Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has appointed 1,200 political assistants (PAs) to serve as change agents as well as enhance civic engagement at the grassroots level across the state.
Special adviser to the governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, who disclosed this to newsmen on Friday, said the appointment of the new PAs was part of his principal’s commitment towards deepening democratic participation and broadening access to the dividends of democracy.
Describing the initiative as “a strategic effort to strengthen democratic governance across all nooks and crannies of the state,” Akinmade explained that the PAs, who were sourced on the aggregate of five from each of the 236 wards in the state, will ensure greater local participation in governance, effectively bridging the gap between the grassroots and the state government.
“The newly appointed political assistants are to support the delivery of democratic dividends, articulate the needs of their respective wards, and communicate these needs to the state government. They are also expected to provide accurate feedback from the government to the wards and vice versa,” he stated.
Akinmade emphasised that this initiative fulfills Governor Abiodun’s electoral promise to carry every ward along in his administration’s development programs and to run an all-inclusive government that values the people’s inputs in shaping policies and initiatives.
The governor, however, urged the new appointees to contribute significantly to the growth and development of their wards, local governments, and the state at large.
