Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
 The Ogun State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Afolabi Afuape, has disclosed why the state has not been able to conduct local government election.
According to Afuape, the tolling efffect of the COVID -19 pandemic and the recent EndSARS protest, are some of the factors responsible for the delay in conducting council elections in Ogun.
The Commissioner, who equally said dearth of fund as a result of dwindling revenue, has been responsible for delay in LG election, gave this disclosure on Tuesday, while speaking with newsmen, at the sideline of the foundation laying ceremony of a primary health centre, in Oke Egunya, Agooba Area of Abeokuta South Local Government of the state.
Afuape noted that year 2020 had witnessed series of issues which had really affected some government programmes and activities.
He assured that in the next few weeks, the state government would constitute the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) in order to commence process for the LG election.
“Year 2020 has been that of crisis; from COVID -19 to EndSARS protest. We came in as Commissioners in January and the pandemic started in February or March.
“If we inaugurate OGSIEC today, it won’t take six months to conduct. Three months to settle down and another three to give notices to the political parties and the eventual conduct of the election. Funding is another critical issue that should be looked into.
“We want to have LG election, we don’t want to write the House of Assembly every three months for tenure  extension of LG transition committee members. OGSIEC should be set up in the next few weeks”. The Commissioner explained.
He commended the Transition Commottee Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government, Ayodeji Shomide for the construction of the primary health centre closer to the people of Oke Egunya.
Afuape said that the health centre, when completed, would go a long way in meeting the immediate health needs of the people in the community.
In her goodwill message, Tomi Coker, yjr Ogun State Commissioner for Health,  hinted that the present government led by Gov. Dapo Abiodun had rehabilitated over 236 primary health centres across the state.
Coker promised that the health centre being constructed by the Abeokuta South Local Government, would be fully equipped with modern health facilities by the state government.
Earlier, Shomide, promised that the project would be completed within three months.
He appealed to the Commissioner for Health to assist in equipping the health centre with modern facilities for the benefit of the masses when completed.
“We have five health centres in the local government and we discovered that they cannot meet the health care needs of our populace, especially in this period of COVID -19 pandemic and other diseases.
“That is why we felt health facility should be constructed closer to the people so that they do not need to travel far to access health services ,” Shomide submitted.