The situation in Somolu local government took another dimension a few days ago as some aggrieved youth in the community questioned the councillors for abandoning their constitutional duty all in the name of novel coronavirus pandemic.
According to one of the youths, Taiwo Ojomu Hassan who took to a widely followed Somolu WhatsApp Group platform in the community to pour out his mind about what he called ‘lackadaisical attitude’ of the lawmakers towards playing their constitutional roles which they swore to uphold.
Ojomu argued that the house only sat twice in the last 7 months to ratify the newly appointed Secretary to the local government (SLG) which was opposed by 5 councillors saying that the position of the Secretary to the local government (SLG) is prerogative of the party in power which brought about the reinstatement of the former Secretary to the local government (SLG), Hon. Taiwo Adesanya and the second was when they pass the budget around February where there was no presence of either majority of the Legislator or Leader/stakeholders according to the modus operandi.
He adds “Apart from these two purported seatings, no seating had taken place that we are aware of in that council and it’s possible they have a WhatsApp Legislative CHAMBER which I’m aware not of”. he stated
In the same vein, Ahmad Tijani Hussein also charged the legislative arm of the council as a matter of necessity by ensuring they carry out their constitutional duty so as to move Somolu to the next level.
“Seriously, I am just doing it so we can charge the councillors to work which I know is needful and I know anyone else can also do”. said, Ahmad
In a swift reaction, the Leader of House, Hon. Yomi Osunkoya responded by appreciating the aggrieved youths for expressing their opinions on the administration of Somolu Local Government and most especially on Somolu Legislative matters.
“I sincerely appreciate the youth and believe it’s for the good of all. Like you have all said, even though some of them were erroneously pointed out, I still agree that it’s a wake-up call and a charge upon us to improve on where you think we are lacking”.
“The slow pace of our activities of late or what you may have described it, wouldn’t have happened if not for the request we made to the council chairman to give us a befitting legislative chamber as against the dilapidated state it was when we came in, which eventually led to the complete overhaul of the chamber”.
“Some of the associations, CDC, CDA NURTW etc within our community can bear us a witness of the roles we played in ensuring the petitions they submitted to us were given adequate attention before the commencement of the renovations”.
“To make the matter worst was the advent of Covid-19 which further add to the delay of its completion. As you all know that all attentions were focused on the virus to stem it spread and as well do our possible best individually to relief the people of the challenges it might have caused. But, that still doesn’t negate the fact that we do gather at the conference room temporarily prepared for us at the council to deliberate when important issues cropped up”.
“I agree that our sittings might not be as typical as before, but I want to believe we all understand the severity of the virus and the need for us to adhere to the safety measures as outlined”.
“Nevertheless, we are sincerely working to get everything in order as some of us here will agree with me that government businesses are not the way we assumed it to be. It involves a lot of processes and formalities”.
Osunkoya however, thanked youths for their genuine concern with a promise to do the needful when and where necessary which will no doubt, bring about positive developments to Somolu community in no distance future.
