Hon. Samson Folorunso Olatunde Marks First Year In Office

BELLO-ONILEGBALE, ADEMOLA

The hallmark of a progressive and productive government is the total commitment to meaningful policies and programmes that have positive transformational impact in the lives of the people.

The opening assertion succinctly describes the achievements of the executive Chairman of Olorunda LCDA, popularly known and called Samola , as he joins his counterparts across the rest of 20 LGAs and 36 LCDAs in Lagos the Centre of Excellence, to mark the very first anniversary of their 365 days of inauguration in office.

Going by the campaign promises by Hon. Samola as the Executive Chairman of the Council and his running mate, now vice Chairman, Honourable Bangbose Olufemi Saheed, before their resounding victory at the last local government election, the duo had humbly recorded tremendous successes in setting the stage for the realization of their people oriented and life changing programmes for the residents of the council.

Foremost among the achievements recorded so far was the sustained relative peace and harmony in the area considering the diverse tribal and religious leaning of residents in the local council. This is more germane in that, it is only in an atmosphere of peace that any meaningful development can be actualized.

With cooperation and support from the different security agencies, stakeholders, as well as religious leaders and traditional chiefs in the council, the administration has been able to maintain peace and order to the credit and glory of God, while it has also been able to successfully handle tensed situations when issues arose. Indeed, Hon. Samola is a peace loving administrator!

A testimony to the cordial relationship that exists between the people of Olorunda LCDA and the local government administration is an outstanding supervision and philanthropic aid provided from the start till the commissioning stage of a modern police post constructed by the Iworo Community of the Council.

Another spectacular success in the string of achievements of Hon. Olatunde a.k.a Samola’s current administration in the council is the reception of the award of the Local Government with the highest IGR during the last one year conferred by the Lagos State Chapter of the National Union of Local Government Employees-NULGE. This no doubt is a convincing testimony to the improved revenue drive of the council in comparison with contemporaries.

Another first landmark in the administration’s achievements is the ongoing construction of the first ever marriage registry in Olorunda LCDA located within the premises of the Ibereko Area office of the Council. No doubt, a legally established union is the bedrock of a progressive society. Residents of the council who used to patronize the marriage registry in far away Badagry now have an alternative right at their doorsteps.

Another laudable project under construction in the Council under the auspices of the able Executive Chairman is the Health Centre situated in Araromi area of Olorunda LCDA. This vital project is intended to facilitate accessible primary health care delivery to the people of Olorunda and forestall the incidences of avoidable health emergencies in the area.

In addition to this is the employment of additional hands as Midwives on contract basis to assist the existing health workers.

The essence of an Area Office is to bring governance and public services closer to the people and this purpose can only be better fulfilled with a modern edifice equipped with all the essential facilities needed. The Executive Chairman, Hon Olatunde, is therefore embarking on the renovation of the Ibereko Area Office to upgrade the old structures to a modern standard.

Driven by the passion to improve the human per capita development as well as sense of responsibility of staff of the Council, the administration facilitated the training of 5 staff across all cadre and level and also initiated the annual staff performance appraisal development report otherwise known as the [STADEF FORM]. Also, one of the senior staff of the Council was awarded a slot for this year’s Hajj exercise as a way of rewarding hard work and diligence among staff.

In addition to the above, the administration maintained a monthly financial assistance to members of staff of the Council, while there was also promotion of some junior staff of the Council earlier this year.

The fast becoming traditional monthly prayer session for staff is another landmark achievement of this administration due to Hon. Samson Olatunde both financial and constant moral support. It is a forum which does not only afford staff the opportunity of seeking divine protection at work, it also serves a platform for the Honourable Chairman to rob minds with members of staff in the overall interest of the council.

Hon Olatunde perfectly understands the pivotal role which a cordial relationship between the executive and legislative arm of the government could play in realizing fruitful governance. To this end, members of the legislative arm as well as supervisors of the council were recently presented with a vehicle each in order to enhance effective discharge of their official and constitutional duties. This laudable gesture is in addition to the free hand enjoyed by the law makers to exercise their legal assignments.

A good testimony to the Chairman’s personal respect for religious tolerance and freedom of worship as entrenched in Nigerian constitution is his contribution to the ongoing construction of the Mosque situated within the premises of the council.

Conclusively, according to Ayn Rand, “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not the desire to beat others“. There is no gainsaying the fact that the modest achievements so far of the current administration of the council under The Executive Chairman, Hon Samson Folorunso Olatunde, is a clear indication that Olorunda LCDA, which was once described as the worst council in Lagos, is on the right track to becoming not only the council to beat but also rank among the foremost local government of the state in no distant future.