In a year-end address, the Chairman of Ikole Local Government Area in Ekiti State, Mr. Bayo Omojola, has laid out a clear roadmap for 2026, centering his administration’s success on the diligence and commitment of the council’s workforce. Speaking exclusively with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ikole-Ekiti, Omojola framed the coming year as pivotal for translating governmental agendas into tangible local development.
Omojola emphasized that the functionality and progress of any local government are intrinsically linked to the performance of its staff. “For every local government council to be developed and functional, the workers must be ready to give their best in their various departments,” he stated. This call to action moves beyond generic encouragement, positioning civil servants as the primary engines for implementing community-focused projects.
The Chairman’s strategy is anchored on a streamlined four-point agenda, derived from Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s broader six-point blueprint for Ekiti State. These focal areas are:
- Agriculture: Promoting food security and agribusiness at the grassroots level.
- Education: Enhancing educational infrastructure and access.
- Infrastructure: Developing basic amenities and facilities.
- Good Governance: Ensuring transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement.
Omojola was explicit that these agendas “can only be actualised with commitment from workers.” He directly linked staff productivity to the council’s financial autonomy, identifying Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) as a critical tool for development. “We need IGR to fund most of our needs… if every worker carries out his or her duties, we will achieve our goals,” he explained. This highlights a practical reality for Nigerian local governments: limited federal allocations make efficient revenue collection and prudent management essential for independent project execution.
While urging hard work, the Chairman adopted a “carrot and stick” approach. He promised collaboration and prioritised staff welfare but issued a firm warning against complacency. “I am ready to work with everybody… but I will not tolerate any form of complacency,” he asserted. This balanced message aims to motivate while setting clear expectations for performance.
Expanding his remit beyond typical administrative duties, Omojola also addressed security—a paramount concern in many regions. He urged workers to be vigilant and report suspicious activities, pledging that his administration would “improve on the security network” in 2026. This inclusion underscores the expanding role of local government chairs in addressing community safety and fostering a secure environment for both citizens and economic activities like farming.
His assurance to improve “workers and farmers welfare” specifically ties agricultural productivity to the well-being of those in the sector, suggesting potential interventions like input subsidies or extension services.
Ultimately, Omojola’s message transforms a standard new year exhortation into a coherent policy statement. It clarifies the administration’s priorities (Agriculture, Education, Infrastructure, Governance), establishes worker productivity as the key mechanism for achieving them, and links daily performance to the council’s financial health and the community’s overall security and prosperity. The success of Ikole’s 2026 vision now appears firmly contingent on the symbiotic relationship between leadership direction and civil service execution.
Reported by Adedeji Egbebi for NAN. Edited by Sandra Umeh.
