We keep LG Bosses On Their Toes

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Oluwarotimi Ojo Agunsoye, talked about the activities of his ministry and the performance of the 20 Local Governments and 37 LCDAs in the state among other issues. In this interview with JIDE OSOKOYA the Ijebu-Ijesha-born University of Ibadan graduate spoke on the magic behind the rapid development in the state.

Q: What are the challenges of your ministry and how have you been able to surmount them?

A: The only challenge we have is serving the people. It is not easy meeting all the demands of the masses, but with the legacy of new local government administrative system of reaching out to the grassroots set by former governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is consolidated by the present governor, Babatunde Fashola, we will be able to meet up with whatever challenge that comes our way.

Q: When a governorship candidate was to be picked by AC in 2006, there was serious brouhaha, as many commissioners showed interest in the race, but Fashola was unexpectedly chosen by Tinubu. How would you want to review Tinubu’s decision vis-à-vis Fashola’s performance?

A: One thing we should realise is that there is God. When man proposes, God disposes. In a situation where you have 20 to 25 people contesting for a particular seat, one of them will definitely occupy that position.

And you see, give it to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his sense of intuition. He knew those who were working with him. It’s like a father knowing which of his children will fit a particular position. So, he knew quite well that if Fashola was put in the position, he would perform better than others.

And now, the man never let Asiwaju and the people of Lagos down, because he is performing tremendously. He works day and night, carrying all members of his cabinet along, to make sure that we take Lagos to the next level.

Q: How do you feel about the performance of your ministry through the simultaneous projects going on in all the 20 local government councils and 37 local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state?

A: All ministries are working together. Projects are also going on simultaneously in all other ministries. These are aimed at fulfilling the promises to our people who elected us and to ensure that we fully implement the state’s 10-point agenda. We want to ensure that Lagos becomes a model mega-city comparable to othersacross the globe.

Q: How do you monitor the performance of local government chairmen?

A: We have a monitoring team in the ministry, which is headed by me, but there is a director who oversees the affairs of the monitoring team. Here (in the ministry), our work is not in the office, we work together on the field, ensuring that projects are being implemented by the local governments non-stop. We also have people that have been designated to move out on a daily basis from one local government to the other. These are people sent to assess the standard of the work they are doing and ensure that they stand the test of time. This is how we keep the council chairmen on their toes.

Q: Do you think of introducing an annual award for the best local government in the state to encourage performance?

A: I wouldn’t want to talk about that now because there are so many things we are putting together.

Q: Would you let us into some of those things you are putting together?

A: When the time comes, I will let you know. You see, it is better to surprise people than to let them know what you intend doing.

Q: Are you saying surprise package awaits the best local government?

A: I can assure you that the best local government will surely be surprised by our ministry. Don’t forget that this government believes that for good performance and reward for hardwork, is more work. But certainly, the best local government will be surprised.

Q: Do you think the 57 local governments in Lagos State have come to stay despite the continous disapproval by the Federal Government?

A: It is not possible to kill a child that had already been born. The 57 local governments have come to stay and they are performing well, reaching the grassroots with meaningful projects for the masses who were hitherto not enjoying the dividends of democracy because the government was too distant from them.

Today, projects are on-going in the most remote areas of the state and this is due to the creation of more local governments which has brought the government nearer to the people. It is only an enemy of progress that will agitate for a deduction in the number of local governments in the state. We even need more.

Q: Sir, there had been complaints from some local governments that the chairmen claimed to have bought some materials freely distributed to them by the state government, for example, transformers which were said to have been distributed by the Ministry of Rural Development, what’s your reaction to this?

A: Let me correct that now. You see, in our local governments and local council development areas, the chairmen normally hold town hall meetings to ask the people they are serving of their needs, and they provide the needs. Among the needs they provide is the transformers you are mentioning, while the local governments buy and install them for the people in their various local governments. The Ministry of Rural Development gave transformers to local government councils in the rural areas, but I assure you that the local governments always provide transformers to the people.

Q: What are the current problems faced by your ministry?

A: I have told you earlier that serving the people had been my childhood dream and that has been maintained.I utilise all we have at our disposal to make sure everybody is satisfied. I cannot tell you that we have no problem, as you can see here, everyday I attend to minimum of 200 people. I listen to their problems and I attend to those I can solve immediately, while I look into more complex issues later.

I operate open door policy, I don’t give appointment. If you come and you are patient enough to queue for your turn, you will definitely see me. The doors of my office are wide open.

Q: As part of your duties, how do you manage the issue of chieftaincy, especially in a case where people parade themselves as Oba or Chiefs?

A: It is very clear, we had in the past a self-styled Oba from Igbo-Elerin who was arrested and presently facing charges in court over impersonation.

If anybody feels that he cannot probably follow the laid down procedures or rules of becoming a chief or an Oba, the person will face the music.

Q: What about the issue of Obas who involve themselves in shady deals like land matters and end up in police cell?

A: Well, I’ve never heard of any of such case, except that of an oba who was said to have been wrongly accused by a particular man in his domain, and we are still investigatingthe matter.

Q: What is your advice to the local government chairmen particularly on the allegation of ridiculous increase of tariffs in their councils?

A: My advice to the local government chairmen is to try as much as possible to serve the people and collaborate with the state to alleviate the problems of the masses, because we have agreed to work assiduously to alleviate these problems.

The masses should also collaborate with their chairmen by paying their tariffs and taxes as at when due.

Nobody is over taxing anybody, and if there is a compliant about that, they should come forward to the ministry and let us know.

It is very important that the masses should cooperate by regularly paying their taxes as at when due, because all these projects that are being done are funded with the tax payers’ money. If you pay your taxes, we do more projects.