By Olusegun Hakeem Adebumiti, Akure.
The Ondo State Government says the list been circulated online as the names of the new 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) is not authentic.
This is coming few hours after the residents of the State got electrified after seeing the 33 new LCDAs that was shared online. See the names below:
The Commissioner for Justice, Charles Titiloye in a swift response said the list is not from the government.
“To avoid confusion and misinformation on the creation of LCDA(s), Members of the public are advised to disregard this unofficial list of LCDA(s). This list was not released officially by the Ondo State Government,” he said.
Meanwhile, before the denial by the government, most residents of the State, particularly those whose towns had been upgraded to an LCDA celebrated the development.
According to them, the creation of more LCDAs in the State will further solidify development and bring government close to the grassroots.
On the other hand, those who criticized the ‘controversial list’ argued that some local government had been favored ahead of others. There argument was that the size of some LCDAs do not commensurate with their new status.
Some of the critics argued that Owo local government as it is presently constituted should not have Four new LCDAs, while the existing LGAs in Akoko are struggling to get One LCDA.
Precision Online Newspaper reports that the State Government announced the creation of 33 new LCDAs last week but failed to announce the names.
When asked, the State Commissioners of Information & orientation, Mrs Bamidele Ademola-Olateju as well as Justice, Sir Titiloye noted that the names would be made public after it had gone to the House of Assembly.
The fresh statement of the Justice Commissioner is reproduced below:
RE: LCDA CREATION IN ONDO STATE.
It has come to the attention of the Ondo State Government that unsigned and unconfirmed lists of the new Local Councils Development Areas (LCDAs) and their headquarters is currently in circulation on the social media and other online platforms.
To avoid confusion and misinformation on the creation of LCDA(s), Members of the public are advised to disregard this unofficial list of LCDA(s). This list was not released officially by the Ondo State Government.
The Government wishes to inform the general public that Creation of LCDA(s) is strictly a constitutional process. List of Local Council Development Areas can only be properly ascertained from Ondo State Government official Gazette duly issued after passage of the enabling Law by Ondo state House of Assembly and the law is assented to by the Governor of the State
Also the communities in each of the created LCDA will be published in the white Paper to be issued by the Government in respect of the recommendations of the Committee set up on the Creation of LCDA(S).
Members of the public are therefore advised to await these official legal documents to be issued by the Ondo state Government in order to get the correct position of Government on the creation of Local Government Council Development Areas in Ondo State.
The process to put in place the LCDA(s) and release the relevant Government instruments is ongoing and very soon Government will make it public.
Thanks.
Signed.
Sir Charles Titiloye ksm FCarb,
Hon. Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ondo State.
1st August, 2023
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