- By Demola Atobaba, Ado-Ekiti
As part of his administration’s efforts to improve a better life for the people of the communities under his watch, the Chairman of Okemesi/Ido-Ile Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Sunday Owolabi Ajibade has said that his administration would adopt and utilize every opportunity coming for rural development.
He stated this in an exclusive interview with TopNewsng shortly after visiting the new secretariat building for the LCDA and roads’ rehabilitation site.
Hon. Ajibade explained that embracing such projects would go a long way in improving the standard of living, and ensure that the people enjoy the dividends of democracy.
Sitting atop of wide expanse of land covering a total number of 27 plots of land in total in one of the choicest locations along Okemesi-Ajindo/Ido-Ile road, the proposed permanent site of the Okemesi/Ido-Ile Local Council Development Area, Hon. Ajibade who shed more lights on why he embarked on the project at the expense of other things begging for attention in the LCDA.
Ongoing proposed LCDA permanent secretariat complex under construction.
Speaking further, the former Ekiti State House of Assembly member said; “We have our focus as a people and we believe that that Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who is the current president of Nigeria and who is the father of LCDAs in Nigeria may want to upgrade the LCDAs to full fledged local government and if that happens anytime, we would not be found wanting but can be counted worthy among the lots”.
According to the chairman, the two communities of Okemesi and Ido-Ile are long overdue for local government and have been asking for same for a very long time. This is why we embarked on the building of office complex for the LCDA and for the smooth take off of the expected local government when the time comes and the federal government give a nod.
Giving the account of his stewardship, Hon. Ajibade stated some of the projects embarked on by his administration in the last one and a half year which includes: rehabilitation of the failed portions of roads along Okemesi-Itawure road as well as Okemesi/Esa Oke road up to the boundary of Ekiti and Osun states with hard core stones, re-construction of damaged box culvert at Okerena area; Okemesi, Construction of 600M line drainage at Okeokuta area of Okemesi, construction of 200M line drainage at Ido-Ile, construction of 30 open market stalls at a new market site in Ido-Ile, construction of Abbatoir in Okemesi and construction of office building complex at the permanent site of the LCDA which include receptionist office plus 14 other offices each with ante room and toilet facilities.
The rest are drilling of borehole at the permanent site, empowerment programmes to farmers and women, distribution of knapsack sprayers plus herbicides and cutlasses to 30 farmers in each Ward at the beginning of the planting season, distribution of gas cylinders to at least 10 women in each Ward, raising of 1,500 oilpalm seedlings which the council is planning to sell to farmers at subsidized rate, and cultivation of 5,000 heaps of hybrid maize inter-cropped with hybrid cassava, grading of township as well as rural roads to ease the movement of farm produce in both Okemesi and Ido-Ile axis, purchase of laptop and JAMB forms to brilliant but indigent students and the repair of 2 of the 3 dead vehicles the LCDA inherited from the parent council (Ekiti West Local Government) secretariat.
He said the council will not rest on its oars in doing the needful, adding that work won’t stop on all the ongoing projects including fixing of drainages to prevent erosion across the LCDA.
Ajibade, in addition unfolded the plan of his administration to ensure more developmental projects to further demonstrate his readiness and commitment to the welfare of the people of Okemesi and Ido-Ile communities.
The council Boss, also lauded the giant strides of the Governor Oyebanji’s administration in all round development in the State. He described the governor as God’s sent to Ekiti people at this point in time.
He particularly appreciated Mr Governor for empowering the local government and LCDAs by releasing fund for projects in their various local government and LCDAs. The chairman promised not to let his people down throughout his tenure, he concluded.
