Politics

Fayemi Warns New Council Officials against Corrupt Practices

By Web News 539

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has warned the newly elected council chairmen and vice chairmen in the 16 Local Government and 19 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs not to engage in corrupt practices.

Speaking during the inauguration of the newly elected council officials in Ado Ekiti, Governor Fayemi charged them to make judicious use of resources in their councils to better the lots of the masses.

Governor Fayemi told them to prioritise the security and welfare of the people above their personal interests.

Governor Kayode Fayemi inaugurating LG, LCDA Chairmen in Ado-Ekiti

The governor who encouraged them to carry out people-oriented projects and programmes that would have a positive impact on the people urged them to work with relevant agencies and ministries to key into his administration’s programmes and projects which were designed to bring about rural and community development in the state.

He urged them to devise mechanisms that would improve internally generated revenue of their councils and ensure blockage of leakages, enshrine accountability in revenue-generating process and work hand-in-hand with the State Internal Revenue Services to promote transparency. 

Governor Fayemi equally advised the new council bosses to familiarize themselves with the Local Government Administration laws and Local Government Service Commission laws of Ekiti State in order to guide them in all that is required of them at the council.

Responding on behalf of other council Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen, the Chairman Efon Local Government, Mr Olabode Olatunji assured the people of Ekiti State of their readiness to bring about massive development at the grassroots and intensify efforts at improving IGR at their various councils.

Mr Olatunji commended Governor Fayemi for restoring sanity and virtues to governance and for creating LCDAs to bring government closer to the people, increase participation and make governance inclusive.

Earlier in his remarks, the Commissioner for Local Government and Rural Development, Professor Adio Folayan implored the council elected officials to key into the five-pillar agenda of Governor Fayemi and also to execute projects that would impact positively on the lives of people at the grassroots.

Amos Ogunrinde

Economy

362 Ghost Council Workers Uncovered In Ekiti

By Web News 766

Ekiti State government says it is losing about 20 million Naira monthly to 362 ghost workers at the local government areas of the state.

This is contained in a report of the verification committee set up by state government with a mandate to identify absentees at the councils and block financial loopholes at the third tier of government. 

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi with the report

Presenting the report to Governor Kayode Fayemi in Ado Ekiti, the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Development, Professor Adio Folayan said the Ekiti State Accountant General had been instructed to stop the salaries of the affected persons.

Dr Fayemi addressing with the committee members

Professor Folayan explained that the preliminary findings put the ghost workers at 652 but further screening by the committee revealed that only 362 workers out of figure were clarified to be on government payroll as at June this year.

He said the committee recommended that all illegal salary earned by the affected persons should be deducted from their pensions and gratuity, while they would subsequently prosecuted for fraud with their accomplices. 

The commissioner directed the councils’ Heads of Department to enforce discipline while practice of giving schedules of duties to their officers should be adopted so that errant officers would be punished for any infraction.

Receiving the report, Governor Kayode Fayemi thanked members of the committee for their dedication and promised to look into the recommendations for immediate implementation.

Tope Bamidele