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 AN   ADDRESS   DELIVERED   BY   HIS   EXCELLENCY,   THE   EXECUTIVE   GOVERNOR   OF   EKITI   STATE,   DR.  KAYODE   FAYEMI   AT   THE   INAUGURATION   OF   THE   NEWLY   APOINTED   CHAIRMEN   OF   LOCAL  

GOVERNMENT  CARETAKER  COMMITTEES  IN  ADO  –  EKITI  ON  WEDNESDAY,  8TH  JUNE,  2011  

 

PROTOCOLS    

 

   It  gives  me  a  great  pleasure  to  welcome  you  all  to  this  inauguration  ceremony  of  the  newly  appointed  chairmen  of  the  caretaker  committees  of  the  local  government  councils  in  the  state.  

This   occasion   is   very   important   as   it   is  meant   to   inject   life   into   local   government   administration,   the  councils  of  which  were  recently  dissolved.  

 

     The  dissolution  of  the  councils  became  inevitable  going  by  the  Local  Government  Administration  Law  

which  stipulates  a  period  of  three  month  tenure  for  LG  Caretaker  Committees  that  can  only  be  renewed  once.  By  the  time  the  Committees  were  dissolved  on  May  15,  they  had  spent  the  mandatory  six  months  and  being  a  product  of  rule  of  law  itself,  the  administration  had  no  alternative  other  than  to  respect  the  

provisions  of  the  Law  on  their  tenure  and  had  to  dissolve  them  accordingly.    This  is  in  demonstration  of  the  resolve  of  the  administration  to  be  guided  by  extant  laws  in  all  circumstances.    Our  earlier  decision  to   dissolve   the   illegal   councils  was   further   vindicated   two  days   ago  by   the  Court   decision   that   the   so  

called  election  that  brought  them  in  was  illegal,  null  and  void.  

 

  It   is   no   exaggeration   to   note   that   today’s   event   is   another   milestone   in   the   history   of   local  government  administration  in  the  State.     I  however  wish  to  acknowledge  that  this   is  made  possible  by  

the   resolution  of   the   state  House  of  Assembly  passed  at   its   first  plenary   session  on  Tuesday,   7th   June  2011  and  consequently  transmitted  to  me  as  required.  

 

  Because  of  its  proximity  to  the  people,  the  local  government  plays  vital  roles  in  the  development  of  the  State.    This  administration  places  much  premium  on  bottom-­‐up  approach  to  development  which  

makes   the   local   government   to   be   primly   located   in   the   vehicle   driving   our   growth   strategies.     It   is  expected   therefore   that   there   must   be   effective   mobilization   for   community   participation   in   the  development  and  management  as  well  as  community  ownership  of  sustainable  outcomes.  

 

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  The   leadership   of   the   caretaker   committees   had   been   carefully   selected   to   reflect   broad  geographical   spread   with   fair   representations   but   with   merit   and   capability   to   deliver   as   major  

parameters   for   their  appointment.    These  distinguished   ladies  and  gentlemen  are   found  to  be  diligent  and  fit   in  character  and  antecedents  to  occupy  these  positions  of  responsibility  and  trust.    You  cannot  afford  to  falter  at  the  challenges  being  put  on  your  shoulders.    You  have  to  know  from  the  onset  that  all  

eyes  are  on  you  not  only  at  your  different  localities  but  also  across  the  state.  

 

  It  is  very  clear  to  everyone  that  funds  available  for  government  businesses  are  dwindling  by  the  day.    Allocations  from  the  federation  account  are  basically  inadequate  to  run  government  particularly  at  the  state  and  local  government  levels.    The  position  of  Ekiti  State  is  quite  critical  being  at  the  bottom  of  

the   ladder  of  earners  of   federal  allocations.    These  politico-­‐economic  realities  are  reminding  us  of   the  need  to  look  inward  more  aggressively  than  ever  before  to  source  for  revenue  to  execute  our  numerous  programmes  as  captured  in  the  8  Point  Agenda  aimed  at  transforming  the  state.    

 

  My   first   challenge   to  you,   therefore,   is   to  oil   your   internal   revenue  generation  machineries   to  

generate  needed  funds.    This  must  bring  out  the  ingenuity  in  you  because  inadequate  funding  would  as  a  matter  of  fact  limit  your  performances.    May  I  make  it  very  clear  to  you,  nonetheless,  that  no  excuse  would  be  considered  good  enough  to  explain  non-­‐performance.    So  you  cannot  afford  to  fail  in  the  task  

of  effecting  visible  growth  of  your  area.    You  must  therefore  adhere  very  strictly  to  the  principles  guiding  financial  management  so  as  to  derive  maximum  output  from  the  available  scarce  resources.      

 

  I   wish   to   use   this   unique   opportunity   to   reiterate   the   position   of   this   administration   on   the  

unacceptability   of   growing   unemployment   rate   in   the   State.     This   is   not   an   idle   statement.     All   local  governments   are   expected   to   fashion   out   youth   empowerment   programmes   to   replicate   the   State  Government  version  to  gainfully  occupy  our  young  and  agile  citizens  roaming  the  streets  in  search  of  the  

elusive  white  collar  jobs.  

 

  You  are  all  aware  of  the  recent  sudden  resurface  of  criminal  activities  by  some  hoodlums  in  the  state   resulting   in   armed   robbery   attacks,   rapes   and   the   like.     These   are   unnecessary   distractions   in   a  State   that   had   been   enjoying   deserved   and   unprecedented   peace   in   the   past   six   months   that   this  

administration  had  come  to  power.    As  Chief  Security  Officers  in  your  respective  council  areas,  you  have  to   maintain   peace   and   enduring   security   of   lives   and   property.     The   State   Government   will   be  uncompromising  in  dealing  decisively  with  any  criminally  intended  individuals  and  their  collaborators  no  

matter  how  highly  placed.    Consequently,  I  want  you  to  avail  yourselves  with  the  full  advantage  of  the  Crime  Prevention  Scheme  launched  yesterday  which  was  personally  witnessed  by  the  nation’s  Inspector  

 

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General   of   Police   because   of   its   high   potency   to   combat   crimes.     To   maintain  the  peace  at  all  times,  you  are  to  please  establish  a  procedure  to  handle  all  complaints  within  your  area  

with   the   active   involvement   of   our   traditional   rulers   and   sufficient   cooperation   with   the   law  enforcement  agencies.  

 

  It  is  the  desire  of  our  government  to  deliver  quality  health  services  to  our  people  wherever  their  places   of   abode  may   be.     You   have   to   ensure   that   there   is   improved   access   to   Primary   Health   Care  

services  by  all  citizens  in  your  area  particularly  the  very  poor,  the  aged,  the  vulnerable  and  the  physically  disadvantaged  people.    

 

It  is  also  necessary  to  remind  you  that  this  administration  has  zero  tolerance  for  corruption.    As  men  and  women  of   integrity  which  we  know  you   to  be,   I  wish   to   charge  you   to   shun  corrupt  practices   in   your  

official  conduct  with  determination  no  matter  how  attractive  they  may  appear.    This  is  because  no  act  of  corruption  would  be  shielded  from  legitimate  prosecution.  

 

  Distinguished  ladies  and  gentlemen,  this  government  was  installed  on  the  crescendo  of  people’s  goodwill.     For   over   three   years   we   were   together   in   the   trenches   until   the   stolen   mandate   was  

recovered.   To   say   that   these   good   people   of   Ekiti   State   deserve   tangible   dividends   of   democracy   is  saying  the  obvious.    That  is  why  you  have  to  be  good  listeners  so  as  to  take  proactive  actions  that  would  translate  to  dividends  of  democracy  for  our  people.    Consequently,  within  the  next  three  months,  you  

must   successfully   rehabilitate   and/or   reconstruct   a  minimum   of   five   (5)   kilometers   of   township   road  network  in  your  locality.    I  will  closely  monitor  this  directive.  

 

  Let  me,   at   this   juncture;   announce   to   the   good   people   of   Ekiti   State   that   the   government   is  

putting   its   act   together   to   have   a   democratically   elected   government   at   the   local   governments.    Necessary  machineries  would  soon  be  set  in  motion  to  hold  local  government  elections  in  the  state.  

 

  Meanwhile,   in   order   to   inject   fresh   air   of   structural   rejuvenation   into   the   Local   Government  system,   the  Government   recently   conducted   an   appraisal,   and  measurement   tests   for   all  Directors   of  

Administration,  Treasurers  and  other  senior  staff  of  our  Local  Governments.    The  result  of  the  exercise  is  being  looked  into.  In  the  interim  however,  all  Directors  of  Administration  and  Treasurers  are  to  proceed  on  leave  immediately.    They  are  to  hand  over  to  the  most  senior  officers  in  the  respective  Departments.  

 

 

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  Distinguished   guests,   it   is   now   may  honour  to  inaugurate  the  chairmen  of  Local   Government   council   Caretaker   Committees   of   Ekiti   State   to   the   glory   of   God   and   service   to  

humanity.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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