Fayemi to create more LGs before hand-over in October

GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State has announced that his government would create more local government areas in the state before it officiallly leaves office on October 16, 2014.

Dr. Fayemi stated this in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, while receiving a report of the committee for the creation of additional local government areas in the state.

Governor Fayemi, however, did not disclose the number of councils recommended by the committee.

Fayemi said “some said that the timing for the setting up of committee is mere political gimmick, but we knew that we wanted it genuinely. So, we appreciate the good work the committee has done by traversing the length and breadth of Ekiti to meet the people.

“One thing is critical in the criteria to be considered and that is the fact that the communities must have agreed on the choice of the location of the council headquarters. Now, whatever we do won’t create tension and division among our people.”

He said his government would comply with the law by constituting a committee on the report that would be subjected to referendum by State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and eventual ratification at the state house of assembly.

“I want to believe that the committee has done a thorough job. This noble intention of our government is to bring governance nearer to the people. It is devoid of partisanship and subjectivity."

Earlier, Justice Ajakaye, had said the committee received 72 memoranda
from the interested communities, saying claims presented by the towns were "thoroughly verified" to arrive at the choice of recommended councils.

Ojuolape said internally-generated revenue, accessibility, historical antecedents, land mass, homogeneity, consensus on headquarters, natural resources and population, were part of the criteria considered in arriving at the recommendation.

The seven-man Local Government Creation Committee, headed by retired Justice Akin Ajakaye was set-up on January 15, 2014, to understudy the possibility of creating more councils in the state to bring governance nearer to the people.