‘I’m on a mission to develop Shomolu LGA’

The Executive Secretary of Shomolu Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State, Mr. Abiodun Orekoya, explained that when he assumed office in January this year, he started by fixing infrastructural deficit in the area and did his best to renew the confidence of the electorate in his administration. “We also ensured that we assisted the […]

The Executive Secretary of Shomolu Local Government Area (LGA) of Lagos State, Mr. Abiodun Orekoya, explained that when he assumed office in January this year, he started by fixing infrastructural deficit in the area and did his best to renew the confidence of the electorate in his administration. “We also ensured that we assisted the electorate in the area of their civic responsibilities by ensuring that they collected their PVCs to enable them vote. We are touching on the infrastructural, educational and health sectors in the community for the purpose of improving the welfare of the people,” he said.
But why are there potholes on the roads, while some are in dilapidated form despite his claim to be fixing infrastructure deficits in the area?
Orekoya said that his administration was gradually working on the roads since, according to him, it was impossible to fix some of the neglected roads like Anuoluwapo and Araromi at once. He added that the state government had given the council support to fix Abiodun road and that before the end of this year, work on the rehabilitation of the road would commence.
In his words, “We just finished the bid for the rehabilitation of Okesuna and Anifowose roads and before the end of the year, work will start there. In essence, we are poised to ensure that all roads in the area are smooth and motorable. We are tired of having roads that will be done today and will get damaged the next day. We are determined to do something that will last longer. We also want to ensure that that most of the roads that were abandoned for a very long time are fixed. We will patch the ones with potholes to make life better for the community.
As a way of bringing governance to the doorstep of the people, the incumbent Shomolu LGA administration advocates and demonstrates the importance of cleanliness, security and constituency meetings in the area. It holds periodical constituency meetings in the council.
 The administration’s project for the widows and the aged, tagged Senior Citizens Welfare Scheme also stands out as one of the dividends of democracy to the downtrodden in the area. According to the council boss, “Since July this year, we have been giving foodstuffs monthly to 500 aged people within the age bracket of 60 and above, to support their livelihood. There was a time we gave them Ankara (fabric) material so that they would know that the government cares for them. By the grace of God, we wish to increase the number of beneficiaries in no distant future. We also intend to do same for the underage in the local government.”
 The 50-year old Orekoya also said his administration’s concern for the development of primary education and teachers in the area was unquantifiable due to his belief in education as antidote to illiteracy and under-development of the human mind, adding that his administration intends to improve the standard of public primary schools in the local government as well as the standard of the teachers therein.
“Next year, we intend to introduce free meal in public primary schools in the local government. Today, only a few families can afford nutritious food and that is why our free meal is geared towards giving the children good meals in order to aid their well-being and learning,” he said.
But how does the council boss boost the capacity of his staff members who are definitely his partners in changing the governance posture of Shomolu LGA?
 He said his administration holds periodic training programmes for staff growth and development, noting that some staff in the Audit, Accounts and other departments will soon go for training. He added that his administration instituted information technology training for management staff of the council.
 “We are also being supported through training by the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government,” he said.
 Shomolu is fast gaining notoriety in the state due to rising youth restiveness and cultism, constituting a nightmare to the law-abiding residents of the area. What is the council boss doing to stop this menace?
The Yaba College of Technology–trained engineer told our correspondent that he holds periodic security summit with security agents and other stakeholders in the area with a view to arresting the situation. In his words: “We have tried to improve security in the community as well as get police to do their job as and when due. We also tried to mobilise community leaders to ensure that they are vigilant on the goings-on in the neighborhood. We have been able to get good responses from the community development associations (CDAs) in the area; they have promised to lend their support to free the local government of insecurity. The issue of security is a collective responsibility; it’s for all and sundry.”
There have also been concerns among the residents and traders in Shomolu LGA over skyrocketing levies imposed on them by the officials of the local government. But Orekoya said the people complaining were only playing to the gallery, just to escape payment of the statutory levies.
According to him, 80 percent of the community members do not pay taxes and levies and those that pay do so in a disproportionate manner to their income, thereby putting a constraint on the government’s revenue drive. “If you ask them how much they pay as levies, some will tell you it is between N1,000 and N2,000. These are levies they are not supposed to complain about, but they complain because of their tendency to evade payment of the statutory levies,” he said, adding that his administration was hard pressed to explore other revenue generating options in view of the lackadaisical attitude of people towards paying taxes and levies.
“We have just completed a health and diagnostic centre in Anifowose Street. The health centre is free for members of the public, but the diagnostic centre will generate income for the council. It is expected that this project will increase the council’s income. There are other investment options in the pipeline and these will in no small measure boost our revenue,” he said.
To Orekoya, the challenges of leading the council at a period when oil prices are low in the international market, coupled with the downturn in the economy of the country, constitute a severe strain. He, however, noted that the challenges are surmountable given the requisite focus and generation of ideas to make the council break even.
“We are vigorously battling to move the council’s internally generated revenue from the paltry N15 million a month to N100 million a month as well as leave a lasting legacy in the council,” he stated.