Opposition parties in Ondo State have rejected the proposal by the state government for creation of 33 local council develioment areas (LCDAs) in the state.
The state executive council approved a recommendation last week for the creation of 33 LCDAs.
The state Commissioner for Information, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, said the names of the LCDAS would be made public when the House of Assembly passes the bill for their creation.
The government, controlled by the All Progressives Congres (APC), said the creation of new councils is to extend governance to local communities.
However, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have said the plan is a mere diversionary move.
The chairperson of the SDP in the state, Stephen Adewale, described it as an attempt to score cheap political goals.
Ordinarily, one should be pleased with the government’s efforts to bring government closer to the good people of Ondo State with the introduction of 33 Local Council Development Area (LCDA),” Mr Adewale said.
“If passed into law by the State House of Assembly, it would bring our local governments to 51 as the proposed 33 LCDAs are expected to share the same equal power and function with the existing 18 council areas once it becomes law and fully implemented.
“However, we currently have 18 LGAs, but their leadership is powerless and dependent on the state government.
“The situation of the existing LGAs is pathetic enough. In a clime, where the state government continues to milk the resources meant for the existing 18 LGAs, where their leadership are toothless and are at the mercy of the state government, no government would be closer to the people if the trends continue and if local governments are not allowed to operate freely.
What will now happen to the newly proposed 33 LCDAs if the government is already notorious for starving the current 18 LGs of the funds they constitutionally deserve? Obviously, theirs could be worse.”
Mr Adewale said without genuine autonomy for the local governments, the outcome will be the same even if LCDAs are created per street.
The PDP also reacted in a similar vein, saying that the move is unnecessary.
“The State Government has not made public the details of the 33 newly created LCDAs but even at that, the move as far as l am concerned is ill-advised,” Kennedy Peretei, spokesman for the party said.
“How can you create new LCDAs when the existing 18 LGAs have not been efficiently run?” he queried.
When salaries are being owed. Have they factored the new personnel burden it will add to an already comatose Ondo State economy?
“When responsive state governments are reeling out palliatives to cushion the hardship induced by the Tinubu-led APC government, somebody is talking about creating LCDAs that they don’t have the funds to operate, it is simply laughable.
What is more, more that 48 hours after the announcement, nobody knows the identities, nomenclature or locations of the LCDAs. It is a sign of a confused government.”
Credit: Premium Times
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