Lagos raises committee to boost performance in councils

The Lagos State Government has inaugurated a 19-member committee on local government reformation, saying the move is to ensure that residents feel the impact of their councils.The government expressed concern that in spite of the huge human and material resources available in the councils, there was little on the ground. The state said the committee was to find the missing link.


The Lagos State Head of Service, Mrs. Shade Jaji, described the move as a demonstration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s commitment to the repositioning of the public service, particularly at the local government level.

She added that the reform would boost the socio-economic development of the state and entrench corporate governance in the state.

She said, “The local government is the third tier of government and remains the closest to the people. As the first point of contact, local governments directly determine what, when and how citizens can benefit and enjoy the dividends of democracy through quality service delivery. They also provide the basis for the assessment of government’s programmes and performance.

“There is no gainsaying that for quite some time now, citizens have not felt much impact from their local governments. This is in spite of the huge human and material resources available in their domain for the development of their communities.

“In the attempt to find the missing link, the government tried the Community Development Association approach; still without success. It is against this backdrop that Governor Ambode decided to address the administrative, governance structure and service delivery processes in councils across the state.”

Jaji expressed confidence that the move would produce a stronger and a more efficient local government system that could deliver quality services.

The head of service said the committee would examine the current structure of the local government administration and investigate the factors militating against optimum performance, among others, in the councils.

Jaji added that the committee had two weeks to submit its report and recommendations to the government for immediate implementation.

Speaking on behalf of other members, the committee Chairman, Chief Nurudeen Ojora-Adejiyan, said the constitution of the committee was a step in the right direction.

He assured the governor that the committee would discharge its responsibilities within the stipulated time.