By Fidelis David
Elected political office holders at the local government levels in Ondo State have been charged to chart a new course towards strengthening security system at their level of governance.
The Deputy Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, gave the charge at a two-day workshop for the elected political office holders across the 18 local government areas of Ondo State yesterday in Akure.
The workshop was organised by Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in collaboration with Code of Conduct Bureau, Abuja.
Aiyedatiwa said that insecurity has retarded development while stressing that no nation could prosper in the absence of peace.
He said: “I charge you at this critical stage in the annals of our nation that you make necessary sacrifice towards national peace and harmony as we are aware that the existence of Nigerian as a nation is being seriously threatened by the current security challenges.
“Insecurity no doubt retards development. No nation can prosper in the absence of peace.
“We must, therefore, chart a new course towards strengthening our security system at local government levels. Advocacy for individual and communal security network platform must not only be embraced but also be stepped up.”
He noted that the importance of the training was to further equip newly elected political office holders at the local government level with skills to carry out their task of delivering the dividends of democracy.
According to the Deputy Governor, “you are aware, that the local government is the closest to the people; therefore, governance at the grassroots is tasking because of the high expectation of the electorates.
“The people who trusted and gave you their mandates are eager to feel the impact of governance through you,” he said.
He solicited their cooperation in actualising the mandate of the state government and urged the executive and legislature to work together.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of Ondo State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Segun Odusanya, said the training was important for functionaries at the local level to have requisite operational knowledge of the system.
Odusanya said it would boost the delivery of dividends off democracy to the people as such training would make the administrators more competent.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Mr. Augustine Oloruntogbe, appreciated the deputy governor for his words of admonition, stressing that local government’s officials across the state would put his words into action.
