The Ondo State Government, yesterday, said the list of the recently-created 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), from the 18 Local Government Areas of the state would not be made public until the law creating them was passed by the state House of Assembly and gazetted.
In the new local government reform, Akoko has five, Akure and Owo have four LCDAs Each while Ondo and Ilaje have three each. Also, Idanre, Ose, Ile-Oluji, and Okitipupa have two each while Ifedore, Ese-Odo, Odigbo, and Irele have one LCDA each.
However, the move sparked furore as some residents of the state took to their social media platforms, describing it as unjust and not equitably distributed. A Legal Practitioner, Tolu Babaleye, said it was very unfair for Owo with 11 Wards to have four new local governments.
“It is very unfair for Ose with 12 wards to have 2 new local governments, and it is very unfair for Akoko Southwest LG with 15 wards to have only 1 new LG. Ose has more wards than Owo, yet Owo is now having LGs created for every street. The last has not been heard about this creation of new LGs.
“Akoko had 4 local governments prior to this time and Owo/Ose had 2 local governments prior to this time but with the new creation, Akoko now has a total of 9 LGs from 4 while Owo/Ose has 8 from 2. This is most unfair. I will advise the Ondo State government to please take it back and do necessary adjustments,” he said.
However, speaking at a media parley in Akure, the State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Bamidele Ademola-Olateju, clarified that the state Assembly could still tinker with the LCDAs delegation and areas, hence the need to keep it secret.
Her words: “You know, people will leak information but it’s inappropriate. LCDAs have been approved by the executives, we all took oath of secrecy while taking this job and I think we should express fidelity to the oath we’ve taken. I don’t know who leaked it but I condemn it and I say it is inappropriate.
“We have three arms of government. When the executive has decided, it has to be ratified by the House of Assembly. So, giving it to the press was wrong. That is preemptive of the House of Assembly. The House can still tinker with the proposal.
