Stakeholders demand more support for farmers, widows, youths, education and persons with disabilities as council opens consultations
The Executive Chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. (Barr.) Oluyemisi Adenike Rosiji, has reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to people-oriented governance, assuring residents that pressing community needs will take priority in the formulation of the 2027 budget.
Hon. Rosiji gave the assurance at the 2027 Budget Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum, themed “Budget of Transformation,” held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Council Secretariat Hall, where stakeholders from different sectors of the community presented proposals on infrastructure, healthcare, education, youth development, agriculture and social welfare.
The forum provided an opportunity for residents, traditional rulers, community leaders, political stakeholders, professional groups and representatives of vulnerable populations to contribute directly to determining Ojokoro’s development priorities for the coming fiscal year.
Addressing participants, The Council Boss explained that the essence of the consultation was to ensure that the council’s budget reflected the actual needs of its communities rather than being limited to expenditure estimates and financial projections.
She noted that residents understood the peculiar challenges confronting their respective wards and were therefore well positioned to identify roads requiring rehabilitation, drainage channels needing intervention, schools and healthcare facilities requiring improvements, and other areas demanding government attention.
According to her, while the council might not be able to meet every request within a single fiscal year, all submissions would be considered based on urgency, public benefit, cost and alignment with the administration’s development priorities.
“Our goal is to make the people active participants in governance, not merely beneficiaries of government programmes,” the Chairman declared.
She stressed that the 2027 budget would be guided by prudent financial management, transparency, accountability and value for money, taking into consideration expected revenue, statutory obligations, recurrent expenditure and available resources for capital projects.
GBELEYI ROAD REHABILITATION, PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE TOP PRIORITIES
Responding to community concerns, Rosiji confirmed that rehabilitation work was already underway along the Gbeleyi Community Road corridor, offering reassurance to residents over the condition of the road.
She further emphasised that projects with broad public benefits, particularly those addressing drainage, healthcare and educational infrastructure, would receive priority consideration over requests serving narrow or private interests.
The Chairman also highlighted some of her administration’s interventions since the last budget consultation, particularly in human capital development, economic empowerment and education.
She cited the council’s School of Vocational Studies, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) programmes, through which residents had acquired practical skills to improve their employment and entrepreneurial prospects.
She also referenced financial assistance and cash relief for beneficiaries, as well as cash awards to vocational graduates to support the purchase of tools needed to establish or expand their businesses.
On education, Rosiji highlighted the provision of free General Certificate of Education (GCE) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) forms, alongside the council’s Back-to-School initiative and annual Spelling Bee Competition.
She maintained that the administration would continue to pursue interventions that expand educational opportunities, strengthen essential services and improve residents’ livelihoods, while acknowledging that limited resources made careful prioritisation necessary.
COUNCIL MANAGER: ROSIJI’S INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE BEHIND STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM
Earlier, the Council Manager, Dr. Idowu Daisi Banjoko, welcomed participants and commended the Chairman for her developmental strides across Ojokoro LCDA.
Dr. Idowu Banjoko described the consultative forum as a practical expression of the administration’s commitment to inclusive governance, explaining that the exercise was designed to obtain the contributions of residents and community stakeholders before finalising the council’s 2027 budget priorities.
He observed that the Chairman could not independently identify every challenge confronting every community, making it necessary for residents to bring their needs directly to the attention of the administration.
He urged participants to take advantage of the opportunity to articulate their communities’ pressing needs, noting that the administration’s developmental achievements had also attracted recognition beyond the council area.
BUDGET OFFICE URGES BALANCED DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES
In her presentation, the Head of the Department of Planning, Budget and Statistics, Mrs. Aminat Ariyibi, explained the importance of stakeholder participation in the budgeting process.
She noted that the consultations enabled the council to plan with the people by incorporating their needs into the process, rather than limiting public engagement to revenue generation and other administrative matters.
Mrs. Ariyibi also discussed the council’s approach to budget preparation, referencing Lagos State’s standardisation of local government budgeting processes in 2015 and the importance of compliance with applicable fiscal requirements and benchmarks.
While acknowledging the importance of road infrastructure, she encouraged stakeholders to give adequate attention to other development sectors, particularly youth development, education and healthcare.
Her position reinforced the need for a balanced budget capable of addressing both physical infrastructure and the social needs of residents.
SPORTS, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, WIDOW EMPOWERMENT FEATURE IN DEMANDS
The interactive session produced a range of proposals reflecting the different needs and interests of Ojokoro residents.
Mr. Chuka Odinachi, founder of J-9 Sports, commended the council’s sports development efforts and described Ojokoro as an emerging model for other communities.
He celebrated the area’s sporting achievements, including its record of winning the prestigious Principal’s Cup for three consecutive years, while calling for sustained investment in sports to discover and develop young talents.
A representative of D&G Hotel and Suites also advocated stronger youth engagement, emphasising the need for programmes that would encourage responsibility and constructive participation among young people.
Mrs. Balikis Adegbenga, Head of LASCOTA, expressed appreciation for the administration’s support for residents through the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme.
She, however, called for additional interventions to empower widows, provide mobility support for those in need and offer scholarships to deserving students.
Her recommendations highlighted the importance of complementing infrastructure development with social protection measures capable of supporting vulnerable households.
Representing the Community Development Committee (CDC), Alhaji Adeyemi reaffirmed the community leadership’s support for the Rosiji administration, citing visible project delivery and expressing optimism about continued cooperation between the council and its communities.
HON. OWOLABI HAILS RECYCLING HUB, GIVES ROSIJI HIGH PERFORMANCE MARKS
Former Member of the House of Representatives, Hon. James Owolabi, commended the Chairman’s administration, particularly its recent commissioning of a recyclable collection hub in Ojokoro.
The facility, unveiled the previous week, is designed to promote environmental sustainability, encourage recycling and create economic opportunities through the collection of recyclable materials.
Hon. Owolabi described the initiative as a notable achievement, drawing attention to Ojokoro’s pioneering role in establishing a local government recycling hub in Lagos State.
He also disclosed that political leaders at the apex level had recently reviewed the Chairman’s first year in office and rated her performance highly, expressing expectations of even greater achievements in her second year.
His remarks added political endorsement to the discussion, while underscoring the importance of environmental management and economic initiatives in the council’s development agenda.
FARMERS, PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES SEEK GREATER INCLUSION
The Chairman of the Farmers Association, Dr. Femi Lambe, used the forum to call for stronger government support for agriculture in Ojokoro.
He appealed for the provision of essential farming inputs and equipment, grants and financial assistance, as well as access to local and international capacity-building opportunities that could improve farmers’ productivity and strengthen the agricultural sector.
Similarly, Mr. Ojo Bamidele, representing Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), praised Rosiji for sponsoring a comprehensive programme for persons with disabilities across all 57 local governments and local council development areas in Lagos State.
He affectionately described the Chairman as “Mama Koseleri,” meaning a mother like no other, in recognition of her support for the disability community.
Beyond commending the initiative, Mr. Bamidele advocated formal appointments and political opportunities for qualified persons with disabilities within the council, arguing that greater representation would bring them closer to decision-making and expand their access to opportunities.
His appeal brought inclusion and representation into sharper focus as stakeholders considered the groups and sectors that should benefit from the forthcoming budget.
HON. ROSIJI CALLS FOR RESPONSIBLE PRIORITISATION
As deliberations progressed, the Chairman urged participants to approach the ward-based breakout sessions with seriousness, objectivity and a strong sense of community responsibility.
She asked each group to identify specific locations requiring intervention, distinguish urgent needs from projects that could be implemented in subsequent phases, and submit recommendations that reflected the collective interests of their communities.
The exercise was intended to complement departmental proposals, technical assessments and financial considerations in developing a realistic and impactful budget.
Hon. Rosiji reiterated that the objective was to build a more accessible, healthier, safer, cleaner and economically vibrant Ojokoro, stressing that achieving the goal would require cooperation between the council and the people.
VICE CHAIRMAN URGES PVC COLLECTION AS FORUM ENDS IN PRAYERS
In his vote of thanks, the Vice Chairman, Hon. Tunde Oyekunle, expressed appreciation to the stakeholders for their participation and contributions.
He assured residents that the administration remained committed to delivering the dividends of democracy across the LCDA and expressed confidence in the political prospects of the Rosiji-led administration.
Hon. Oyekunle also urged eligible residents to collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate peacefully in forthcoming elections.
The forum ended with prayers led by the Chief Imam of Ojokoro LCDA, Alhaji Ambali Lawal, who sought divine protection, peace, economic prosperity and continued success for the council, its leadership and the country.
With the consultations concluded, the task before the administration is to translate the competing demands into a workable financial plan that balances community expectations with available resources.For Ojokoro residents, the significance of the 2027 Budget of Transformation will ultimately depend not only on the priorities identified at the forum but also on how effectively approved projects and programmes are implemented to impro