As the tenure of council Chairmen in Lagos State is gradually coming to an end, the executive chairman of Agboyi-Ketu LCDA, Mayor Dele Osinowo, has given assurance of his commitment to the completion of some ongoing infrastructural projects in the LCDA before the end of his tenure while he also disclosed the intention of his administration to consolidate on its gains and achievements in the coming dispensation buy shoring up the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR).
The statement was made on Wednesday in his office during a media interactive session with a group of community online media base in Kosofe Local Government Area where he spoke on various issues and development in the LCDA.
Speaking during the interactive session, Mayor Osinowo noted that his administration had achieved a great milestone in his first term in office as executive chairman with the execution of over 120 infrastructural projects.
While disclosing that projects such as Primary Health Care Centre and Araromi road are ongoing, he assured that the industrial borehole drilling projectS which the council had just embarked upon in seven communities would be completed before the end of July.
Mayor Osinowo said that the industrial boreholes would have depth of 130 feet in Ketu area and 150 in Agboyi Town when completed will provide potable water to the communities.
He stated further that adequate arrangements are being made to ensure proper maintenance of the boreholes and reticulation to adjoining houses with payment of token rate monthly.
“At present we are drilling industrial boreholes for about seven communities. And drilling a borehole without proper planning will fail. The minimum depth of the boreholes is 130 meter which is about 40 storey building while we are doing 150 metres below sea level in Agboyi town which is about 50 storey building.
“These does not require treatment otherwise it will be very difficult for the council to maintain every month as it will not be economical. However, we have been approached by CDC for the water to be reticulated to different houses for a token amount every month.
“What we want to do now is to have industrial borehole with pressure pumps and this will solve a lot of problems”: he said.
Osinowo also stated further that his administration had intended to reconstruct some vital access roads such as Elebiju and Adisa Akinloye streets but were discouraged by blockage at the intersection between Ketu and Toll gate.
He then stressed that reconstruction works could only commence once the blockage is removed as the only access roads available for motorists in the area are Akintoye and Ogunsowobo streets.
With the arrival of the rainy season, the council boss disclosed that his administration in conjunction with Lagos State government has concluded plan to rid drainages within the territory of the LCDA of waste and debris in other to forestall flooding.
He however expressed dismay at the situation whereby people are dumping refuse in the drainages and canals, stressing that it was high time people started to take responsibility and ownership of the drainages.
He noted that the council would soon come up with a foolproof strategy to apprehend people who dump refuse in the drainages and that once they are apprehended they would be charged to court.
On the issue of security most especially in Ketu area of the LCDA, he said that his administration has done a lot in trying to find a lasting solution to the security problem in the area.
He noted that in recent time violent clashes between rival cult gangs in the area have abated considerably due to his efforts and personal interaction with the youth and that he had on several occasion been called upon by the security agents to intervene between rival cult groups in the area when they clash.
On Agboyi town underdevelopment, the council chairman while acknowledging the fact that the area has infrastructure deficit, frankly stated that meaningful development would only come to the town when the link bridge to the riverine area is finally constructed.
He said, nevertheless, the people of the town have been benefiting from many empowerment and poverty alleviation programmes either facilitated by the lawmakers or organized by his administration.
And speaking on how he was able to achieve a lot with minimal budgetary allocation, Mayor Dele Osinowo hinged the superlative performance and achievements of his administration in his first term on strategic administrative management, financial discipline, excellent man management skill and transparency.
Mayor Osinowo explained that he only embarks on projects execution when funds are readily available for them and he make sure that they are properly executed, adding that they pay contractors in piecemeal.
“I only embark on construction of projects when funds are available for them and then commit myself to it.
“We prioritized our needs using scale of preference and inform our contractors that we are not using normal method of payment. We use the unconventional method. Like this edifice (the council secretariat) we constructed, we told our contractor we would not be able to mobilize 50% to 80%. We gave them the money as we have it. The highest amount we paid was 20 million. Others we paid 5 million, 10 million etc. If we had use the normal method, we would not have achieved our goal.
“With 30% we have been able to do enough but it may not be enough for the communities but we are progressing.
He disclosed that Agboyi-Ketu LCDA would however embark on aggressive revenue generation drive to shore up its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) in order to effectively fund its projects.
He said for instance the LCDA has keyed into Real Estate where it feels it has comparative advantage, stating that Agboyi- Ketu has lot of land to build estates.
He expressed strong optimism that the real estate project the council has embarked upon would generate enough money to fund other projects when completed.
And when asked whether if he is running for second term to enjoy “fruits of his labour” as typical of Nigeria politicians, Mayor Osinowo said, “it is inborn to be a great performer. You can’t give what you don’t have. This is the community I grew up in and I must be part of his success story. I love my community. I do what I know I am capable of, and if don’t have the capability I will let you know.
“But why would I want to stop the good things I have done? I want to move up not to go down”
And with no opponent yet to contest the forthcoming APC local government chairmanship primary election against him as a result of his intimidating track records, Mayor Dele Osinowo is however not leaving anything to chances.
He said until after the LASIEC local government chairmanship form closes, anybody can still come out to challenge him.
Executive Chairman of Agboyi Ketu Lcda, Mayor Dele Dele Oshinowo during an interactive session at the Council Headquarters with online Media Practitioners held on Wednesday, April 28th, 2021