‘YOU DON’T NEED TO KNOW THE CHAIRMAN TO GET THE DIVIDENDS OF DEMOCRACY’ – HON. DAVID ODUNMBAKU TELLS OJODU RESIDENTS • Council Chairman Empowers Women, Youths, Elderly to Mark 100 Days in Office
By Yomi Oyelami, Trek Africa Newspaper
The Executive Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Hon. David Olusegun Odunmbaku has informed all residents of the local council that though he runs an open-door policy, they do not need to know him personally to enjoy the dividends of democracy. Once their names are on the database of the local government administration, they can be rest assured that they will enjoy benefits. He made this known during the Stakeholders’ Forum marking his 100 days in office covered by Yomi Oyelami of Trek Africa Newspaper which held yesterday at the Council Secretariat in Oke-Ira, Ogba, Lagos.
He shared: ‘For those who have lost hope, this government is for you. Our 100 days is to say we are not sleeping. Once you gave us the go-ahead from Day 1, we have started working. My office is like Mecca. You don’t need to know the Chairman to get the dividends of democracy. You don’t need to know the leader that knows the Chairman to get the dividends of democracy. When we have your name in the database, you are covered. Party faithful is statutory. We have opportunities for others in Ojodu LCDA.’ 
During the event, various empowerment programs were rolled out. Hundreds of school children got school bags while the elderly got cash gifts. The enterprising youths were not left out as they were empowered with tools and machines for their trade. This includes tailoring machines, disc jockey turntables, makeup kits, among others. About this, Hon. Odunmbaku said: ‘this is just a tip of the iceberg. It is not a mega-empowerment programme.’
The Chairman fondly called ‘Able God’ continued: ‘From the first week of December, we will reinstate our non-pensionable staff but this time with a difference. A SSCE holder will get a minimum of NGN 20,000, OND holder will get NGN 25,000, B.Sc. is pegged at NGN 35,000 but we found that we have many of our people aged over-70. We will be paying them but they don’t need to come to the office. This is the time for them to eat the fruit of their labour. Our senior citizens deserve better than being a dispatch rider, I reject that for them. We will keep their palliatives for as long as they are alive. But for the B.Sc. and OND holders it will be for the 18 months only. The days of sitting in the council for 5,10 years are over. We will prepare them by training and mentoring for them to get better jobs.’
He, however, pleaded with the residents to turn in their taxes in order for his administration to be able to achieve more. ‘As we move toward the end of the year, I implore you to pay your tax. Very soon, you will see our revenue team. This year has been extremely poor in terms of revenue generation. I want to say a thank you to all our petty traders. They have continued to be committed despite all. Your little taxes are going a long way. Thank you.’
‘In terms of performance as of June 2021, we are at about 50% budget performance. We intend to keep it that way and drive it up’, he stated.
On the issue of poor political participation in the elections, the council boss noted: ‘Let me sound that we had voter apathy the last time. If we continue like this, maybe we will be voting for ourselves. We need to reach out to the people in the community to make them aware of the importance of political participation.’
‘I thank God for all the good people of Ojodu LCDA for their tremendous support during the elections. Thank you for entrusting your vote with me. Election is over, now is the time governance, now is the time for stewardship’, Hon. David Odunmbaku concluded.
