Ekiti Assembly okays bills for LCDAs creation, judicial autonomy

The Ekiti State House of Assembly has passed the amended 2021 Bill for creation of 19 new Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs).

The Speaker, Olufunminiyi Afuye, had on Tuesday read the communication from Fayemi, while the Clerk, Kola Esan, read the short title of the bill for first reading.

However, leading the debate on the general principle of the bill, yesterday, the House Leader, Gboyega Aribisongan, underscored the importance of new councils to the people at the grassroots level.

He urged his colleagues to give the bill accelerated passage, adding that more jobs would be created for the people once the LCDAs are created.

Contributing to the debate, members, including the Deputy Speaker, Hakeem Jamiu (APC, Irepodun/Ifelodun II), Mr. Ajibade Adeyemi (APC Moba I), lauded the initiative.

Others, including Mrs. Yemisi Ayokunle (APC Ekiti South West I), Mr. Stephen Aribasoye (APC Ikole II) and Mr. Tunde Idowu (APC, Ikere II), appreciated the governor for the executive bill.

According to them, the bill could not have come at a better time because of the positive impact on the lives of the citizens of the affected areas.

They urged speedy passage of the bill. However, the 2014 principal law that created 19 LCDAs was amended. When the Speaker put it to question, the bill was unanimously passed by all the members through a voice-vote.

The proposed new LCDAs are Ado Central, Ado North, Ado West, Ajoni and Gbonyin, Ifeloju, Araromi, Ekameta, Ekiti South East and Ero.

Others include Ifedara, Ifesowapo, Igbara Odo/Ogotun, Ikere West and Ikole West, Irede, Irewolede, Isokan and Okemesi. The Assembly also passed a bill for a law to provide for the management of funds by Ekiti judiciary, otherwise called judicial autonomy.