As part of its institute’s effort towards promoting professional management skills in the management of public service, particularly in Local Government administration, the leadership of Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Ikorodu Chapter yesterday, engaged the Executive Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Hon Wasiu Adeshina in a no-holds-barred one-on-one conversation.
The interactive session, which was held at the instance of the institute, according to the Acting Chairman of NIM Ikorodu Chapter Mr Alex Nwodi was meant to afford the body an insight into the management of the Council, with a view to establishing a symbiotic related between the institute and the local government.
Host of the event, Hon Adeshina gave a good account of himself as the NIMNdelegation commended the Council boss for being a good ambassador of the institute.
Adeshina, who has been a registered member of the institute for over 28 years was commended by the Institute for being a good ambassador of the NIM.
During the over 40 minutes interactive session, Adeshina provided answers to many probing questions of delegation covering various aspects of governance and public administration.
Responding to a question on what inspired his coming into politics, Adeshina stated that, he was inspired by the Passion to improve the well-being of residents of the Council area.
‘My primary inspiration arose from the desire to improve on the general well-being of our people.
This has instilled in me a leadership style that embraces inclusiveness. I came in to raise the benchmark of service delivery at the grassroots’.
On Project Management, he disclosed that the council organizes regular consultations with residents to understand their priorities, while explaining that the feedback generated serves as a guide for policy formulation and project deliveries.
‘Most of my administration’s projects are based on community needs, from our NEEDS Assessment’.
Speaking on prioritizing budgeting and project implementation, Adeshina explained that, ‘resource allocation is guided by a combination of community needs assessments, guided by statistics data and community needs’.
‘We prioritize our resources on Education, Health and Infrastructures. This is evident in our intervention at Salvation Army School, which we rebuilt and Jamatul Islamiyat School, where we rebuilt the broken fence among other projects in the education sector’.
On Transparency and Accountability, the Council Chairman posited that, transparency was key for every administration that is committed to building trust.
‘We engage our communities regularly, publish budget reports online, External Auditors also come from the State Auditor-General’s Office to look into our books. We also engage private external auditors for quarterly audit of our books’, he submitted.
In his response to a question on how his administration has been able to navigate challenges relating to paucity of funds, he explained that the council actively seeks partnerships with NGOs and the private sector partners to deliver on projects in areas where the council is incapacitated.
On internally generated revenue, Adeshina disclosed that, his administration ensures that loopholes are blocked from revenue sources.
‘Similarly, we are also exploring other Virgin sources of revenue like the Tippers, Market men and women’.
‘Our administration has been able to improve the Council’s IGR from Five Million Naira to over Three Hundred Million Naira annually’.
Concluding, Adeshina also seized the opportunity to render account of his Stewardship to the delegation, as follows;
Score Cards:
- More than 50 Roads resurfaced with Street Light
- Many Covered Drainages delivered and some on-going
- Restructuring and Resurfacing of Sabo Market Internal roads
- Over 20 Boreholes with treated water delivered across the LG
- Regular supply of drugs to all Primary Health Centers, with the planned upgrading of Agura PHC into a 24-hour facility.
[9/20, 1:57 PM] Omo’ba Peejay: In his closing remarks, the Acting Chairman of NIM Ikorodu Chapter, Mr. Alex N. Onwodi, applauded Adesina for his openness and transparency in the management of the council.
The NIM delegation was led by a senior member and fellow of the NIM who is also a former Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Education, Otunba (Dr) Fatai Olukoga and was witnessed by other members across the Ikorodu and Lagos Chapter.
In his closing remarks, the Acting Chairman of NIM Ikorodu Chapter, Mr. Alex N. Onwodi, applauded Adesina for his openness and transparency in the management of the council.
