Kunle Adelabu
In an attempt to develop a robust working relationship and propagation of its administration, Builder Adeola Banjo, the Executive Chairman, Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ikorodu Division, Lagos State, Southwest, Nigeria, has parleyed publishers, journalists and bloggers covering beats in Ikorodu.
At the parley held at the Lagos State Civil Service Club, Ikorodu annex, off TOS Benson Avenue, Ikorodu, the Council boss acknowledged the impacts and contributions of the reporters, stating that they are playing significant roles in dissemination of information, linking the governed to the government and contributing to the development of the community.
Hon. Banjo also used the opportunity to informed the invited media men of his administration’s achievements, and also some of the things that he intends to still execute in the remaining months of his tenure.
While pledging to sustain the interface till the end of his administration, the Ikorodu North LCDA boss said that he has impacted significantly on Isiu, the administrative capital of the council, adding that he has made the secretariat conducive for officials and staff, as well as making the community habitable for residents.
“I have learnt from this meeting, and your contributions have been very helpful. I support its continuation and sustenance with you people (media). I really appreciate all your efforts and everyone for honouring my invite. Based on advises and submissions, this parley will be sustained. We can make it quarterly. It has come to stay and I have keyed into it”, he declared.
“When I got to Isiu (the Ikorodu North Local Council Development Area secretariat), which used to be called ‘Mayomi’ (always slippery when it rains). Whenever it rains, it is always difficult to drive in and out or walk within the secretariat. I am the one that asphalted the compound to make it motorrable.
“Before now, we don’t have hall and office building for our Supervisory Councilor,l but at present, we have a well – furnished building named after Onile- Iyan who happened to be a former NULGE Chairman. A very nice guy whom I named the building after as ‘Moruf Onile lyanna building’, after he passed on.
“Also, in Ikorodu North LCDA, elected Councilors don’t have offices except Chamber and we also don’t have a Customary Court. At the moment, we are working on it and it is about 95% completed. These are some of the projects that we have executed in Isiu.
“Before now, commercial vehicles conveying my people from Sabo and other locations usually dropped them at the Isiu junction, not minding if it’s raining or sunny. With that, I have to ensure that the road leading out of Isiu is cleared to the second junction so that the commercial vehicles can drive in, drop them within the town and move out”, he added.
Hon. Banjo, who said that his administration has facilitated transformers for many communities, also stated that Isiu also enthroned a King during his tenure, which, according to him, has been difficult for decades.
“I have also facilitated lots of transformers. It is a very large community that no single administration can ever address all its challenges, although, we are still striving to do more”, he said.
“Before now, lsiu didn’t have a King, but l am proud to say that we now have a King and it is during my tenure that a King emerged. I think I have made my mark in Isiu”.
On security, Hon. Banjo who, constructed a structure for anti – kidnapping and cultism, said that the facility serves the entire Lagos East and other parts of Ogun State.
“When I look at the security architecture in Ikorodu Division, I decided to build a building for Special Strike Team to be the annex of the anti – cultism and anti – kidnapping unit serving the whole Lagos East Senatorial District and officers there are working very well”, Hon. Banjo said.
“The Araro community, before we constructed the facility, is always deserted because of insecurity. Residents are always indoor once it is 2pm, but today, they are going about their businesses and other social activities till late in the night without any fear. Going to Adamo, you see people returning home around midnight, alighting from commercial vehicles and going to Araro and other places of abodes.
“That’s the importance of the security facility that we have built there. The security facility is not just for the Ikorodu North LCDA, but for Ikorodu Division, Lagos East and beyond. I have received calls from Oba Emuren, and people of Igode and other parts of Ogun State, thanking me for the facility. We still need to do more and we shall do more”, he said.
Hon. Banjo, who said that the council administration needs to be strengthened financially to perform better, reveals his plan to embark on the construction of three major roads within the Low Cost Housing Estate, Ikorodu.
“I want to construct about three roads within the Low Cost Housing Estate – LM, AM and the one leading leads into the Abiodun Ogunleye road”, he said.
“I am organizing a stakeholders meeting with the residents to address some issues and for us to be on the same page, especially those that have their properties on the road, so that they can remove them”.
He also stated that his administration constructed a link bridge that connects Odogunyan community with Agbede, which has aided the social and economic developments in the two important communities.
The Council boss, while stating that lkorodu is the 12th largest city in Nigeria, with over 1million population which is expected to hit 1.7million by 2035, attributed the challenges facing large scale farming in lkorodu, and the efforts of the state government at food security, to uncontrolled sales of lands.
While blaming the present generation for sales of family lands meant for community uses, Hon. Banjo said that what the government could do is to provide an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and encourage individual farming.
“Today, Ikorodu pride itself as the 12th largest city in Nigeria with over 1million population and by 2035, if I am right, we will be around 1.7million. Our MHR (Rep. Babajimi Benson), referred to Ikorodu as Miami. We need to still do a lot about the food security, but where are the lands? They have sold all the lands, including those reserved for markets, hospitals, schools and other important public facilities. Our forefathers and fathers left those lands, but the present generation sold everything”, he said.
“Personally, I am into commercial farming as an individual, but it is difficult to get a large expanse of lands as government to farm, because there is lack of availability of lands. What the government can do is to create an enabling environment for business to thrive, especially for individuals going into farming”, he added.
But it was not just the Council boss’ affairs alone as Hon. Ayo Adekoya, Council Leader, Ikorodu North LCDA Legislative Arm, Hon. Bilikis Ibrahim, Majority Leader and Hon. Bola Adaramola, rolled out the achievements of Banjo led administration in their various wards.
Media representatives speaking earlier, urged the Council boss to sustain the parley and also appealed to him to adopt an open – door and transparency approach, particularly as related to the budget details, for proper analysis and information dissemination to the public concerning his administration’s policy focus.
They called on him to lead a collaborative effort among the six council bosses to enhance the division’s security architecture, while also emphasizing the strategic importance of Ikorodu North LCDA, and recommended that he leads concerted efforts for food security that would position Ikorodu division as a significant contributor to Lagos State and Nigeria at large.
Also in attendance to support the Chairman were: Hon. Al-Ameen Apanisile, Vice Chairman, Hon. Prince Niyi Odugbesi, Secretary to the Council, Hon. Sulaimon Adewusi, Supervisor for Information, Mr. Olawale Olówólàgbà, Senior Special Assistant to the Chairman on Special Duty and Alhaji Ambali Olutusin, Supervisor for Works among others.
