Press Releases

Fashola Honoured For Excellent Performance By Ikeja AC
• Advocates creation of more councils to enhance development

Feb 1, 2010 - Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), Monday recommended the creation of more local governments in the country as a viable means to boost development especially at the grassroots.

Governor Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House, Alausa while playing host to leaders of the Ikeja Local Government Chapter of the Action Congress (AC), said if this is embraced, most developmental indices by which the country is adjudged an underdeveloped country would be reduced.

The leaders led by the Chairman of the Local Government, Comrade Dele Dania were at the Lagos House to honour the Governor with the title of Eyi-Ara Oselu Atun’luse 1 of Lagos State for his Excellent Performance in the State.

Such problems, the Governor said, include immunization of children, delivery of babies and safe motherhood, sanitation “and all other matters that rest squarely within the responsibility ambits of the Local Government” adding that with more local governments in place, such issues and problems would be solved very quickly.

Citing the Lagos State example, Governor Fashola declared, “We have seen what more local governments have done in Lagos State and if we embrace this government, we reduce the issues of infant mortality, issues of maternal healthcare, basic education for the child and such other issues and problems”.

Governor Fashola urged local government councilors and vice chairmen in the State to support their Chairmen in the onerous task of solving the problems in their local governments pointing out that the chairmen need such support and encouragement in order to meet the expectations of the people.

“The local government is the most important level of government that we have. Your support, your encouragement, your constructive criticisms will help them to deliver on their expectations and our expectations. Rather than abuse, rather than vilification, the chairmen need your support”, the Governor said.

According to him, “The chairmen are human; they don’t know all the answers, but I assure you that if you walk to them to suggest new ideas, better ways to do things, you will inspire them to do more. While he is trying to find solutions to the numerous problems that seek his attention, the best you can do is to encourage, support and inspire him”.

The Governor enjoined the chairmen not to despair as a result of the numerous responsibilities that they bear as a result of their office noting, “I want the chairmen to always remember that when you were campaigning and when I was campaigning and when all of our elected leaders were campaigning, we did not campaign for awards; we campaigned that we were coming to transform peoples’ lives and I am very proud to say that we are making progress”.

“Although our office at every level is not worth human life, but it is important to human life because we can use it to do a lot of good”, Governor Fashola said expressing joy that as the capital Local Government of the State, progress is being made in Ikeja with commercial life prospering while peace is enthroned.

He thanked the Ikeja Local Government Chapter of AC for the honour of the award, which he describe as a ‘rare gift’, saying he “felt obliged to accommodate the request to make this presentation not because of the award but because it was coming from our party and I would accept gratefully anything the Action Congress gives to this Government; to us as a team; to us as individuals”.

Earlier in his introductory remarks, the Local Government Chairman, Comrade Dele Dania said the award was to appreciate the excellent performance of the Governor since he assumed office in 2007 adding that all the Local Government Executives and Leaders of the Chapter are elated by the good works of the Governor.

“You inherited a legacy of outstanding political and administrative excellence bequeathed by our great Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Outstandingly, you have sustained it and even advanced performance into greater excellence”, the Chairman said adding “Wherever we go in Nigeria as well as for some of our leaders who occasionally travel out of the country, it is always a delight each time we are acknowledged as “Lagosians of excellence where pacesetting in development has become a way of life”.

Also present at the occasion were Hon. Wole Odunlami (Council Chairman), Chief Funso Ologunde (AC Assistant State Publicity Secretary), Alh. Lukman Saliu (Ward A Chairman), Rev. Yemi Atobatele (Asst. LGA Sec.), Comrade Akeem Dauda (Ward D Chairman), Mrs. Funmi Onabanjo (Ward F Chairperson) and Comrade Tayo Aderinola (Ward E Chairman).