with the developmental agenda in all areas of our state.
THE NATION
