Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji yesterday advised local government chairmen in the state to refrain from mismanagement that could jeopardise the financial autonomy granted the councils.

The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that, Oyebanji gave the advice yesterday, in Igogo-Ekiti, while inaugurating some projects executed by the chairperson of Ero Local Council Development Area, Mrs Felicia Ibiloye.

Oyebanji said the cardinal focus of the financial freedom was to ignite execution of landmark and beneficial projects at the local government, warning that such vision could be truncated if allocations to the tier of government were pillaged or spent recklessly.

He said that his administration has demonstrated support for local government autonomy, so that projects that could alleviate poverty, improve standards of living and make lives more abundant for the masses are executed at the rural level.

Oyebanji, represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, appealed to Ekiti citizens to back his second term bid, so that the lofty programmes initiated by his government could be spread across all the towns. The governor commended the council boss for maintaining peace and security with neighbouring state of Kwara, by fostering collaboration among stakeholders to ward off cross border criminals.