Sola POPOOLA
The Chairman, Ajoni local Council Development Area of Ekiti State, Prince Michael Ogungbemi has disclosed that his administration was in partnership with some international organisations to tackle the menace of Schools Dropout.
Prince Ogungbemi,who hinted after receiving multiple awards of Excellence from the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Correspondents Chapel, Ekiti State and two other organisations said his vision was to increase access to education in the area .
Accotding to him, his vision was to make every child of school age in the council enjoys unfettered access to education to reduce the malaise of school dropouts in Ekiti.
The council boss also expressed delight over how his effort tailored toward taming the rampaging bandits and kidnappers as well as boosting education of children were yielding the desired results and attracting both local and international recognition.
Ogungbemi said the fact that his actions and policies are having positive impacts on the populace necessitated the awards of the Best Local Government Administrator of the Year bestowed on him by three different reputation organisations in the country.
The Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, as well as a Lagos based body under the auspices of Evergreen Media Consult also honoured the council chairman.
Presenting their award to the Chairman at the Council’s headquarters in Ayedun Ekiti, on Wednesday, the Chairman, NUJ, Correspondents’ Chapel, Mr Raphael Ogbonnaiye, said union recognised the vision and developmental strides of the Council under Ogungbemi .
He acknowledged that the council boss’ bold intervention at ending the twin evils of banditry and kidnappings in the area had yielded fruitful results and creating enabling environment for business to thrive.
The media practitioners lauded Ogungbemi initiative in putting in place a local security network codenamed Operation EBBORAC that had helped in checkmating recurrent cases of kidnappings, killings and cattle rustling in the council.
Also, the Ekiti State Chairman, Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, Ekiti State Command, Pastor Sunday Makinde and President, Evergreen Media Consults Lagos, noted that Prince Ogungbemi also performed creditably well in the areas of governance, Education and provision of social amenities for the citizens.
Ogungbemi, who appreciated the awards expressed readiness to continually wage relentless war against kidnappers, bandits and cattle rustlers that are holding the council by the jugular and disrupting economic activities.
He added that he was already in partnership with international organisations for the actualisation of his vision to make every child of school age in the council enjoys unfettered access to education to reduce the malaise of school dropouts in Ekiti.