The management teams of Obafemi Owode and Ikenne Local Government Areas have been charged to put in place measures towards diversifying into productive investments like agriculture and agro-allied sector so as to improve on the revenue base of their councils.
Ogun State House of Assembly through its Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs led by Hon. Akeem Balogun, who threw the challenge while leading other members on oversight/ assessment visit to examine the records of the councils between August-October, 2020, noted that such investment initiative would complement the efforts of the State government at creating wealth and ensure self-employed sustenance at the grassroot level .
Describing the oversight to the councils as a statutory duty of the Assembly as enshrined in the nation’s constitution, Balogun said it became necessary for the councils to be innovative to boost revenue generation in conjunction with necessary stakeholders, as the nation’s economy was just recovering from the adverse effect of the COVID 19 global pandemic.
He therefore tasked the Chairmen to ensure strict adherence to due process in their financial management and project implementation with a view to ensuring value for government resources to achieve improved service delivery to the people.
In his submission, the Chairman Transition Committee, Obafemi Owode Local Government Council, Mr Abdul-Fatai Mustapha, reeled out projects carried out within the period under review to include construction of lock up shops at Mowe, two classrooms with office at St. Peter Primary school at Oyebola Village, Renovation of health center at Baase Village amongst others, disclosing that a total of N553.4m was recorded as internally generated revenue and statutory allocation with N6.5m expended on capital projects.
His Ikenne counterpart, Akinsanya Rotimi, who noted that the council embarked on infrastructural projects including a block of four lockup shops at Sabo and Ilishan Motor Park, two-room toilet at Iperu and construction of Borehole amongst other, expended a total of N17.550m on capital projects, with a sum of N225.832m as revenue from allocation/grant from the State government.
