REAPING ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF EKITI’S FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE By Laleye Lashore

The presidential campaign of President Jonathan at the Oluyemi Kayode stadium in Ado-Ekiti on Tuesday, January 13 this year presented an opportunity for the President to eulogise the academic prowess of Ekiti people. Justifying the epiteth of the fountain of knowledge as Ekiti state is fondly called, the President noted that at a point in Nigeria’s history, Ekiti state produced nearly half of the number of professors in the country. The President noted the high number of indigenes of Ekiti who teach at all caders in universities around the world. The president was explaining why he thought it fit for government to establish the Federal university at Oye-Ekiti.
The president’s commendation for the academic prowess of Ekiti state was not just to get votes. All over the world, people believe that the appellation of the fountain of knowledge is well deserved by Ekiti people. Ekiti people had for long believed that the only way to wipe out poverty, ignorance and disease from any family is to educate the children. This is why in the past, parents sold their personal belongings, including personal clothes, to sponsor their children in school. An average Ekiti person would rather go hungry to save money for the school of their children.
The few early secondary schools in Ekiti served as breeding grounds for the egg heads of today. Admission into those schools were keenly competitive. Such schools include Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti Parapo College, Ido-Ekiti, Egbeoba High School, Ikole-Ekiti and Doherty Memorial College, Ijero-Ekiti. Others are Corpus Christi College, Ilawe-Ekiti, Announciation Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, Ise-Emure Grammar School,  Ise-Emure-Ekiti,  as well as my Alma Mata, Amoye Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, where our reading habit was nurtured by the evergreen canopies of accacia trees and the rocks on which we laid to read. Girls were specially attracted to girl’s schools, such as St Louis Girls’ Grammar School, Ikere-Ekiti, St Mary’s Girls’ Grammar School, Ikole-Ekiti as well as Mary Immaculate, Ado-Ekiti. Students of these schools were drawn from different parts of the country.
Notable secondary school teachers from these schools wrote books that went beyond Ekiti to assist students in passing  their final examination. Chief Ogunlade from Erijiyan-Ekiti wrote on Biology,  while a teacher from Ise-Emure Grammar School, Chief Ayorinde, wrote on Yoruba. There were several other Ekiti indigenes, who wrote textbooks that assisted students all over Nigeria. That was then when teachers were teachers.
Outside the classroom, some indigenes of Ekiti state also contributed to the development of education. Chief Lawrence Omolayo from Afao-Ekiti and G. E. Ilesanmi from Efon-Alaaye published books that got to all nooks and crannies of Nigeria to assist students.
After Ekiti state was created in nineteen ninety-six, the state  government organised an economic summit the following year on how to raise the economic base of the new state. In a paper he presented at the summit a notable son of Ekiti, Chief Segun Agbetuyi, from Usi-Ekiti, suggested that the easiest way to attract money to Ekiti was for the state to use its comparative advantage in education. Chief Agbetuyi suggested that if world class schools were built in Ekiti using the high level of educational manpower available in the state, residents of other states such as Lagos would send their children to acquire knowledge in Ekiti state.
When the Oladele Olashore International High School was founded at Iloko-Ijesa, some of us wished it could further be moved inward to enjoy the abundance of knowledge in Ekiti. Little did we know that an icon like Aare Bamofin Afe Babalola would one day establish a world class university in Ekiti state. Today, children from all parts of the world are attracted to drink from Ekiti’s Fountain of knowledge. The university has also attracted a Federal Teaching Hospital to Ekiti state. It is also a thing of joy that Aare Afe Babalola is working on bringing the airport project in Ado-Ekiti to fruition. This will further enhance interaction between the Fountain of Knowledge and the rest of the world.
In line with the vision of the founding fathers of Ekiti, we need more Afe Babalolas. We need to establish more world class schools from secondary to monotechnics, polytechnics and universities. Let us maximise the potentials of the fountain of knowledge by helping to spread education to other parts of the world. By so doing, we will bring more money to Ekiti state. Let us use what we have to get what we need. Some countries of the world including Singapore, Mauritius and Cyprus depend entirely on providing services for other parts of the world. Let us make money from providing education.

Laleye Lashore is a broadcast journalist.

WHY EKITI PREFERS FAYOSE, PDP By Laleye Lashore

It is unfortunate that the current happenings in Ekiti state are being misunderstood by those who are not living in the state. It is equally unfortunate that certain sections of the press and some dramatis personae in the events in Ekiti state had painted their jaundiced position and presented it to the world as representing the fact.
It is nauseating to read how people abuse Ekiti people for voting massively for the PDP in the general elections, while other states in the south-west geo-political zone voted APC. The people who are against Ekiti people for voting Fayose and the PDP do not know Fayemi, Ekiti APC and Fayose and Ekiti PDP. Ekiti people have tasted life under Fayemi and under Fayose. They are in a position to determine who is better. The people have equally being ruled by the APC and the PDP. They know their experiences under them.
Under the Fayemi administration, people saw an elitist government that was formed mainly by Ekiti indigenes based outside the state. The grassroots people in the APC were seen by the government of Fayemi as not good enough to hold important positions in that government. The government therefore lost touch with the grassroots almost immediately it was formed. Though governor Fayemi claimed the government had a bottom-up approach in arriving at decisions and policies, the disconnect between the government and the people left a yearning gap.
The people groaned silently under the administration. The state suffered unprecedented capital flight as ‘foreign based’ Ekiti indigenes who made up the government were busy repatriating the commonwealth of Ekiti people to their bases outside the state.
The ostentation of the regime was not lost on the people. The wife of the governor was known for open display of a flamboyant life. One of the programmes with which the wife of the governor was fleecing the wealth of Ekiti state was tagged “Gender Summit” which was always an international jamboree that involved high caliber women sponsored to the event with Ekiti state money. The programme would hold two or three times in a year.
Another area of life of the Fayemi administration that Ekiti people hated was the nack for the administration not to belief in the local people. For example, local talents were neglected by the government, who prefered to deal with popular Nollywood artistes. Local entertainers were not good for that administration. Local MC’s were jettisoned by the administration too. That government prefered canopies from Lagos to those in Ekiti anytime there was a government function. It was as if Dr Fayemi and his people in government were flashing before the people the wealth of Ekiti and saying it was not meant for them.
To worsen the situation, the government took a bond from the capital market and raised other loans from banks and Ekiti state government was neck deep in debt. The money raised was spent on frivolous and bogus projects. A lot of uncompleted projects embarked upon with the money raised were  commissioned when they were yet to be completed. Such projects include the Oba Adejugbe General Hospital in Ado-Ekiti and the Ire Burnt Brick Factory at Ire-Ekiti.
The issue of the 3.3 billion Naira Oke-Ayoba Governor’s Lodge, built by the Fayemi administration would not be forgotten easily. The pavillion built by the Fayemi administration is now lying fallow in Ado-Ekiti. It is currently not in use. This is just to say that the 2.2 billion Naira spent on the project should have been directed to a much more useful venture.
Today,  Fayemi and his men are mostly out of Ekiti, while they left the state in a debacle of unpredented debt. It is painful to hear the same Fayemi speaking on Adaba FM in Akure that very soon Fayose will not be able to pay salary, as the six months moratorium  sought by Fayose from the banks will soon be over. This is talking about the debt owed by the Fayemi administration. What an insensitive person!
On the other hand is Ayo Fayose, who is a grassroots man. There are so many voices saying different things on the impeachment move against governor Fayose of Ekiti state. Most views expressed on the matter have been tainted with bias and needless emotions. It is unfortunate that these views have given bad name to Ekiti state.
Some disgruntled elements who dislike the peresonality of governor Fayose have painted a bad picture of him to the world. Their hatred for the governor arose from the same reason the masses love him: governor Fayose has de-mystified the position of the governor. He has always showed, through his actions and words, that the governor is first of all a human being, who should not be placed far above the people he governs. To some elites, Governor Fayose is a street man, and the governor is not making any pretence about it.
Let’s take an illustration to elucidate the commonplace nature of the governor: When he was inaugurated as governor on the 16th of October last year, the governor ordered the people to follow him to the multi-billion Naira Oke-Ayoba governor’s lodge in Ado-Ekiti. He said the people should take over the building and occupy it. The people obeyed the governor by beseiging the lodge; they actually took it over for that day. These are the masses of the people, who far out-number the few elites who hate Fayose’s gut.
The commonest telephone number in Ekiti is that of governor Fayose. He still continues to give out his number to the people on any programme in which he participates on the radio and television. The governor receives text messages from just anybody and still personally finds time to reply them all. Governor Fayose regards his telephone line, on which he receives the people’s messages as one of his most treasured assets.
The governor has so many peresonal friends among those refered to as the “wretched of the earth” and the “dreg of the society”. He treasures his closeness to these people.
It is common to see most people who are coming into politics for the first time to start wooing notable politicians to help them mobilize the people for their votes. Ayo Fayose chose to go to the people themselves. He befriended them and made them his partners. It happens that the needs of these grassroots people are limited. What most of them want is recognition, social justice, truthfulness and being carried along. These are what Fayose has been giving them. But Fayose’s opponents find it difficult to stoop to befriend the people and they despise Fayose for doing just that.
It is wonderful that Fayose has never allowed the laurel of office to come between himself and the people. He listens to and consults with them.
No political leader in Ekiti is in closer relations with Okada riders association, tailoring association, automobile workers and other artisans, as Ayo Fayose. He is the governor whose convoy can be stopped just by anybody, to give information to the governor or ask him a question. He often abandon the comfort of his office and walk on the streets to feel the pulse of the people.
Frustrated by his closeness to the grassroots, some disgruntled elites, who think the governor should curry their favour believe the governor should not be forgiven for refusing to take orders from them. The truth is that Ayo Fayose is not a saint; he has his faults, but he is neither a demon, nor a monster as his detractors want the world to believe. Emboldened by his solid christian foundation and sound knowledge of biblical doctrines, Ayo Fayose radiates rare self confidence, boldness and courage which undiscerning minds mistake for excessive pride.
It must be accepted that Fayose is a nut too hard for his political opponents to crack. They are frustrated by his colossal political stature. That is why they always bite him and scratch him with their finger nails. Fayose remains the man to beat in any election. It is too difficult to put a wedge between him and the teeming masses of Ekiti people. This is why the welfare of the people remains the major focus of his administration. Payment of workers’ salaries is topmost on government spending priority list, because according to the governor, Ekiti,  being a civil servant state needs the payment of government workers, to keep money circulating in the state.
In one of his campaign rallies preceeding his election, governor Fayose said he should be allowed to wrest power from the elitist government and give it back to the people. That is what he has done. The government in Ekiti state today is that of Iyalaje, Iyaloja, other traders and artisans. It is the government of okada riders, teachers as well as that of civil servants. All of them now have the ears of the governor. Disgruntled elites have right to their grudges against Fayose, but they should remember that government belongs to all. The less privileged should not be denied permanently of the right of access to government.

ENSURING REGULAR SUPPLY OF ELECTRICITY IN EKITI STATE By Laleye Lashore

For many years, government had grappled unsuccessfully to ensure steady supply of electricity to the people. All efforts of government failed to yield positive result and government decided to hand over the power sector to private operators, who are expected to bring efficiency to power supply. The story in Ekiti is not totally different from what obtains in most parts of Nigeria. To most Nigerians, the situation appears to be getting worse with the passing of each day.

It was therefore a thing of joy when governor Fayose said he was going to hold a meeting with the officials of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, with a view to improving electricity supply to Ekiti state. The concern of the governor must have stemmed from his genuine wish to make life easier for the people of Ekiti state. His belief is that ensuring constant supply of electricity would enhance the business of the hair dresser and that of the welder, as well as those of other artisans. Judging from the precedent laid in his first term, the governor is about to wave another magic wand that will improve electricity supply to Ekiti state. In his first term, governor Fayose improved electricty supply to Ekiti state by extending power supply to the state from neighbouring states of Osun and Kwara. Elecricity to the state also received a boost through another supply from Kogi state. All these lines complemented the then existing 33kv line from Akure in Ondo state. Today Ekiti state has a 132kv line from Osogbo via Akure. That means more power supply to the state, yet the people enjoy less power supply to their homes and business premises.

Can the governor’s intervention work as it did in the past? The governor may not have to construct electricity lines now like he did in the past, except the line from Ilesa through Aramoko which collapsed for lack of maintenance. BEDC is a private company whose business may not need the direct investment of government. What the governor has to do to help his people is to appeal to them to bail themselves out of incessant power outage by paying their electricity bills promptly. Investigation reveals that only about twenty thousand of the 88,000 electricity consumers in Ekiti state settle their electricty bills in any given month. As long as people refuse to pay their bills, there may not be improved power supply to Ekiti state. The people will have to help the governor to ensure better supply of electricity to the state by paying their bills. It may be useless asking government for the supply of transformer, or installation of existing transformer when the people refuse to pay their bills. Any community, where people pay their bills regularly can approach BEDC for the upgrading of their installations. It is no longer business as usual for those who refuse to pay their bills.
Enough of stealing of electricity through illegal connections. We must watch the way we use power. Unlike in the past, we must not keep security light around our houses and business premises burning in the afternoon, as every power that comes into the state has to be paid for. The government may still do one or two things to reduce the suffering of the people due to incessant power outage but the bulk of the solution to the problem is between the people and the electricty company.
Our own BEDC buys electricity from Omu Aran in Kwara state, from Osogbo and from Kogi. BEDC has to pay the companies that generate the electricity. Out of the four states of Ondo, Edo, Ekiti and Delta, being supplied by the company, Ekiti generates the least revenue. Possibilty exists for the company to divert electricity to other states where it earns more revenue. There is the need for the electric company itself to educate the people on its mode of operation. It should step up its revenue generation drive through the formation of Company-Consumer Relations Committees in every community. The company should also curb corruption among its staff, who might divert funds meant for necessary development to their private purses. To those of us complaining about irregularity in power supply, the golden rule is for us to pay our electric bill regularly. We must empower the electicity company to serve us effectively.

Laleye Lashore is a broadcast journalist.

ENOUGH OF LEGISLATIVE THREAT IN EKITI -By Laleye Lashore

Governor Ayo Fayose

All over the world, democracy is adjudged the best form of government, as it allows the participation of every person in forming and runing the government.  Every member of a democratic society is given the right  to vote and be voted for in an election, while they can also vote in a referendum. Democratic governance is actually run by three arms of government; the executive, the legislature and the judiciary. The constitution of any nation spells out clearly the roles of  each of these arms. While the executive formulates and execute policies of the government, the legislature makes laws to run the state. The judiciary, which is the third arm of the government is to ensure that all mattres of the state are carried out according to the constitution and the laws of the land. These three arms of government are therefore interdependent as no one arm can function without the other.
The most important thing is that they are all working for the same purpose of enhancing the welfare of the people. This is the scenario expected among the three arms of the government in Ekiti state following the swearing in of Governor Ayo Fayose on October 16 as the governor of Ekiti state, but events in the state have proved contrary to expectation as officers of the state have not played the game according to rule. What we have seen is greed and selfishness and group interest taking the center stage far above the people’s interest; personal aggradisement have been accorded priority over the overriding interest of the public.
Any keen political observers on the Ekiti state scenario would have for long seen the present situation coming. Is this not the same APC that fought tooth and nail to prevent the swearing in of a duly elected governor, who won in a landslide victory? Some followers of Governor Fayose know him as an incurable optimist, who believe that he can always reconcile with his most difficult adversary, and the governor has succeeded exceedinly well with this philosophy. But they believed there was no way the governor could persuade or convince the APC legislators to work hand in hand with him. Some of the governor’s supporters believe that all entreaties of the governor, including the payment of their outstanding allowances that saw each of them receiving about five million Naira would fail. One of the impossible conditions the legislators gave to the governor is to ensure that APC leaders with criminal records are not arrested and prosecuted. Those who were pessimistic that no deal would work with the APC legislators believe that the lawmakers were not the real problem, but their handlers. The handlers of the Ekiti state APC lawmakers include three former governors. This trio and the  ‘oga at the top’ in Lagos would not mind to stop the development of Ekiti state just to make sure that governor Fayose doesn’t suceed. They are the pipers who call the tunes. The legislators are mere puppets in the hands of these powers that be.
One needs not be a professor of economics to know that the economy of Ekiti state is now in bad shape. It needs the ingenuity of our present leaders and all the help we can get, internally and externally, to bring the state’s econmy back to its feet. To do this successfully, there must be a commissioner of finance. We all know that work has already started on some access roads in Ado, the state capital, with residents and commuters on those roads full of joy; we need a commissioner of works to oversee those projects. Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General has to be in place to guide government and give statutory representations.
And at the local government level, the people are crying for normalcy after the exit of a state government that brought the local governments to their knees. The people are eager to see functional local governments again. That the APC legislators refused to give these new officers of the government the nod to inject new life into the socio-economic life of Ekiti state was not surprising, since the APC stalwarts have sworn to make the state ungovernable for the PDP government of Fayose. But the lawmakers should be reminded that their oath of allegiance was to the state and not to any group or party. They should also be reminded of the fact that the interest of Ekiti state should be more paramount in their minds.
There is no way our legislators can be absolved of blame in running the economy of Ekiti state aground. They approved the recklessness of the past administation; They approved the mortgaging of our federally allocated revenue till 2020 against a loan taken by the last administration. The least they can do now is to cooperate with the present administation in its bid to salvage the economy.
The greatest moral burden of any government is to provide conducive environment for the common man to live meaningfully. The common man is interested in riding on good roads, getting stable power and water supplies and all the good stuff. He is not interested in the politics of seven or ten legislators against nineteen or sixteen. Let the APC legislators stop this child play and address the welfare of the people, which is their primary responsibilty.
One must commend the patriotism of the PDP legislators, especially the six of them who defected from the APC. They are the heroes and heroines of our time, who saved Ekiti from possible stagnation. We have now seen that their defection actually stemmed from their genuine love for the progress of Ekiti. May the Lord continue to bless them and their families. To the remaining legislators, who are being pushed around by adamant and recalcitrant APC leaders, there is still room for a rethink and ammendment. To the energetic, God ordained governor Fayose, he should forge ahead in his focused vision of developing Ekiti state. He should keep up with his policy of reconciling with even the most dificult political adversary. But, he should also be reminded of his personal philosophy of facing and defeating irreconcilliable adversary. He said it is the only way to work with them. For now, he remains the only hope of a better tomorrow for Ekiti. He should forge ahead.

Laleye Lashore is a boadcast journalist.

FAYOSE’S FAITH KEEPING WITH EKITI By Laleye Lashore

June 21 last year was a day of decision for Ekiti people. It was the day they rejected the Fayemi-led APC administation as they chose to follow the Ayo Fayose led PDP govewrnment. It was not difficult for the people to make their choice since they have tasted life under the two leaders. They knew who could run an all-inclusive grassreoots-oriented government.
So far events have proved that the people were right in their choice of preference for Ayo Fayose over Kayode Fayemi. So far, Fayose has treated the people as king as he carries them along in running government. He has used every available opportunity to explain to the people in the minutest details the state of things with Ekiti. In his first term, Fayose’s slogan was that Ekiti was not poor contrary to what the Adebayo government was saying.
But in tandem with the reality of the present situation, governor Fayose has not pretended that the economy of Ekiti state is not as rosy as it used to be. He has explained to the people       painstakingly how the government of Fayemi left a huge debt that has paralysed the economy of the state.
In spite of the huge debt, the Fayose administration continues to meet the yearnings and aspirations of Ekiti people. The governor continues to assure the people that they made a wise decision in voting for him on June 21, 2014.
Before he was sworn into office, Governor Fayose as the then governor-elect brought a team of  engineers to access the Park View-Petim junction road in Ado-Ekiti for construction. Work on the road is now nearing completion. Work is also on-going on the Bawa-CMCM road also in Ado-Ekiti. These are access roads that serve a large proportion of residents of Ado-Ekiti. Governor Fayose also started work on erosion control project on Mathew road junction and another  at the junction of Ajilosun-Oke Oniyo roads in Ajilosun. Work on these erosion control projects were completed and commissioned within the governor’s first one hundred days in office. It is the same for construction of market stalls at the Fayose market in Ajilosun and at the Bisi Egbeyemi market, both in Ado-Ekiti.
The Fayose government has also started to clear the arreas of salaries of government workers owed by the Fayemi administration. It is only September last year salary that is now outstanding, while the arreas of August and September pensions will soon be cleared. Unlike in the past, government now pays salaries in full, including all deductions.
Government has also ensured improved electricity supply to Ekiti state through a meeting of the governor with the Chief Executive Officer of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC. They signed a Memorandum of Uderstanding for better supply of elecricity to Ekiti state. Part of the agreement was for government to encourage the people to pay their electricity bills.
As a result of improved power supply to the state, more water is being pumped from the dams to the different communities, while the cost of spending on diesel from the dams has gone down considerably. Water supply from Ero dam is now getting to Aramoko and Igede.
There is no doubt that governor Fayose has justified the confidence reposed in him by the people. The people’s welfare remains the topmost priority of his administration. To him, the people’s welfare is in first line charge. He is determined to pay all outstanding arreas of salaries and allowances as soon as money is available. Whereas the Fayemi administration employed not less than eight hundred and fifty political appointees, governor Fayose is yet to employ twenty-five politicians. It is not that the governor hates the political class to which he belongs, it is because of the poor finances of the state.
Ekiti people voted governor Fayose to continue with the programme of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the state. Ekiti people are known for standing by their belief.
We must continue to support governor Fayose by voting for PDP candidates in the forth-coming general elections. We must not reward the APC with our votes after they plunged the economy of Ekiti state and dragged us into debts that we will pay up to 2020, lest they replicate this at the centre and sell our children to slavery. Ekiti people have seen them in their true colour, we must not allow them to hijack Nigeria’s economy like they did to Lagos state. Ekiti people, shine your eyes. In the general election, vote President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, vote all PDP candidates.

Laleye Lashore is a journalist.

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EKITI TRADITIONAL RULERS CONDEMN IMPEACHMENT MOVE

Traditional rulers in Ekiti State have expressed
their worries over the impeachment move
against the governor of the state, Mr Ayodele
Fayose by the estranged 19 All Progressives
Congress lawmakers.
This was contained in a communique issued by
the Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers,
signed by its Chairman, Oba Idowu Adamo
Babalola at the end of an emergency meeting
held in Ado Ekiti on Wednesday.
The royal fathers said that the council feels
deeply concerned and worried about the
lingering political upheaval in the state which
became aggravated after the announcement of
the result of the presidential election in which
the All Progressive Congress candidate was
declared winner, saying the APC faction of the
Ekiti State legislators started agitating for the
impeachment of the State Governor, Mr Ayo
Fayose.
” What is more worrisome is that these
agitating legislators have left the state and
abandoned their legislative duties since
November, 2014. It is worthy of note that
since that time all efforts by the council of
Obas to mediate in this matter could not yield
any fruitful result because the APC legislators
consistently frustrated all peace moves by the
Obas by not attending all the meetings called
for this purpose.”
The Ekiti traditional rulers noted that its
undisputed fact that a Governor was sworn in
as the legitimate chief executive of Ekiti State
on 16th October 2014, adding that the love of
the people of the state for this government
was further amply demonstrated in the
subsequent elections of March and April 2015.
“With the results of the elections the people
have spoken unequivocally that they want this
governor to continue in office for the duration
of his tenure”
“The people’s position was further reinforced
by the supreme court judgement of April 14,
2015 where in a unanimous decision the
governor was confirmed the winner of the
election. The council therefore wonder why
after this declaration by the highest court in
the country a group of legislators whose term
is about to expire and who have been voted
out of office would still insist on impeaching a
legitimate governor”
The council however commended the Chief
Judge of the state, Justice Ayodeji Daramola for
rising above partisan positions to uphold the
tenet of his office despite the obvious presure
from intrested quarters, imploring the CJ to
continue in thesame spirit so as to ensure that
the popular wish of the generality of the
people is not subverted.
The Obas who appealled to Governor Ayo
Fayose to graciously consider giving palliative
measures to alleviate the suffering of the
agitating legislators, also commended the
people of the state and the security agencies
for maintaining peace even in the face of
obvious provocation while appealing that the
patience should continue to be maintained.
“On our own part the Traditional Rulers
Council has called on Obas in the communities
of the members of the agitating legislators to
call them in their different domains to put an
end to this impeachment saga and tread the
path of peace”

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Governor Fayose

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FAYOSE REITERATES RESOLVE TO PARTNER DONOR AGENCIES

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Ayodele Fayose has reiterated his resolve to
collaborate with Development Partners in the task of achieving
economic transformation that will uplift the standard of living of the
people resident in the State.

Speaking at  the 2014 United Nation Development Partnership forum
organized in affiliation with the Ekiti Government in Ikogosi Ekiti,
Dr Fayose said his administrations objectives are focused on the
replacement of poverty and want with plenty and prosperity.

The Governor who was represented by his wife, Mrs .Feisetan Fayose at
the forum tagged “Building on Our Collective Experience of Development
Partnership in Ekiti State”, explained that the he intends to achieve
the development objectives would through his six cardinal programmes
which he listed to include empowerment of the people to enable them
pursue and realize their respective aspirations in their individual
areas of core ability or competence with little or no inhibition.

According to him, other areas of core focus are development of
Agriculture to ensure food security for domestic consumption and also
for export; development of infrastructures through provision of good
roads, public buildings, airport and extension of railway to the
State; restoration of the glory of the state in education, science and
technology; provision of free health care services for children,
pregnant women and the physically challenged as well as guaranteed
security of lives and property.

He stressed that the growth of a state should be seen as a joint
effort, adding that the development partners are important
stakeholders in achieving sustainable development in the State

Dr. Fayose stated that the ugly trend of the inability of the State to
pay government counterpart contribution for some projects executed in
the State will soon be redressed, he assured that funds would be duly
budgeted for in the state 2015 appropriation.

The Development Partners including representatives of the World Bank,
the United Nation Development Project (UNDP), United Nation Children
Fund (UNICEF), the European Union/Federal Ministry of Water Resources,
African Development Bank (ADB), the World Health Organization (WHO)
and the Chinese Embassy were unanimous in stressing the importance of
prompt payment of counterpart funds towards ensuring success of the
programmes.

The Country Director of the World Bank who was represented by Dr.
Tunji Adekola  however noted that the focus was more on the result
rather than the amount voted for particular projects stressing that
the interest is more on the impact of the projects than efforts

Attached pix: L – R Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo
Anisulowo; the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Dr. Olubunmi Olusola; Wife
of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose and the Speaker of
the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dele Olugbemi at the
UNDP/EKSG Development Partner Partnership forum at Ikogosi Ekiti

EKITI HEALTH WORKERS BACK OUT OF NATIONAL STRIKE ACTION

The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) in Ekiti State has said that
the state chapter of the union has decided not to join the on-going
industrial action embarked upon nationwide.

In a press statement co-signed by the State chairman of the Union,
Comrade Sola Ojo and his Secretary, Comrade Toyin Ofere which was made
available in Ado Ekiti, the Union said it decided to back out of the
strike action in deference to the State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose,
stressing that the decision was borne out of the appeal of the state
government and in consideration of the peculiarity of the health
sector in the State.

”The leadership of JOHESU Ekiti State, comprising of the National
Association of the Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Medical and
Health Workers Union (MHWUN) and the National Union of Allied
Professionals (NUAHP) wishes to inform all its members that after much
appeal by the representatives Mr. Governor and considering the
peculiarity of Ekiti State have decided that the proposed strike
earlier called be suspended .All members of  Unions affiliated to
JOHESU are hereby directed to be at their duty post”, the statement
reads in part.

The Union which had earlier directed its members to join the strike on
Monday made a turnaround after the intervention of Governor Ayo Fayose
who convened a meeting by the State Head of the Service (HOS), Dr.
Gbenga Faseluka and the Chief of staff to the Governor, Chief Dipo
Anisulowo with the labour leaders.

Reacting to the development, the head of service who commended the
leadership of the state chapter of JOHESU for its decision, noted the
important role played by the members of the union in ensuring a
healthy society and urged them to continue to deliver valuable
services to the people of the State.

It could be recalled that JOHESU embarked on a nationwide industrial
action on 12th November, 2014 to press home for the full
implementation of agreement reached with the Union by the Federal
Government.

MRS. FAYOSE SOLICITS SUPPORT OF STAKEHOLDERS FOR SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

The wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose has solicited
the support of stakeholders in the education sector for efforts of the
Fayose led administration to secure the future of school-age children
in the state.

Speaking in Ado-Ekiti at the flagging-off ceremony of 2014 Progress-FM
Father Christmas Show, Mrs. Fayose decried the prevailing rate of
abuse of children.

The Governor’s wife urged parents to teach their children virtues and
morality from the early age to guide them to adulthood, stressing that
the young ones could only gain access into God’s kingdom if they are
taught the ways of God.

Reiterating the commitment of the Fayose administration towards the
socio-economic development of the state, Mrs. Fayose assured that
government would continue to provide free health care services for
pregnant women and children from birth to age 5.

She charged the management and staff of the Broadcasting Station to
keep up their partnership with the state government by being unbiased
in their reportage.

In his remarks, the Progress FM General Manager, Pastor Kayode
Akinsola said the programme was organised as a way of connecting with
their audience.

He expressed appreciation to the wife of the governor for honoring
their invitation.

The high point of the ceremony was the donation made by the wife of
the Governor to sponsor 200 children for the show.

In another development, the wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs.
Feyisetan Fayose has made a donation to sponsor 200 children for the
2014 Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) Father Christmas show.

Mrs. Fayose made the donation in her office while playing host to the
management staff of Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) led by
the Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communication and New
media, Mr. Lere Olayinka.