Ondo Local Councils Increase As State Exco Ratifies Additional 33 LCDAs, Bill Before Assembly

By Ayodele Oni

Ondo State Executive Council has announced the creation of 33 Local Government Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state, raising the number of local councils in the state to 51.

The State Commissioner for Information and Orientation Bamidele Ademola-Olateju disclosed this shortly after the State Executive Council meeting.

It is expected that the newly created 33 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs), will perform the same functions with the existing 18 local governments in the state.

Ademola-Olateju added that the enabling law has been sent to the State House of Assembly for enactment.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Sir Charles Titiloye, explained that the newly created LCDAs will have equal functions with their own headquarters and operate side-by-side with the existing 18 Local Government areas in the state.

He said the approval followed the recommendation of the Committee on LCDAs set up by the State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and headed by Prince Lanke Odogiyan.

Titiloye added that immediately the State House of Assembly enacts the law, it will be assented to by the State Governor and full implementation of the LCDAs will commence.

The issue of creation of additional local councils in the state had been in the drawing board of the present administration since first tenure of Governor Akeredolu, but could not see the light of the day.

However, immediately after his inauguration for second term, the governor again rekindled the hope with the setting up of a committee to advise government on modality for birthing the new LCDAs and those to benefit.

Various communities, in the state had presented memorandum to the committee and the house of Assembly with each of them demanding for headquarters of the new LCDAs.