By KP Reporter
The 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in Lagos State have been urged to establish official websites and functional email addresses as part of efforts to strengthen communication, transparency, and continuity in governance.
Stakeholders noted that such digital platforms should be managed by the Public Affairs Units of the councils or by designated consultants, rather than being left in the hands of political appointees. They argued that allowing appointees to control official channels often results in disruption once administrations change, undermining the principle that “government is a continuum.”
SEE: Incoming Council Chairmen Urged to Appoint Ethical, Professional Media Aides
Kosofe has witnessed multiple instances of this challenge. Between the tenures of the late Taiwo Fadipe and Giwa Diekola, the “Kosofe Voice” website, previously used to project the administration of former Chairman Hon. Babatunde Sofola, reportedly disappeared.
A similar controversy is now unfolding in Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, where the Facebook page “Agboyi-Ketu Voice” was used to promote the eight-year administration of former Chairman, Mayor Dele Oshinowo. The council’s former Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Opeyemi Azeez, allegedly declined to hand over access to the new administration, insisting that the page was privately created before his appointment, even though it later became a platform for official communication.
Observers warn that such recurring disputes highlight the urgent need for councils to formally own and manage their communication assets. Without this, they argue, years of investment in public engagement risk being lost with every political transition.
Commenting on the matter, KosofePost Publisher, Abayomi Bilesanmi Koko, recalled that during international workshops in the UK and Ireland—attended by several Lagos council chairmen, councillors, and senior officials—functional websites were emphasized as key administrative tools.
He questioned the relevance of such foreign trips when councils back home fail to adopt basic digital practices.
“What is the point of wasting taxpayers’ money on workshops abroad if simple but impactful changes like setting up functional websites at the grassroots level are neglected?” Koko asked.