…as govt unfolds activities marking 3rd anniversary
The huge investments of the administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in aviation, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure in the last three years have succeeded in ramping up public facilities and setting the state firmly on the path of economic greatness.
Accordingly, the Governor is not going to relax in the implementation of his six-pillar development agenda. Instead, his administration is poised to do a lot more in the coming year.
This was disclosed in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday at a press conference marking the third anniversary of the Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji administration.
Addressing journalists at the press conference, the Chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee, who is also the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Oyeniyi Adebayo saluted the citizens for their commitment and support in the execution of government policies, describing this as a veritable impetus to deliver the best for the Ekiti populace.
Adebayo said the administration has made tremendous impact in the areas of road infrastructure, agriculture, youth employment, rural development, and other thematic sectors of the economy, thereby making Ekiti a destination of choice for investors and tourists.
To mark the administration’s third anniversary, Adebayo revealed that many life-changing projects such as the Ikere-Igbara-Odo Road, Ogotun-Ikogosi Road, Isinbode-Ara-Ikole Road, Ado Ekiti Ring Road Phase 1 that traverses over six major towns, Omu-Ijelu-Itapa Road, Spotless Hotel Road at GRA Area, GRA Third Extension Road, and others will be commissioned to add value to the state’s economic fabric.
In the area of human services, he added that five general hospitals that were recently given comprehensive rehabilitation and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities would be inaugurated for use by the people.
In the area of agriculture, Adebayo disclosed that over 5,000 youths had been encouraged to fully engage in commercial agriculture through cluster farming, taking cognizance of Ekiti’s favourable comparative advantage in farming.
He maintained that the geometric increase in the level of food production accounted for why the state was rated as having the least incidence of food inflation in the country by the National Bureau of Statistics.
“Road infrastructures are being strategically provided to open up the state to new economic opportunities. Knowing our strength in agriculture, we are doing free land clearing and encouraging the youths to go into commercial farming.
“Go round the cluster farming sites that we have provided; we are building dormitories reminiscent of the farm settlements established by Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s administration during the old Western Region. These are meant to encourage our youths and for Ekiti to attain food security status.
“Over 5,000 of them have been brought in and fully engaged, and we are still looking at encouraging more. You can imagine the economic impact of removing such a huge number of youths from the unemployment market in a state like ours.
“While celebrating, we are not going to rest until Ekiti is fully placed on the path of economic prosperity. We will keep on delivering the dividends of democracy to our people in line with the shared prosperity vision of this government.”
Adebayo congratulated the citizens on the approval granted by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) for full-fledged commercial operations of the Ekiti State International Cargo Airport.
He averred that this milestone will help in transforming the landscape and serve as a springboard for the state’s economic potential.
The Governor described the aviation industry as a means of creating leverage for the state in terms of business and investment competitiveness nationally and globally, and as a window to market its potential to investors who can change the economic narrative through effective diversification.
Other members of the planning committee at the briefing included the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habibat Adubiaro; Head of Service, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi; State Chairman of APC, Barrister Sola Elesin; Special Adviser to the Governor on Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun; Special Adviser, Office of OTSD, Dr. John Ekundayo; Chairman, ALGON, Hon. Olusegun Ojo; and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Olayinka Oyebode.
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