Kunle Adelabu
-Plans are underway to fix roads, healthcare, schools, engage youths – Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA
The President of the Igbogbo Youth Coalition (IYC), Mr Gbenga Odunniyi, has charged the Chairman of Igbogbo/Bayeku Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Builder Olusesan Daini, on the need to fix roads that are in deplorable state within the council.
Odunniyi said that information available to him revealed that the council has the resources to make some of the bad roads within the council motorrable, hence, he urged the Chairman to ensure that these roads are fixed to enhance social and economic developments in the council.
The IYC President made this demand in a letter written to the Chairman dated 13th November, 2020, a copy of which was sent to THE IMPACT.
Also in the letter, Odunniyi alleged that the Council Chairman is also rendering youths who are willing to assist his administration irrelevant and shutting them out in the scheme of things.
However, Hon. Daini, in a swift response to the issues raised by Odunniyi in his letter, said that he had engaged the community at a meeting held at the Adeboruwa Palace on October 25, 2020, and attended by 26 youth groups and 42bases within the council, adding that issues regarding the state of roads in the council was thoroughly discussed at the gathering.
The Chairman, in his response which was signed by his Special Assistant on New Media, Mr Kazeem Shuaib, stated that the council is presently working with agencies of the State Government to see how the deplorable roads within the council can be made motorrabe.
He added that preparations are also ongoing to commence the rehabilitation of those that the council can handle.
Meanwhile, Odunniyi, while emphasizing the importance of good roads in his letter, stated:
“It is no gainsaying and certainly not a cheap talk to rigorously lay emphasis on the wellbeing of roads in different societies. As globally acknowledged, a good road network is a major determinant of successful economic system and quality living standard. Indeed, road infrastructures enhance security operations of a given society.
He added that the importance of good roads should not be lost on the Chairman being a professional Builder, adding that it is for this reason he had engaged the Chairman on some occasions on the need for stakeholders’ meeting on the state of roads in Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA but that the Chairman is yet to heed the request.
“Recall that I have engaged you on several occasions on the need to have stakeholders’ meeting to discuss issues (of which the bad state of our roads is major) bedeviling our society so that the people, especially the youths, can make inputs and get adequate information about state of affairs of the government for which they have inestimable interest.
“Mr Chairman, it is worrisome that up till now, nothing has been done regarding the stakeholders’ meeting. This is after concluding with your personal assistant on the arrangements of the meeting. Without doubt, such attitude is tantamount to rendering the youths constituency irrelevant and the implications of that should not be lost on anyone”, IYC President alleged.
While appreciating the enormous challenges that the council may be facing in terms of discharging its responsibilities, Odunniyi said that fixing of some of the bad roads in the council is something that the council can achieve if stakeholders are properly carried along.
“What we can say is that evidence at our disposal shows that the challenges are surmountable and the tasks at hand are perfectly doable”, he said.
“In particular, the state of our major roads and some other inner roads are begging for adequate and immediate attention, sir
“The human, psychological, economic losses which the bad roads are causing the people are humongous. We think the cost of repairing these critical roads and/or of provision of palliatives can be borne by the council. We certainly cannot fold our hands anymore. Time to take concrete actions is now, tardiness is now untenable”, IYC President emphasized.
Also in the letter, Odunniyi commended Daini’s administration for its achievements in the area of construction of modern secretariat and market.
“In spite of this obvious gap, we solemnly appreciate some good works of your administration in our LCDA; modern secretariat structure, modern market structures, in partnership with the private sector.
“My distinguished Chairman, your capacity as a young politician is definitely beyond what has been achieved so far. We are hopeful that the best is yet to come from you. The challenge of our roads presents an opportunity to further convince the people of your forth sightedness. Kindly remember that development works better when there is inclusiveness.
“Our yearning is that there must be thorough development in our LCDA. This is our right, not a privilege. Again, time for actions is now”, Odunniyi said.
Meanwhile, in his further response, the Chairman stated that:
“With reference to your letter received on the 13th November, 2020, addressing the need to fix our roads, the office of the Chairman has fully explained and engaged the community on these matters during the Palace meeting on the 25th of October, 2020. The meeting was attended by 24 youth groups and 42 bases within Igbogbo Bayeku LCDA and for the records, there was a thorough analysis of the state of our roads at the meeting.
“The Council is presently engaging Agencies of the Lagos state Government to intervene on the roads which lie beyond the jurisdiction of the LCDA. In furtherance to this, preparations are presently ongoing to commence the rehabilitation of those that we can work”, he explained.
“It is worthy of note that the meeting of 25th of October, 2020 was well attended and the representative of your organization was in attendance and you were also personally invited”.
While recognizing the urgency of putting the roads in order, the Council denied that the IYC President ever engaged the Chairman severally on the matter as alleged in his letter.
“Amidst the urgency and necessity of matters arising, it is important to be sincere, factual and reasonable in presenting your case. Your referenced letter contains an urgent tone and requests immediate attention as a result of its subject matter but it should be done with sincerity of mind and genuineness of purpose.
“The claim that you had engaged the chairman severally in a meeting is a fallacy”, the council stated emphatically in its response.
The Council added that:
“Be reminded that you made a request for Igbogbo Youth meeting, for which the Chairman informed you to meet with the Coordinator of NYCN and not in the capacity of Personal Assistance which you agreed and the meeting of October 25th, 2020, in the palace was as a result of your inability to ‘wrap up’ (in your word) the discussion with the NYCN”.
While stating the council’s efforts in rehabilitating Igbogbo – Bayeku road, the Council stated that:
“The Council is presently working on the rehabilitation of Igbogbo-Bayeku road with technical support and guidance from the Ministry of Work which I assure will commence soon after conducting a joint inspection of the road on Tuesday, November 10, 2020.
“The Chairman and Hon. Nurudeen Solaja equally coordinated a joint meeting with another technical team on Wednesday 11th of November,2020, on the same road because grading and palliative works on roads is best done during the dry season. We again want to state that we are working to ensure this is achieved”, the council added.
Furthermore in its response, Igbogbo/Bayeku LCDA also stated that a lot has been done to improve security of lives and properties, primary education standard, health care, while adding that plans are in top gear to engage youths through sports and empowerment programmes.
“We are at our best to ensure a prosperous Igbogbo/Baiyeku Community and we will continue to pledge our service and commitment to the success of our administration”, the statement added.
