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The Ondo State government moved closer to its stated mission to
create additional local councils in the state with the creation of a committee
on the creation of new local government areas in the state.
The committee, which met with the media yesterday, said the state
government is embarking on the exercise to correct the injustice meted on the
state by the federal government.
The chairman of the committee, Ola Ajetunmobi, said the process
became very important, as a way to bring development to the doorsteps of
people. He noted that the state, made up of 18 councils and a population of
about 3.5 million, is ripe for new local governments because of its history and
development.
“With the carving out of Ekiti out of Ondo State in 1996, what is
now Ondo State, with a population then of about 2.3 million, was split into 18
local government areas while the newly carved out Ekiti State of about 1.6
million people had 16 councils,” he said.
“Our other neighbour, Osun was in 1991 carved out of the old Oyo
State into 23 councils, with a population of 2.2 million before a further
increase to 30 local councils in 1996. We have remained the old 18 local
government areas, even when our population has increased geometrically. These
facts in themselves justify the creation initiative,”
Mr Ajetunmobi added that if the creation of more local government
areas is approved, it will be in line with 1999 constitution.
“The people of this state, having seen the speed and consistency
of development in the last two years of this government, have not stopped from
asking for more frontiers for the delivery of democratic dividends and this is
in the line with the hopes and aspirations of the people for further
demonstration of the obvious dividends of democracy,” he said.
Agitation of the people
A member of the committee and senior special assistant to the
Ondo State governor, Eni Akinsola, said the committee would follow the
constitution to the lette,r in ensuring the creation of the new local councils
according to the agitation of the people of the state.
“Creation of local councils is long overdue in Ondo State, it is
sad that some states in the north have more local governments than we in the
south-west,” he said.
“Some councils which are not up to a local government have been divided to
two or three councils. Kano is a good example of this. I think the decision of
the state government to create new councils is a welcome development. Our
council, Akoko North-East can be divided into three different councils because
of its largeness. If the council can be divided into three, it will bring rapid
development to the grassroots”.
