TheCable

Rauf Aregbesola, governor of Osun state, has announced the creation of 31 new local council development areas (LCDAs), three area councils and two administrative offices.

Disclosing this in a state-wide broadcast in Osogbo, capital of the state, on Tuesday, Aregbesola said his administration would make ‎judicious use of its revenues to ensure that the development will not constitute any financial burden.

He also explained that the new LCDAs were created based on the request of the people to expand the scope of local government administration and enhance their participation.

“The requests for new councils have been granted; all constitutional requirements have been met and the prescribed procedure followed to the letter,” he said.

“The importance of the local government cannot be overstated. It is where the government is designed to be closest to the people.

“The beauty of this new system is its parliamentary nature, which requires the chairman and the vice chairman to be elected by the councillors from among their own ranks, thereby saving cost.

“In addition, the same number of staff will run all the councils as no new appointments will be made. We shall make the most judicious use of our revenues in such a way that increasing the number of councils will least constitute any financial burden.”

Aregbesola said the primary responsibilities of the LCDAs would be sanitation, market management and revenue mobilisation and generation.

He also announced the dissolution of the management committees of the 30 local councils and areas.”