…says Security Challenges in the Country ‘ll soon be Over
Honourable Mrs Dupe Bakare is the Chairman of Irewolede LCDA carved out of Ijero Local Government area of Ekiti state.
The LCDA is one of the newly created local council development area in the State.
In this Interview with Newshereandthere Bakare expressed confidence in the ability and competence of the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress APC in the 2023 general electionAsiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to improve upon the efforts of President Muhamnadu Buhari led administration in fighting Insecurity to achieve better results.
.The Irewolede LCDA Chairman highlighted the benefits local council development area LCDA will accrue the grassroots in terms of development.
How has creation of LCDA impacted in grassroot development in Ekiti State?
Having created LCDA at this time is a welcome development. It is a means through which the development has really touched the people at the grassroot. At a time we have just one but now three within the local government, though they were working and doing their best but, it wasn’t as effective as what we have now. Under my supervision, we have six Communities unlike what used to be when we had like 16 towns under one local government, Ijero Local government as at that time.
You will agree with me that getting in touch with six Communities will be easier than for a Chairman to touch 16 towns under his watch and it gives me the opportunity to relate with the people because the towns that are under my control are not as large as it was then. So, bringing development to the doorstep of the people at the grassroot now is more juicy than what it used to be when it was Ijero Local government with 16 communities.
Looking at the challenges in the grassroots,poverty, unemployment, gender-based violence, and all that. How has it been ?
Irewolede is in the same space with every local governments even in Nigeria as a whole. So, it can’t be ruled out that such vices as we have it in other local governments are exempted but, I want to say it categorically that in my LCDA, we don’t have reported cases of such happening. That is not to say that it may not be happening but we don’t have it much within that local government.
Do you have any collaboration with the Community Leaders to sensitise people against all these common vices in the society or the local government just do it alone?
At this juncture, let me appreciate the first lady of Ekiti state, our dear own mother, Erelu Bisi Fayemi. She has been doing a lot in that regard so, I want to tell you that sensitizing people even come from the top in Ekiti state and gradually it has touched the local government and the communities under this local government.
Recently, we held meeting with the first lady and the assignment given to us was to set up GBV committee at the local level, As we know that there is now a law in the state that is against gender-violence in Ekiti state, it has been domesticated in Ekiti state and right now, we are moving forward to domesticating it at the local government level and by God’s grace on 22nd September, 2022, the committee is going to be inaugurated in Irewolede LCDA and that committee has the assignment such that when there is any case of gender based violence, they are to take it up and and get justice for the victim.
Gone would be those days when there would be cases of such and people would not know where to run or who to intimate about it and the case would just die like that and the victim would suffer in silence, not knowing how to address the issue. I have read in the social media and I am aware that some other local governments have already done that and before 26th September, 2022, all the local governments, i.e the 35 local governments would have inaugurated the committee that will be in charge of gender based violence.
We are to take care of them, we are to ensure that none of them suffer in silence. We are to ensure that they get justice at every point where this people are being violated, we are to get justice for them. So, kudos to Erelu Fayemi.
Let’s look at the level of poverty and unemployment across the country. For instance, within Irewolede local government, is there any opportunity being put in place and how are you ensuring that the opportunity is not limited to people of your political party alone, so that it can cut across all the people in the local government?
We are doing a lot in that aspect to ensure that poverty is reduced in our society which Irewolede is inclusive. There are programmes from the state to the local government which is to empower our people at the grassroot like Skills Acquisition.
So, very recently, there was a programme that was launched at the state and when we have those programes, we the chairmen would be informed and our people at the grassroot would benefit as we would send them to the state and the state will organise different forms of skills acquisition.
So, they have enjoyed and benefitted from those skills and we still believe more of it will still come in the future. We have our political leaders that are holding one position or the other, they are doing a lot in their own capacity with regard to ensure that they bring our people out of poverty. We believe it’s not a day job but gradually, we will get there.
The programme you have highlighted, there is no way it would not require funding. Considering the state of autonomy in terms of local government, how has it been with you?
Well, you know, financial challenges is not limited to the local government but also the state, even the central, we don’t have much that is coming from the central to the state. So, it’s not only to the local government, that is why there is need for us to diversify because we operate on mono economy, relying only on oil.
As we can see, the state is not an oil-producing state, so, what goes to the oil-producing state is even far much than what we have in Ekiti state. That is to tell you that being short of fund is not our own doing but, what is being allocated from the federal to the state and even to the local government.
If you agree with me, there is need at this juncture to diversify to agric, when I say Agric, there are different approaches to agriculture, we have fishery, we have poultry, we have oil palm. There are different aspect of agriculture that we are yet to tap into, fully. So, maybe when we do that, we will be able to generate revenue internally that we can use to back up financially. But as at now, what comes from federal is what we are using, so what we don’t have, we can’t spend but, what we have, we are using it judiciously to the benefit of our people.
As a Vibrant and woman politician, considering the rate of clamouring for women inclusion in politics, are you making any personal effort to groom more female into politics?
Of course yes, that is what as a woman, I am very passionate about doing. I pray that our women also will get there, we have many women in the political space but getting to decision making position is very difficult. In Ekiti State at this time, we want to appreciate the efforts of Erelu and it’s my prayer that the legacy she has laid down in Ekiti state would be built upon by the incoming first lady of the state. She did very well in that regard, ensuring that women are inclusive in decision making both at the state level and the local government and also in my own little capacity, I am interested in ensuring that our women are brought up and by God’s grace, I believe we will get there.
Briefly access the outgoing administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi?
Well, I will say that Doctor John Kayode Fayemi has done his bit, you know government is continual. So, the work can not finish, he has done well in his first and second term. I believe that the incoming governor will be able to build on what he has done. He really tried in the aspect of education, infrastructure, technology.
Recently, the school of science and technology were given some funds which were meant to build more on the facilities to enable the students perform better. So, when something like that is in place, it will tell you that we are moving towards what the Chinese are doing. In China, they are more of production rather than consumption.
So, when we are able to build our technology then, we move towards production. Someone who is being empowered to build something, then we will be able to go into exportation that is going to earn us foreign currency. So, building on our technology is very germane, i give it to Doctor Kayode Fayemi that he did very well, knowledge economy is one of the pillars of this administration and he did excellently well in that aspect.
When you build human capital, the future of that nation will be very great and I believe that if the Governor Elect that is coming in can take an aspect and do it well and also ensure that the legacy that has been laid down in other aspects is not eroded, then gradually, we will get there.
Considering the economic hardship in the Country, many Nigerians are not satisfied with the performance of President Muhammadu Buhari. How optimistic is your party in winning the next general election?
It depends on how an individual feel about the administration. You know what we have now is not limited to Nigeria, I want to tell you that it’s not only in Nigeria. It is globally, what we are experiencing now is global economic hardship, not Nigeria alone. We heard it also in countries like Canada, US, to mention few. This inflation we are talking about is not limited to Nigeria but, I want to tell you and if you will agree with me, accessing the government of Buhari especially about infrastructure, he did well.
This railway that we are talking about, there one that was built for a long time, Buhari has taken it from that level and has pushed it forward. So, it is not as it used to be. The rail line in Nigeria can be compared to what we have in developed countries and I believe that if we keep going like that, railway line will cut across the country.
There are so many other aspects of Buhari’s deeds in terms of roads and other infrastructures, if you look at one side where the score is low, you have to balance it with other aspect where he scored higher. It is not enough to say that because there is a particular area that is not enjoying what others are enjoying, we will now say, that Buhari’s government has not performed, no. There are different ways each states are enjoying it which may be different to others but that is not to say he has not performed.
What about Security challenges currently bedeviling the Nation?
You see on that security aspect, God will help us because it is not a one man show but, I believe that whatsoever that may be the shortcomings of this administration and by God’s grace, in the next dispensation, those shortcomings will be well taken care of, it’s just because we Nigerians have very short memory.
If you remember what happened even before Buhari got to power, if you consider it one after the other, you will know that this security we are talking about did not start during the time of Buhari but, it is just that it keeps spreading more but, I believe that by God’s grace, whatsoever the shortcomings, the areas that this administration has not done well, the next administration will be able to perform more.
So, are you hopeful that your party will win in 2023?
I am hopeful, we are going to win. APC will win and Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is our next incoming President by God’s