Akure Youths Flay Lopsidedness In Creation of LCDAs
Share
Sons and Daughters of Akure, under the aegis of Akure Youth Coalition, have rejected what it described as lopsided in the spread of the new Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs in the state.
This was contained in a statement jointly signed by President of the Coalition, Adekambi Oluwatuyi Daniel, General Secretary, Adeyeye Michael and its National Organizing Secretary, Oluyi Tayo.
It affirmed, that the LCDAs as created, did not take into consideration the memoranda submitted to the government Committee by Akure Kingdom, which requested for the creation of EIGHT (8) LCDAS from Akure South.
“Creating three LCDAs from Akure South and one from Akure North grossly under-represents us in terms of human population, voting population, land mass, housing units, utilities and public facilities.
” Akure North with one of the biggest land mass and Akure South with the biggest population and largest contribution to the economy of the state deserve more LCDAs as both LGs are crucial to the development of the State.
According to the statement, the Coalition was irked by what it referred to, as the unjust and unfair treatment of Akure in the ongoing process of creating a new LCDAS by the Ondo State Government.
The statement reads; “After series of stakeholders meetings and consultations, we the sons and daughters of Akure have resolved to reject the lopsided spread of the new LCDAS in the State, especially the decision to create only three LCDAs from the current Akure South local government area and only one LCDA from the current Akure North local government area.
“This, to us, is a political exercise aimed at shortchanging the people of Akure.
“What logical explanation can the government give for creating more LCDAs from a smaller local government than Akure South local government, the state capital?
“With the proposal of the government, the current Akure South/Akure North federal constituency will now have six (6) LGA/LCDAS another federal constituency will have eight (8) LGA/LCDAS. How logical is this? , the statement queried.
It added, that; “In every State of the country where LCDAs have been created, including our neighbouring Ekiti, the state capital gets more than any other local government. Why is that of Ondo State different? Who are those pushing this satanic agenda in the government of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who has been absent from office in recent months?
“What offence has Akure committed to deserve this kind of insulting treatment from the government?
“We the people of Akure therefore reject in its totality any LCDA creation that will shortchange our people. We are peace loving people and we therefore urge the government not to carry out any exercise that will threaten the peace we have been enjoying in our communities with a politically motivated exercise”, the statement said.
The Coalition, therefore, stated, that;
“If the aim of the creation of the LCDAs is to bring development closer to the grassroots, then citing the headquarters of the new LCDA from Akure North in Oba-Ile, which an urban area, defeats such aim when there are less developed communities like Ilu-Abo, Igbatoro, Igoba, etc.
“The map of the State has been balkanised to cede various parts of Akure to other communities and this will not be accepted.
“The idea of equalling the unequals by creating same number of LCDAs in the three senatorial districts of the State without taking into consideration the various factors listed in (2) above is against the rule of fairness and equity.
It further stated, that Akure, the State capital, should therefore be granted a Special Status and given the number of LCDAs as recommended to the government committee by the community.
“It is therefore imperative that we urge the government that the relative peace of Akure, the state capital, should not be threatened in any way, as this exercise, as it currently is, is capable of creating restiveness in the system.
“Akure community has been a good host to this government and the people of Ondo State. It therefore should be given its dues”, the statement concluded.
