“We’re committed to delivering dividends of democracy to people”

By Ezurike Ugochukwu and Ambrose Nnaji

Her visible achievements speak for her. Her commitment to ensuring that people of the community were given a meaning of their lives under her government is always her top priority.

Hon. Ramotalai Akinola-Hassan, the Chairman of Oriade Local Government Area of the Lagos State who possess this quality doesn’t seem to get tired until she’s sure the dividends of democracy including electricity, good roads, healthcare facilities, and good drinking water among others were provided to the people of the community

The Chairman, Akinola- Hassan undergoing medical test at one of the renovated Medical facilities in the area

Apart from the renovation of public Healthcare Centres, renovation of the LCDA secretariat the local government under her care provides some kind of empowerment for the youths. Just recently, about twenty eight people were given the sum of N50, 000 each to enable them establish their own small businesses.

According to the Chairman, every month financial assistance is given to people within the local government adding the list of beneficiaries is available.

She said: “We are government of the people, for the people and by the people. If the people are not there for us, there is no way we will be where we are. We need to impact their lives to show that we care for them”, she expressed.

The local government under her watch gave out 500KVA transformers one to each of fifteen communities in the area. It has also constructed the Young Shall Grow road, and Jetties.

The chairman informed that work had also been completed on the work bridge which according to her had been in existence in Iyagbe for many years.

Nation update online gathered that before its completion, when people in the area were going out in the morning, they would go with extra cloths with which they would change because the first cloth would have been messed up in more and by the ugly nature of the bridge. But now, it has become a thing of the past because this government has brought a change.

The local government has again embarked on parchment activation of the collapsed bridge at Igbeje Ibasa. It also did the Jetty at Ibeshi as well as Iwore, all in the area and has also renovated the police station at Ibeshe among other things

Her administration has also started work on Ayinke Timson road (Polaris road) while drainage has just been completed. According to her, work is being done from community road to close 1 to 16, and from 16 to 56 in the area.

She however expressed concern over some of the state roads in the area that are in their worst state and are yet to get attention. “We have poured hard-core stones over and over since I came. I think its robbing my people to continue using our money to do road for tankers and trailers that do not pay anything to the local government, I can’t do it, over 300 tankers and container laden trucks ply this toad on daily basis.

“Why do they expect me to use the taxpayer’s money to do the road, I cannot. I have brought this to the attention of the state government and they promised to do it, we are expecting the approval very soon”, she disclosed.

According to her, it would have been in the budget, but due to the prevalence of destruction of government properties by hoodlums that hijacked the EndSARs protests.

She said the allocations distributed to the local governments were judiciously used to develop the areas however adding there are much pressure on infrastructures.

She recalled when the former governor of Lagos state, Bola Tinubu came up with the idea of the local council development areas (LCDAs), people doubted the move to the extent he was denied fund by the then federal government. However today, we are all beneficiaries of that gesture.

Giving out palliatives

According to her, the LCDAs have brought governance to more people. It has also afforded the youths the opportunity to be groomed for future higher responsibilities which she noted they wouldn’t have had if not for the local council development areas.

While expressing the need to accomplish the work she had started in her first tenure, if given opportunity for a second term, Akinola-Hassan howevers said the feedback from the people was positive. I operate an open door policy, I make sure I attend to the people.

“We wish to go back to enable us finish the things we started, I am a daughter of the soil, I know the challenges my people face, I wear the shoe and I know where it pitches most.

Am here to make my people happy and deliver the dividends of democracy, if they are not there, I will not be where I am, if they have not voted me in, I will not be there”.

According to her, “there is much to do given the swampy nature of Oriade, but we can do the much at our disposal given the limited resources”.

The chairman however implored all the people in the area especially the youths to shun violence and be law abiding citizens. While urging them to do their best to safeguard government property, she noted it would be more difficult to replace damaged government property adding the money could be used to put in place other infrastructure that are needed in the community.

Hon Akinola-Hassan, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, a seasoned civil servant, who has endeared herself to many, she has won many awards in recognition of her selfless services, humility and dexterity