Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has sworn in the newly elected chairmen of the state’s 18 Local Government Areas, charging them to prioritise the welfare of residents and deliver the dividends of democracy to communities across the state.
The inauguration marks the formal commencement of the chairmen’s tenure and places grassroots governance at the centre of the administration’s development agenda.
Speaking at the ceremony, Governor Okpebholo congratulated the council chairmen on their successful election and inauguration, acknowledging the challenges encountered along the way while expressing gratitude for the successful completion of the process.
He charged the new council leaders to regard their positions as a call to service, responsibility and accountability, warning against treating public office as an avenue for personal enrichment.
The Governor reminded the chairmen that their mandates came directly from the people and urged them to govern with honesty, humility and integrity.
He directed them to listen to the needs of their constituents, responsibly manage council resources and pursue projects and policies capable of producing tangible improvements in the lives of people at the grassroots.
Okpebholo also reminded the chairmen that the electorate would be watching their performance and would ultimately hold them accountable for their stewardship.
He urged them to align their programmes with the administration’s SHINE Agenda, assuring that his government would continue to provide an enabling environment for effective grassroots governance and sustainable development across Edo State.
Speaking on behalf of the newly inaugurated chairmen, Oredo Local Government Council Chairman, Hon. Gabriel Iduseri, thanked Governor Okpebholo for the confidence reposed in them.
Iduseri acknowledged the enormous responsibility attached to local government leadership, stressing that the council remains the tier of government closest to the people.
He pledged that the 18 chairmen would work collectively and diligently to justify the confidence placed in them, while supporting and implementing the Governor’s SHINE Agenda.
According to him, their priority would be to ensure that residents at the grassroots feel the impact of government through responsive leadership, development and effective service delivery.
The ceremony featured the administration of the Oath of Allegiance and Oath of Office to the 18 chairmen, followed by the signing of the relevant documents, formally marking their assumption of responsibility for the administration of their respective councils.
