Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has sworn-in the newly elected Local Government Chairmen and their Deputies, describing their emergence at the last Saturday’s election as a victory for the people, and tasking them on being accountable to the people.
The Governor said since inception, his administration has tried its best by making the people the central focus of all its policies, adding that the impressive turn-out in all the Local Government Areas confirms the enduring partnership between the government and the people.
While stressing that his administration will continue to strive to make the voice of the people count in all decisions taken on their behalf, Governor Akeredolu said he remains undaunted and resolute in his resolve to bridge the yawning gap in the welfare of the people.
He said: ”We have taken steps which posterity will adjudge as prescient. We have succeeded, largely, in abridging the infrastructural deficit in spite of acute paucity of funds. Workers and citizens have felt the direct and positive impact of governance.
“We will continue to strive to make the voice of the people count in all decisions taken on their behalf as we move into the second phase of our statutory mandate of service.”
Arakunrin Akeredolu noted that his administration intends to clear doubts on any misgivings in the past as regards the logic which impelled the establishment of the third tier of government.
He said his administration will continue to discourage all attitudes which subordinate the interests of the generality of the people to parochial and selfish preferences.
The Governor said his administration shall be seeking a renewed mandate permissible by law in his bid to consolidate on the gains already recorded.
He charged the new local government chairmen to ensure that the impact of governance is felt at the grassroots level, saying that positive interventions must be discernible in the areas of health care delivery, education, agriculture, commerce, public works and others.
Dignitaries at the swearing-in ceremony include; the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Bamidele Oleyelogun, state chairman of the APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, Chief Olusola Oke SAN, Engr. Ife Oyedele, Dr. Segun Abraham, deputy goveror-designate, Hon. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, commissioners, special advisers and royal fathers among others.
