By Sodiq Adelakun
The Lagos State Government has reiterated its dedication to grassroots development, ensuring that the benefits of democracy reach the common man.
According to Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Rural Development, Bolaji Kayode Robert on Monday during the ongoing ministerial press briefing, the government has made significant strides in the last year, aligning with the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus Agenda.
He noted that the government has disbursed N391,226,636.05 to 164 beneficiaries of deceased Local Government and SUBEB staff as insurance benefits.
The Commissioner emphasised that the Ministry remains focused on engaging stakeholders and collaborating with Local Governments to drive development at the grassroots level.
The Commissioner revealed that in the last one year, the Ministry has continued to engage critical stakeholders in the State and has had direct interface with Local Governments Councils in its efforts to cascade development to the grassroots.
This, he said, “has yielded developments at the grassroots, and has culminated into the on-going rural-urban renewal projects which has aided in reducing rural-urban migration.
“One of these efforts is the two-day capacity building workshop the Ministry recently organised for 376 Councillors across the Councils, being part of the State Government’s roles in improving the law-making capacity of Councillors across the 57 Councils,” he added.
Mr Robert also hinted that the Ministry has continued to monitor and inspect projects and markets across the 57 Councils to ensure proper hygiene, cleanliness, waste management and structural safety of facilities in the markets, which, he said, has led to safety and cleanliness in public markets.
While noting that the involvement of traditional institutions in governance has continued to enhance peaceful coexistence among people of diverse backgrounds in the State, the Commissioner stated that the approval and reconstitution of 84 members into the State Council of Obas and Chiefs by the Governor Sanwo-Olu administration has helped to promote a sense of belonging, equity and unity in the State.
He further disclosed that the present administration has so far installed 50 traditional rulers without any rancor or dispute, attesting to people’s support and belief in the leadership quality of governor.
In the same vein, Special Adviser to Mr Governor on Rural Development; Dr Nurudeen Yekinni Agbaje, while responding to questions at the press briefing, disclosed that the Ministry through the Office of Rural Development has in the last one year committed to strategic and critical infrastructural development in the rural communities, which includes ongoing road constructions in rural communities, which includes a 400-metre road in Ijake Community, Oto-Awori LCDA; a 510-metre road at Ganiyu-Oduntan in Ikorodu with four other road constructions in Iganke Community, Agbowa LCDA; Ayubu-Bashorun Road in Ijede; Erelu-Amikanle Road in Alimosho and Onishon Street in Ibeju-Lekki.
“Also, in our ongoing efforts in ensuring the provision of community-based projects, we have provided 500KVA transformers to communities such as Yologbo Estate 1, Igbe Alagbe Community in Ikorodu, and eight (8) other communities across the State, which includes Odan-Ilogbo-Eremi PH1 in Olorunda; LASU Campus, Ojo; Oral Estate CDA, Mojoda, Eredo in Epe; Owu CDA in Ibeju-Lekki; Gengenla CDA, Agunfoye in Ikorodu; Ama St, Ijede; Agbede Omolaye in Ikorodu and Liberty Estate CDA in Igbogbo-Baiyeku,” he noted.
Dr Agbaje added that the projects and achievements chronicled by the Ministry are noticeable in communities across the State because of Mr Governor’s unalloyed commitment to a greater Lagos project as envisioned in the T.H.E.M.E.S. Plus development agenda