By Ayodele Abere.
The Executive Chairman of Ado Central Local Council Development Area, Ekiti State, Engr. Augustine Oluwatoyin Ojo, has admonished political office holders never to see a political office as an avenue to enrich themselves but an opportunity to impact lives.
This was his submission while interacting with Ekiti Standard
on the occasion of his hundred days in office.
The Chairman who commissioned three projects executed by his administration
explained that they were the ten lock up shops at the popular Bisi Market in Okeyinmi area of Ado-Ekiti, the office complex for political office holders and the staff of the LCDA, as well as tap water done for the people of Oke-Oniyo Community, noting that he who gives water, gives life as water has been a great challenge to the people of the area.
In terms of welfarism of the aged ones, Engr. Ojo, said the monthly stipends for the aged ones, popularly referred to as owo arugbo was equally given and that gift items had been earlier distributed to the Muslim brothers and sisters numbering about 120, in the LCDA, to cushion the effect of the ongoing Ramadan fasting.
Being the pioneer Executive Chairman of the LCDA, he recounted that there was nothing on ground at all when he resumed office, “According to him, “I looked around and asked questions both from the staff and members of the public and I discovered that I have to do something extra ordinary. What I did was that I doubled up on the issue of the IGR”.
Speaking on some of the factors that have made Ado Central Local Council Development Area to stand out amongst others, the LCDA boss, explained that he involved a consultant, the arrangement which he said didn’t really go down well with the staff initially.
“I told them that I am only having two years to serve and that I have to start working immediately because I can’t use a whole year to plan. I said they should just allow me to try it and see if I would pass or fail. The consultant came and we agreed. That’s the magic behind the achievements recorded so far”. The Chairman explained.
Speaking on his future plans, Engr. Oluwatoyin Ojo, stated that the first phase of his plans has passed with the commissioning of some projects for his hundred days in office, while the second phase which has to do with the perimeter fencing of the Secretariat , with gates at both ends to make it look good as Secretariat for local government would commence soon.
Also, to mark his one year in office, the Chairman, said he would like to build a Shopping Mall to be named after Erelu Bisi Fayemi and commission it before she leaves office as the First Lady of Ekiti State in October, this year.
On challenges, especially starting from the scratch, he explained that he was not having a personal office when he came and that he never bothered about it. “Myself, the Vice and the Head of the Local Council Development Administration, were using the same office. I didn’t allow that to bother me because my belief was that I would have got my personal office by the time I would be marking my hundred days in office”.
Still on the challenges, he noted that the issue of paucity of funds cannot be ruled out as he said that once the imprests and running grants are removed from what is coming to the State from the federal allocation, they would be left with little or nothing.
“When I was campaigning for my election, my promise and philosophy was that my LCDA would be a leading light for others to follow. I had to plead with the staff that please, whatever I am doing that they are not pleased with, that they should just bear with me for a period of one year after which we would do appraisal”.
“I am coming from a private background, private company. We are very proactive. But the bottle neck with the government issues, the bureaucracy, I told them for my period please suspend anything called that because I am not used to it. I said they might continue with their bureaucracy after my two years. I always like getting something done when it has to be done. Now, I give kudos to them all for their cooperation because they have understood me”.
Appreciating the staff, Engr. Ojo, confirmed that he is enjoying harmonious relationship with everyone of them. He said they have all been wonderful saying he wouldn’t have achieved anything without them. He equally thanked the Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for his laudable initiative. He said the Governor has done the best thing for the people of Ekiti State by creating the LCDAs. “Like I said earlier, the people of Oke-Oniyo Community, were not having water when I came but today, that has become a thing of the past for them. I wouldn’t have known that if the LCDA was not created. The government is now closer to the people. They come everyday to tell me their problems”.
He therefore, appealed to the people of the State to ensure that they cast their vote for APC candidate in the forthcoming governorship election for the LCDA to continue as he opined that the continuity of the present administration is the continuity of the LCDAs.
