By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo has sworn in 21 newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 21 local government councils in Kogi State, urging them to remain dedicated to serving the people they represent.
During the swearing-in ceremony held at the Banquet Hall in Government House Lokoja, Governor Ododo encouraged the new chairmen to sustain the momentum of development at the grassroots level by initiating projects and programs aimed at improving the lives of their constituents.
He emphasized the importance of ensuring the security of lives and property, urging the local government chairmen to align with the administration’s signature programs in health, agriculture, social welfare, and empowerment initiatives to uplift the lives of people in their respective local government areas.
The governor described local government as the most vital tier of government, closest to the people, and urged the new council chairmen to engage the community in all their activities. He called for the inclusion of all stakeholders in the decision-making process.
Governor Ododo stressed that local government administration should not only be visible but also impactful, in line with his administration’s policy of bringing governance closer to the people.
He urged the chairmen to be transparent and accountable in managing local government affairs, viewing their election as an opportunity to reinforce the autonomy of local governance by prioritizing issues that have a direct positive impact on the lives of grassroots citizens.
In response, the chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area, Honourable Tosin Olokun, who spoke on behalf of the 21 local government chairmen, assured their commitment to complementing the efforts of the state government by implementing projects and programs that will transform grassroots communities.
He also pledged to unite the people, regardless of political differences, in alignment with Governor Ododo’s agenda to foster unity and focus on development across the state.
