23rd March 2023 | Community Town Hall Meeting
Special Guests:
Citizen Journalist: Akinagbe Richard
Mr. Olleyelogun Ogungbede: Chairman Ondo East Artisan Association
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Summary of the Meeting
The town hall meeting was aimed at educating the citizens on the constitutional roles of local government officials. The meeting also provided a platform for people to ask questions on matters that affect them, strengthening the capacity of citizens to advance government accountability at the local government level.
The meeting had in attendance youths from ward 3 in Ondo East L.G.A. The issues discussed include Continuous Voters’ Registration Exercise, youth empowerment, and the high rate of poverty prevalence in the local government due to unemployment.
The youth lamented being marginalized from the Ondo State scholarship/bursary whereas they benefit maximally from it in the previous administration. The youth decried the high rate of poverty in their community due to the high cost of living and unemployment. Most of their girls are into prostitution for them to make ends meet.
In conclusion, the community journalist encouraged the youth to take advantage of the CVR ward devolution to register for their PVC at their respective wards so as to enable them to partake in the next election and vote for the right choice that will represent their interest well. He also encouraged them to engage with their representative and have information about developmental projects initiated in their local government by the federal, state, and local governments, this will help in promoting accountability, transparency, and honesty in governance. The youth resolved to register and collect their PVC for them to be able to vote out the bad representation they are experiencing now.
Critical Issues Raised During the Meeting
- Lack of good roads.
- Lack of potable water.
- Poor electricity supply.
Resolution
- The citizens agreed to continue to use the various opportunities available to engage the local government and councilors to express their grievances to the government.
Lessons for Future Engagements
- Working more with community institutions such as churches, mosques, traditional leaders, and other opinion groups will help in providing lasting solutions to national issues.
Below are pictorial representations of the participants.
