NIGERIASPOT Edited by Laleye Lashore

EKSG PROMISES TO IMPROVE WOMEN’S LOT

laleye — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 09:31:51 +0000

Women in Ekiti State have been re-assured of the commitment of Governor Kayode Fayemi administration to put in place policies and programmes that would improve their lot in line with the 8-point agenda of the government.
Deputy Governor, Mrs Funmi Olayinka, who gave the assurance at a forum in Ado Ekiti noted that no administration, since the creation of Ekiti State more than fifteen years ago, has given political appointment to women as the present administration.
She commended women in Ekiti for their support for Governor Fayemi’s government and assured them that herself and other women that had been appointed into political offices would continue to seek political and economic emancipation of Ekiti women.
Mrs. Olayinka said plans were underway to assist rural women who engaged in local trade and art crafts such as mat weaving, pot making and cloth weaving while young women would be encouraged to learn such trades instead of roaming.
The Deputy Governor said Governor Fayemi’s administration gave special consideration to the girl-child education and would not be pleased with parents who refused to send their children particularly, females to school. She noted that education was free in Primary and Secondary Schools in Ekiti State.
Mrs. Olayinka urged Ekiti women to talk to her or other women holding political offices to about their problems saying they are in government to represent the interest of women.

EKSG says Jonathan was misquotedd

laleye — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:09:40 +0000

Ekiti State Government has said the statement credited to President Goodluck
Jonathan that insinuated that South West Governor are rascals must have been a
slip of tongue.
Addressing journalists in Ado Ekiti, the Special Adviser to Governor Kayode
Fayemi on Media, Alhaji Mojeed Jamiu described the President as an intelligent
man, stressing that he must have been quoted out of context.
“The statement by the President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in Ibadan while flagging
off his Presidential campaign where he allegedly called south west Governors
rascals was a mistake.
But then to us, we feel they quoted him out of context because the President is
an intelligent man. What he meant was actually that those guys are radicals, not
rascal”, Jamiu posited.
“You know there is a similarity when you want to call somebody a radical, you
may mispronounce and say rascal”, he explained.
According to him, “the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is afraid of the positive
changes, the positive development happening in the South west”, emphasizing that
“it was difficult to fathom how anybody could describe intellectuals with good
pedigree as rascals.
Jamiu described Dr. Fayemi as a governor of international repute, saying that
the influx of development partners including international bodies such as UNDP
and DFID to the state was a testimony of his capability to rescue the state from
its deplorable state of under-development.
“With what has happened within the first 100days of the Fayemi’s administration,
it is as if the Governor has been in power for more than three and a half years.
What the ousted and ancient regime could not achieve in three and a half years,
we were able to achieve in less than 100days.
You have seen the influx of development partners, foreigners. We are working
with UNDP, DFID. I mean they have been coming to the state to see how they can
assist in developing Ekiti state. The same thing with Governor Adams Oshiomole
of Edo State and Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State” he said.
Speaking on Governor Fashola’s radical development of Lagos State, Jamiu
described Lagos as “a state everyone wants to copy”.
He said “they are afraid of Lagos, that is why they are trying to sponsor
Doctors on strike. But then, one thing is very clear, the south west has been
librated and the train of change that is moving to Ekiti, Osun and Edo State
will soon get to Oyo and Ogun States. This is just the beginning “.
The people are happy with the achievements of these radical governors and are
thirsty for continuity of the agents of change that will positively change the
face of governance and rapidly develop the entire nation”.

RAINSTORM DESTROYS HOUSES IN IPAO-EKITI

laleye — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 10:29:06 +0000

Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka has stressed the need for people to plant more trees around their houses, as rain season draws near, to serve as wind breaks and prevent rain storm from blowing off their roof tops.
Mrs. Olayinka made the call in Ipao-Ekiti , Ikole Local Government Area when on inspection of the houses affected by rain storm which ravaged the town recently.
The Deputy Governor who was alarmed that sixty two houses were badly affected by the storm in the small town also advised house builders and owners to ensure that roof tops are designed in such a way that can not be easily penetrated by storm.
She sympathized with the victims of the natural disaster and joined the people to thank God that no casualty of any sort was recorded despite the enormity of the disaster.
Olayinka assured the people whose houses were affected that the government would make official report of the incident to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and request for assistance for them while in the interim, Governor Kayode Fayemi’s government, through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) would provide succor to make their houses habitable again as soon as possible.
Mr. Emmanuel Olanrewaju Omopariola who spoke with the Deputy Governor on the incident said rain storm has become a regular occurrence in the town as the recent one was the third time it would happen to happen to such a disastrous degree with several houses being touched for the third or more times now without any remedy in sight yet.
He appealed to the government to help the community find a lasting solution to the annual disaster in addition to whatever relief materials the government would provide, to remove the fear which envelops the community whenever rain approaches.
In a similar development, Deputy Governor Funmi Olayinka has admonished people to be weary of bush burning and to ensure that they always put off all electrical appliances in their shops and homes before going to bed in other to avert fire disaster that usually lead to loss of lives and valuable properties.
Mrs. Olayinka made the call while speaking with journalists in Ado-Ekiti where she inspected some houses and shops that were burnt down by fire recently in different locations in the state capital.
The Deputy Governor noted that, unlike natural disasters such as flood, rain storm or earthquake, most fire disasters that occurred were caused by carelessness of some sort and are preventable if people could observe simple precautionary measures.
She sympathized with the relative of those who lost their lives and traders who lost yet to be valued goods to the fire incidents while giving them assurance that the state government would make official report to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and liaise with other agencies and organisations that could be of help in other to provide a relief package for them and make them return to business in good time.
Others that joined the Deputy Governor in the inspection were the Caretaker Chairman of Ikole Local Government, Hon. Biodun Akin Fasae, Mr. Afuye Ajayi, Director of Fire Services and Hon. Olukosi Muyiwa, Supervisor for Agric. And Rural Development, Ikole Local Government Area among others.

PDP LAWMAKER DEFECTS TO ACN IN EKITI OVER ALLEGED FRAUDULENT PRIMARIES

laleye — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:15:34 +0000

Barely two months to the general elections, the ruling Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) now has more members in the Ekiti State House of
Assembly than the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A PDP member of the House, Chief Adebayo Morakinyo, who represents
Ikole 1 Constituency, has crossed the carpet from the PDP to the ACN
to alter the numerical strength of both parties in the state
legislature.

Following Morakinyo’s defection, ACN now has 14 lawmakers leaving the
PDP with 12 lawmakers in the Third Assembly.

The 26-member Assembly which was inaugurated on June 5, 2007 commenced
legislative business with both parties having 13 members each but the
death of the former Deputy Speaker, Mr. Saliu Adeoti on October 27
2010 saw the ACN membership reduced by one.

But the ACN regained the seat at the December 22, 2010 by-election
conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) when
its candidate, Mr. Olajide Olaniyi, floored the PDP candidate, Mr.
Gboye Afilaka, to win the Moba 1 Constituency seat vacated by the late
Adeoti.

Morakinyo had initially served as the Deputy Speaker of the House for
two months before stepping down for Adeoti as part of peace deal
brokered to end the crisis of confidence among the lawmakers of the
two parties.

Morakinyo who confirmed his defection to the ruling party in a chat
with reporters at the Government House, Ado-Ekiti at the weekend said
his action was predicated on his alleged victimization by his former
party over the roles he played in ensuring stability in the Assembly
and bringing peace to the state.

He also accused the PDP of working against his re-election bid during
the House of Assembly primaries held in his constituency through the
alleged deployment of party machinery to ensure his loss at the
primaries.

Morakinyo claimed that the primaries conducted by the PDP for the
Ikole Constituency 1 Assembly ticket flagrantly violated the
guidelines of the party for the conduct of primary election to choose
the candidate to fly the party’s flag in the April polls.

The Assemblyman further alleged that the primaries conducted in Ikole
1 Constituency were marred by what he called “massive irregularities”
maintaining that the claim of the state PDP that it primaries are free
and fair was a ruse.

According to a letter to the leadership of the PDP in the state,
Morakinyo who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on
Information said his resignation from the PDP took effect from January
11.

Morakinyo revealed that the genesis of his problems with the PDP was
the active role he played as a member of G-18 in the removal of the
former Speaker, Mr. Olufemi Bamisile, which paved way for the
emergence of Mr. Olatunji Odeyemi as the new Speaker on July 29, 2008.

The G-18 was made up of 5 PDP and 13 ACN legislators forming the
required two-third of 18 House members needed to sack Bamisile from
office over alleged high-handedness and serial constitutional breach.

Morakinyo said since he contributed to Bamisile’s removal on principle
and in the overall interest of the state, he had been branded an “ACN
member in PDP camp” by his detractors in his former party who had
resolved to stop his re-election bid at all cost.

Speaking on why he joined the ACN, Morakinyo said he believed in the
vision of Governor Kayode Fayemi and would be willing to contribute
positively to the success of his administration in making life better
for Ekiti people.

“I am joining the ACN because I believe the party has the interest of
the people of Ekiti at heart and I also believe in the vision of
Governor Fayemi in turning the fortunes of our state around for good.

“Governor Fayemi has won the hearts of the people of Ikole by choosing
to site the new federal university in our community despite having the
power to locate the new university in his (Fayemi’s) hometown as done
by other governors”, Morakinyo said.

FAYEMI CANVASSES FCMB’S SUPPORT FOR EKITI ECONOMY

laleye — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:06:50 +0000

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has called for the support of
the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc to develop the key sectors of
the state economy.

The governor made the call on Thursday when he hosted the FCMB
Managing Director, Mr. Ladi Balogun and other members of the bank’s
management who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Ado-Ekiti.

Fayemi identified the sectors to include agriculture, tourism,
infrastructure, health, education, urban renewal initiative, job
creation initiative and the finance of projects being handled by
contractors in the state.

He also disclosed that his administration intends to go to the capital
market to raise bonds in view of what he called the “precarious
financial situation” of the state.

“Yes, it is true that we are going into the capital market to raise
funds due to our precarious financial situation and we will also look
into the contractor financing which you have proposed even though we
may not be disposed to giving out new contracts until he ongoing ones
are defrayed”, Fayemi said.

The governor stated that his administration is committed to building
enduring, long-term and mutually benefiting relationships with
financial institutions in the country to strengthen to economy of the
state.

Speaking earlier, the FCMB boss Balogun said his bank is interested in
helping Ekiti raise the intended bond as one of the issuing houses.

Balogun said FCMB would collaborate with Ekiti State government
through its contractor financing programme revealing that a total sum
of N40 billion has been earmarked for the scheme.

The bank chief also noted that civil servants in the state could
benefit from the credit direct system being operated by FCMB which he
said would help them obtain loans within 24 hours even when they don’t
operate accounts with the bank.

Balogun revealed that not less than 100,000 civil servants nationwide
had benefited from the scheme across the country.

Government functionaries who joined the governor to welcome the FCMB
management are the Deputy Governor and Head of the State Economic
Team, Mrs. Funmilayo Olayinka; the Secretary to the State Government,
Dr. Ganiyu Owolabi and the Commissioner for Finance, Budget and
Economic Development, Mr. Dapo Kolawole.

EKSG Denies Blackmailing Oni

laleye — Thu, 27 Jan 2011 16:37:01 +0000

The Ekiti State government has said it has no time to criticise or score any past administration in the state as it believes that delivering dividends of democracy to the people of the state is the primary reason for coming into power.

Speaking in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Funmi Olayinka told journalists that the that the Dr. Kayode Fayemi’s administration is too busy, thinking out strategies for the development of the state than to get engaged in witch hunting any past administrator of the state.

While explaining that the present leadership of the state knows that government is in continuum, she added that, “what we have done is to tell everybody what we met on ground when we took over on October 16. Neither Mr. Governor nor any of his lieutenants has scored any past administration to say who did well, or who performed below expectation. Our’s is basically to make meaningful and verifiable impacts on our people and leave posterity to judge us.”

According to her, “our duty is to bring development to this state, restore the values for which our people were known, put food on the table of average Ekiti people. If you ask me, we are doing that and attracting the readiness of everybody to align with us in the task ahead. There are about seven or eight DFIDs in the state now, who having being convinced that we are serious are seeking for ways of collaborating with us”.

Olayinka who also said the government is preoccupied with charting ways of increasing its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), stated that the Fayemi’s administration is determined to stop the unsavoury situation where successive governors go to Abuja, cap in hands to beg for Federal allocation as the only means to running its operation.

She emphasised that the administration at the helm of affairs, now is so occupied that it has no time to score anybody. “Remember that we fought to reclaim our stolen mandate, today, we are still fighting against all barriers that are on our way to restoring the lost glory of Ekiti. We are moving ahead as you can see in the slashed fees in all state owned tertiary institutions, in free health for the aged, girls/women and children, in the attempts to improve on electricity supply and in the lifting of ban on loans to staff, as well as payment of WASCE and JAMB fees for all pupils in the public secondary schools in our state.

While announcing the commencement of payments of allowances owed former political office holders by past administrations, she more relieves are coming the way of the Ekiti people, adding that that never will civil servants be owed salaries and allowances, in the present dispensation

EKITI D-GOV CHARGES YOUTHS ON YORUBA CULTURE

laleye — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:53:33 +0000

Youths have been called upon to take up the challenges of ensuring that Yoruba culture, tradition, arts, trades and crafts do not go into oblivion but are sustained for upcoming generations.

Deputy Governor of Ekiti State , Mrs. Funmi Olayinka made the call after inspecting the Arts Exhibition displayed by Ekiti Local Arts, Crafts and Trade Artisans, as part of activities lined up for the celebration of the first 100 days of Dr. Kayode Fayemi led administration in the state, at the Catholic Pastoral Centre, Ikere Road, Ado-Ekiti.

She noted that except the youths embrace the beautiful arts, crafts and traditional trades of the forbearers, such heritage may be lost when the very old and dying fathers and mothers who are custodians of these arts die.

Olayinka who promised that the Fayemi administration would look into how it could give financial assistance to the old people who are still engaged in crafts and arts such as pot making, mat weaving black and gold smith and provide modern facilities for them as a way of encouraging them, also urged people who are good at such skills to teach and encourage their children to show interest in them.

She explained that the present government of the state would study the modalities for the incorporation of the study of Arts and Crafts into the school curriculum to develop the interest and skills in primary and secondary school pupils.

She added that the government would also empower the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Welfare to put in place programmes that would attract youths into learning such crafts as it could serve as a veritable means of livelihood for them instead of waiting for a white collar job that are no longer easy to come by.

The Arts Exhibition had on display arts materials such as Isan Pot, (Ikoko Isan), Ogotun Mats, (Eni Ogotun), traditional weaving cloths, (Aso Ofi), Carvings and paintings of different images and expressions.

Present with the Deputy Governor at the Arts Exhibition were the wife of the Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, Commissioner for Information, Communication and Strategy, Mrs. Fola Richie-Adewusi and other top government functionaries.

RELIEF FOR EKITI COMMUNITIES AS FAYEMI INAUGURATES 100 TRANSFORMERS …SIGNS EIGHT BILLS INTO LAW

laleye — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:43:51 +0000

Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has reiterated the commitment
of his administration towards making life easier for various
communities in the state through the provision of basic social
amenities.

Fayemi said this on Friday while inaugurating 100 transformers
purchased by his administration for onward distribution to 100
communities in the state as part of activities marking his first 100
days in office.

The governor also inaugurated 400 motorcycles for the use of the State
Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) and signed eight bills
recently passed by the House of Assembly into law in commemoration of
his 100 days in office.

Fayemi described the inauguration of the transformers at the Ado-Ekiti
Government House as “another promise kept and an indication that light
has eventually shone in Ekiti State after a long period of darkness.”

While clarifying that his administration did not meet any transformer
on ground, Fayemi revealed that he ordered for the delivery of the 100
transformers to ease the problems of power supply across the state.

“Some people are still under the illusion that the ousted government
provided these transformers, they are freshly ordered transformers as
we did not meet any transformer on ground”, Fayemi said.

He revealed that one of the most consistent requests his office is
inundated with is the demand for transformers from traditional rulers,
communities, town unions and various neighbourhoods.

The governor explained that his administration had resolved to put one
transformer in each of the 177 wards but discovered after assuming
office that that the need was larger than what was envisaged.

He explained that although Ado-Ekiti has 13 wards, not less than 38
neighbourhhoods in the state capital have forwarded requests to his
office for transformers.

Describing the distribution of the 100 transformers as the first phase
of tackling problems of power supply facing the populace, Fayemi said
it was not the responsibility of his administration to provide the
transformers but that of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN).

Fayemi said it would amount to “sheer irresponsibility” to ignore the
calls of Ekiti people not to make the transformers available to them
to assist the PHCN in reducing darkness in the state to the barest
minimum.

The governor also appealed to other communities yet to benefit from
the gesture to be patient as they have not been forgotten noting that
he would do everything possible to ensure that his administration
makes a fundamental difference in the life of the people.

Earlier in the day at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s
Office, Fayemi had given his assent to eight bills passed by the state
parliament led by Speaker Olatunji Odeyemi.

The bills include College of Health Technology Ijero Bill, Customary
Court of Appeal Bill, Judicial Institute Bill, Fiscal Responsibility
Bill, Contributory Pension Bill, State Statistical Bill, State AIDS
Control Agency Bill and Rural Water Supply Sanitation Bill.

FAYEMI FORWARDS FREEDOM OF INFORMATION BILL TO EKITI ASSEMBLY …TO CONSTRUCT A RING ROAD IN ADO-EKITI

laleye — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:38:52 +0000

kiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has forwarded the Freedom of
Information Bill to the House of Assembly for passage into Law to
ensure the entrenchment of probity, accountability and transparency in
governance in the state.

The governor also declared his intent to construct a ring road in
Ado-Ekiti and change the face of the state capital to make it a city
that befits its status as the seat of government describing the
present physical condition of Ado-Ekiti as an “eyesore”.

Fayemi who disclosed this on Sunday while featuring on a one-hour live
interview programme on the radio and television channels of the
Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State (BSES) to mark 100 days in office
also promised to use agriculture and solid mineral to boost the
economic profile of the state.

The state-owned media outfit which went off air since September last
year has undergone restructuring, re-engineering, repackaged and
equipped with modern broadcasting equipment by the Fayemi-led
administration in time for the marking of 100 days in office.

While noting that his administration is open to public scrutiny on how
government is run and how public funds are spent, Fayemi disclosed
that he had sent a bill on Freedom of Information for consideration
for passage into Law.

The governor noted that Ekiti would be the second state in Nigeria
after Lagos to forward such a bill to the legislature expressing
confidence that such a step would help engender good governance and
make government accountable to the populace.

Speaking on infrastructural development, Fayemi said one of the key
challenges he met on ground was that the ousted Segun Oni-led regime
awarded several road contracts with only very few completed.

This, he added, prompted his administration to set up a Contract
Review Committee to look into all contracts awarded promising that he
would not revoke any contract awarded by the deposed government but
had encouraged contractors to go back to site and get the jobs
completed.

He pledged that his government would make all parts of the state
accessible by roads through the completion of all ongoing roads
projects stressing that no new road contracts would be awarded until
all the ongoing ones are completed.

Describing Ekiti as a state blessed with enormous mineral and
agricultural resources, Fayemi said his government would tap into the
sectors to boost the industrial profile of the state and provide
gainful employments to its teeming youths.

The governor charged jobless Ekiti youths who are holders of National
Diploma, Higher National Diploma and Bachelor’s degrees to go to their
local governments and register their names in anticipation of job
openings in some key sectors in the state.

He promised that farmers in the state would be empowered to turn them
from subsistent farmers to commercial farmers while plans are on to
link the proposed Ado-Ekiti Airport to a cargo processing facility to
market farm produce in the state.

Fayemi also unveiled that work is going on to establish a Minerals
Development Agency in the state to develop untapped minerals in the
state and provide job opportunities for more people.

While noting that a lot of illegal mining are going on in areas rich
in solid minerals in the state, Fayemi said the establishment of a
Minerals Development Agency would help the state get what is due to it
in the solid mineral sub-sector.

Expressing dismay with the high failure rate of students taking public
examinations in the state, Fayemi disclosed that his administration is
planning to return all mission schools in the state back to their
owners.

He noted that his administration inaugurated an Education Task Force
to proffer recommendations capable of rescuing education in the state
to consolidate on the free primary and secondary education being run
in the Fountain of Knowledge.

Fayemi also used the forum to correct an erroneous impression that he
is not ready to pay the proposed new minimum wage saying he would have
no option than to pay the new wage if it is the decision of the whole
country.

To show that he is worker-friendly, the governor said his
administration recently paid the new consolidated salary structure for
medical workers, paid N700 million gratuities to pensioners and
restored car and housing loans cancelled by the deposed government.

‘DON’T DESTABILIZE EKITI OVER SENATORIAL PRIMARIES,’ GROUP TELLS BAMIDELE

laleye — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 08:37:23 +0000

A socio-political pressure group, the Ekiti Patriotic Collective, has
warned the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State,
Mr. Opeyemi Bamidele, not to destabilize his home state of Ekiti over
the primary election for Ekiti Central senatorial seat.

The group in a statement on Sunday signed by its Coordinator, Mr. Bayo
Ogunlana, urged the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)
to prevail on Bamidele not to use his senatorial ambition as a
smokescreen to pursue a larger but hidden ambition.

It accused those it referred to as thugs working for Bamidele of
allegedly hijacking voting materials during the last senatorial
primary election in Ekiti Central district which it said was
responsible for the non-conduct of poll in areas where lection was
cancelled.

The Ekiti Patriotic Collective equally appealed to Lagos State
Governor Babatunde Fashola and ACN National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu
to call Bamidele to dissuade Bamidele from using the wealth he
allegedly acquired in Lagos to destabilize Ekiti.

While accusing Bamidele’s supporters of cooking results from areas
where election had been cancelled to declare the Lagos commissioner
winner of the senatorial primary, the interest group urged Bamidele to
give peace a chance saying “Ekiti is just breathing an air of freedom
from the jackboots of the former PDP regime”.

The statement reads in part: “We wonder if the matter is more than a
Senatorial race because MOB, despite overtures from elders had been
restless and had continued to fan the embers of disunity in the party.

“This shows he has a different agenda different from a Senatorial
ambition. He is only using his Senatorial ambition as a smokescreen to
pursue the larger but hidden ambition.

“He started calling aggrieved aspirants from outside Senatorial
districts to start protesting to destabilize the party and the state.

“Many of those who protested were from outside Senatorial district
where MOB did not contest. This thus confirms fears that MOB wanted to
take over the State.

“Presently he holds clandestine meetings across the State with
aspirants he had planned to use to further his inordinate ambition in
Ekiti

It is from the stupendous wealth he made from Lagos that he doled out
1,000 naira for each of his protesting hoodlum; the money he had not
used to help any Ekiti indigene until lately when he started doling
out rice and ankara during Christmas.

“He also used to steal shows at Community day celebrations across the
State, donating huge sums on such occasions.

“If MOB has no hidden agenda, we wonder why it was when elders have
called him to settle the issue that he started clandestine meetings to
destabilize the party and the state.

“We wish to remind him that he had stayed in Lagos in the last 12
years enjoying his own dividends of democracy while some people who
stayed in the trenches back in Ekiti built the party he now wanted to
take-over at all cost”.