Kogi State Governor, Usman Ododo has sworn in newly elected chairmen and vice chairmen of the 21 local government areas in the state with a charge to be dedicated in serving the people they represent.
Governor Ododo who presided over the swearing-in ceremony at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Lokoja on Monday, urged the new chairmen to sustain the tempo of development at the grassroots by embarking on projects and programmes that will improve the lives of the people.
He charged them to ensure security of lives and property and key into signature programmes of his administration in the areas of health, agriculture, social welfare and empowerment initiatives to transform the lives of the people in their respective local government areas.
The Governor who described the local government as the most important tier of government and the closest to the people, also enjoined the new council chairmen to ensure that the people are carried along in all their activities and to promote inclusion of all stakeholders in decision making process.
He noted that the local government administration should not only be seen but must be felt by the people in line with the policy of his administration to bring governance closer to the people.
Ododo also called on them to be transparent and accountable in running the affairs of their respective local government, stressing that they must see their election as an opportunity to justify the autonomy of the local government administration by according priorities to matters that have direct positive impact on the lives of the people at the grassroots.
Responding on behalf of his counterparts, the chairman of Yagba West local government area, Hon Tosin Olokun, assured of their commitment to complement the efforts of the state government by embarking on projects and programmes that will transform the lives of the people at the grassroots.
He also pledged to unite the people, regardless of political differences in line with the agenda of the state government and focus more on development.
