The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Bayo Lawal has urged the newly Elected Local Government Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and the Heads of Local Government to operate within the ambit of the law.
Bayo Lawal gave this admonition on Monday at the ongoing 2-Day Retreat for Local Government Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Heads of Local Government Area organized by Fosterfield Consulting in collaboration with the Office of the Special Adviser on Strategy, Political Matters and Ministry of Local Government & Chieftaincy Matters themed “Ipa Ijoba Lese Kuku” in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
He urged them to adhere to due process and due diligence in the conduct of government business adding that they should work inline with the stance of Governor Seyi Makinde on zero tolerance for corruption.
His words: “It would not be out of place to advert to the need to operate within the ambit of the law by ensuring strict adherence to due process and due diligence in the conduct of government business in your respective Local Government Areas in line with uncompromising stance of His Excellency on zero tolerance for corruption in the State.
“This is achievable, if you collaborate with your Heads of Local Government, who are also the Accounting Officers in your respective Councils because according to Pratibha Patil, former President of India, ‘corruption is the enemy of development, and of good governance.
“It must be got rid off. Both the government and the people at large must come together to achieve this objective’. Joe Biden, President of United States of America, also alluded to this by stating that, ‘fighting corruption is not just good governance. It is self-defence. It is patriotism.”
He also urged them see themselves as Servant-leaders in reciprocating the confidence reposed in them by the electorates.
“The law of nature preaches reciprocity, how do you intend to reciprocate the confidence reposed on you by the electorates.
“You can do this by seeing yourself as Servant-Leaders and bring to their door steps unprecedented purposeful governance and developments they could ever imagine as opined by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, that “mere good governance is not enough; it has to be pro-people and pro-active. Good governance is putting people at the centre of development process” he said.