For the Chairman of Ojodu Local Government Area, David Olusegun Odunmbaku, Tuesday, 24 September, 2024 was the day to told the whole world about his achievements in the last three years in office.
Speaking at a widely attended media parley in Lagos, Odunmbaku said that when he came in as the council boss in July 2021, he was overwhelmed by challenges, which he thought will be a clog in the wheel of progress.
“But today, these challenges are now a thing of the past and by the grace and help of God, by the support of the entire staff of the council and residents of the LCDA, I was able to leverage on the resources at my disposal to turn around a lot of things in the areas of health, education, youths and women development, social infrastructure development among others in Ojodu LCDA,” an elated Odunmbaku said.
The council boss disclosed that his administration has rehabilitated the Apata Primary Health Care, upgraded Gbadamosi and Apata Primary health centres to operate on 24 hours services, installed three 10kva solar inverter at Powerline, Apata and Gbadamosi Public Health Centres, employed 120 medical personnel, (doctors, midwives, community health workers, health attendants and medical recorders,) and procured three ambulances and two mobile tricycle ambulances
Other achievements, according to him, are integrated health in collaboration with Hon James Abiodun Faleke (fibroid and eye surgery for 1500 beneficiaries), free medical and free health insurance for 1000 residents, organised free cervical screening project for 250 women and those with malignant cases were treated in conjunction with LASUTH at Ogba PHC, organised free surgical programme worth N8 million and carrying out a total of 145 surgeries, among others.
In the education sector, Odumbaku said his administration procured and distributed 700 GCE forms to indigent students from 2022 to 2024, procured and distributed 900 JAMB forms to qualified individuals within the community during the same period, procured 60,000 exercise books from 2022 till date, procured and distributed 600 pairs of desks and benches to all public schools, procured and distributed 1, 500 copies of revision textbooks for primary 5 and 6 pupils within the LCDA and distributed 150 Back to School kits to pupils (books, mathematical set, school bags and uniforms).
According to him, his administration also organised digital skill training for pupils in all public primary schools and junior secondary schools students in the LCDA in conjunction with Kids Zone Fellowship.
Odumbaku said, 2, 631 pupils were trained in the primary school category, while 2,168 students were trained in the junior secondary school category, just as he also disclosed that his administration distributed scholarship and bursary awards to students to reward academic excellence.
According to him, in 2023, no fewer than 20 students got N50, 000 each and in 2024, in scholarship category, at least two first class students got N500, 000 each while 29 students got N50, 000 each in bursary award category, just as he also disclosed that his administration empowered teachers with cash gifts of N3 million in partnership with Adedeji Awolola Foundation to reward performance after undergoing evaluation test.
In the youth and women development sector, Odunmbaku boasted that the LCDA under his leadership distributed tools and working kits such as sewing machines, make-up kits, auto mobile repair tools, blending machines to at least 1000 women and youths, offered N20 million interest free loans and start-up grant for small and medium scale business (N10 million for SMEs and N10 million for market men and women in conjunction with Thrive Micro –finance Bank).
The council boss also said the LCDA partnered with SPEED Up LAGOS on vocational skills acquisition at Shogunro vocational center to train over 3000 resident’s women and youths in various skilss, just as the council also employed 250 non-pensionable staff and trained 60 youths on wealth creation in partnership with Rotary Club of Gbagada and LAWMA..
Odunmbaku, who said at least 36 youths went on training programme in (piggery, fishery crop production, cattle, sheep and goat production), also added that 75 POS machines were distributed to artisans for free..
In the area of social and infrastructure development, the council boss rolls out his achievements to include sales of highly subsidized 5 kg food items for 2500 beneficiaries as subsidy removal palliatives for community members (5kg Rice, 5kg Beans, 5kg Gari, Yam among others sold at N1000 each, donated 14 mini- buses to communities to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
“Cumulatively, we have been to able transport over 1, 078,000 school children and residents free of charge from August 2023 till date. We have organised Zero Hunger Food Relief Programmes for 5, 500 beneficiaries through Ojodu Food Bank at subsidized prices to community members across the six wards in Ojodu LCDA, ” Odunmbaku said.
He added that the LCDA also distributed 10 kg food combo to 600 staffs of the council, 1500 uniform officers and staff of Public Works, just as it also renovated the palace of monarch of Aguda, Oba Akeem Agbaosi Eweobaja and presented to him official vehicle.
Odunmabaku also said his administration has embarked on construction of office complex at the council secretariat which is almost 90 per cent complete, just as he also added that the LCDA procured and donated 5 patrol vans for Ojodu Police Station, Alausa Police Station, Pen Cinema Police Station and Ojodu Task Force Unit.
The LCDA boss said at least nine streets have been rehabilitated while 15 streets have been constructed by his administration, just a dozens of drainages have been put in place to tackle the menace of flood in the council area.
