I don't have excuse not to perform as Ekiti governor ― Oyebanji

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Ekiti state governor, Biodun Oyebanji gave an account of stewardship in his first 100 days in office, noting that he would not have any excuse not to perform and deliver for the people of the state.

Oyebanji who was sworn in on October 16 as governor of Ekiti state, spoke in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Friday during a stakeholders engagement with people of the state held at the Obafemi Awolowo civic and convention where he delivered his interventions in the last 100 days at the helm of affairs.

The event, which was themed ‘Keeping Ekiti Working Towards Shared Prosperity’ was attended by the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; Wife of the Governor, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Olubunmi Adelugba, Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro; Head of Service, Bamidele Agbede, members of the National Assembly; members of the House of Assembly, members of the State Executive Council, labour union leaders; market women, Artisans and other stakeholders of the state.

He disclosed that his administration kick-started by laying a solid foundation for the actualization of the six-point agenda and manifesto released to the state during the electioneering campaigns, which are youth development and human capital development, infrastructure and Industrialization, arts and culture and efficient governance.

According to him, he was aware of the fundamental challenges confronting the state ranging from social, economic and security having served the state since 1999 as an aide to two former governors, Niyi Adebayo and Dr Kayode Fayemi cumulatively for eleven years.

While commending the people of the state for the confidence reposed in him during the election, pledged to serve them and placed priority on their welfare and development with sincerity of purpose.

Oyebanji stated that in the last 100 days, he had demonstrated his commitment to the development of the state with deliberate policies and programmes that have a direct impact on the people and created enabling environment for economic prosperity.

Reeling out the giant strides he was making in the health sector, Oyebanji posited that copious and spirited efforts are being devised to tame the migration of doctors from the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital and other health facilities overseas.

He said, “I am elected to administer the resources of the people on their behalf and I must come back to you to give account at regular intervals, hence this event today.

“The driver of growth is the small and medium scale businesses and the lubricant is the civil servants in Ekiti state. One of our policy thrusts is the welfare of our civil servants by regular payment of their salaries and deductions because this will have a ripple effect on society, thereby growing the economy. We have been doing this since we came off the board and I promise, we will not default.

“I don’t have any excuse to Ekiti people for non-performance; I can’t say I don’t know our challenges as a state looking at my history, so my latitude for error is small. I served with former governors, Niyi Adebayo for four years and Dr Kayode Fayemi for seven years and don’t forget I was the secretary of the committee for the creation of Ekiti in 1996 at the age of 26 years.”

Speaking on the lack of major infrastructural interventions in the first 100 days, the governor said, ” our spending on infrastructure will be to drive our productivity and economic growth. I am not ready to embark on any project for the sake of it or commissioning. That is why despite intense pressure from different quarters, we are taking our time because it is Biodun Oyebanji people voted for, I want to succeed and better the lives of our people.”

In his effort to boost the economy of the state, the Governor also confirmed that the Independent Power Project of the state in Ado Ekiti would be commissioned by May this year to power the street lights, government offices and hospitals which may later upscale from the initial 1Mw to 5Mw in the nearest future.

Speaking further, the Governor also said the Ilupeju and Ijesa Isu power substations would soon be completed in collaboration with the Federal Government to end the electricity problem in the northern area of the state as well as to Omuo-Ekiti axis which had been cut off the national grid for over eight years.

Oyebanji noted that his administration had commenced the empowerment of youths through Innovation Grants Facilities developed as a template to open ways of employment for the youths leading to appreciable impacts in job creation.

He also added that his administration had concluded plans to remove all the challenges impeding youths from embarking on agricultural businesses by developing massive plans for the agricultural space through the provision of farm seedlings, pest control, and cultivation of farmland.

“Chief Obafemi Awolowo is dead, but Chief was remembered more because of free education than because of any other thing, and that tells me that policy, though intangible has a very fundamental effect on the lives of the populace will be more enduring and sustainable than any other thing. And I was elected to choose Awolowo’s philosophy of developing the people,” he said.

Speaking, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe said the governor has started on a good note and promised traditional institutions would support and offer him necessary advice towards delivering his programmes for the overall development of the state.

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