Fashola Tasks New Council Chairmen On MDGs

Lagos State Governor,  Babatunde Fashola on Saturday charged the 57 newly-elected council chairmen  to focus on the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.

“You are taking office at a time when the world‘s attention is focused on the attainment of the MDGs by 2015. The state government is determined to meet and exceed these goals,’’ Fashola said at the inauguration of the new chairmen.

He said their partnership with the state government was critical to attaining the goals.

“To this end, as your primary assignment, we will expect you to focus on primary health care, primary education, sanitation and empowerment of women.”

The governor stressed that the MDGs would now constitute the basis of the policy thrust of local government administration in the state.

He charged them to use their new offices to better the lives of their people, and to focus more on the provision of basic infrastructure and services such as education, healthcare and roads.

The chairmen were declared winners in the October 22 council poll organised by the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commision.

He warned that the government would not tolerate any act of indolence from the chairmen, stressing that service to the people must be taken with all seriousness.

The governor, however, urged them to be firm but to show compassion in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Fashola commended the electoral commission for the “peaceful conduct’’ of the polls, saying that the full participation of the other political parties had further enhanced participatory democracy in the state.

The newly-inaugurated chairmen are for the 20 local governments and the 57 local council development areas in Lagos State.

The ceremony was attended by chieftains of the ACN, including the party’s national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and state chairman, Mr Henry Ajomale.