Tag: Ekiti Govt

The Ekiti State Government has said its ongoing interventions in the agricultural sector are beginning to yield measurable and positive results.

The Special Adviser/Director-General of the Office of Transformation and Service Delivery (OTSD), Dr. John Ekundayo, said the impacts of government efforts are already visible across markets in the state.

He spoke during an assessment tour conducted by the Ekiti State Agriculture Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (AGRIC-MEAL) Team across key agricultural projects in the state.

The team inspected facilities, including the Renewed Hope Farm Dormitory, covering about 50 hectares of cassava and maize farmland in Ikere-Ekiti, the Erefun Farm Settlement, the state fish pond, and the Ounje Ekiti retail food outlet in Ado-Ekiti.

Ekundayo, who is the Chairman of Ekiti AGRIC-MEAL, noted that initiatives such as expansion of cultivation areas, access to farm inputs, and the operationalisation of agricultural programmes are already enhancing productivity.

These efforts, he explained, have also contributed to improved availability of staple foods in local markets, helping to cushion the impact of rising commodity prices.

Ekundayo commended the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for making staple food items available to residents at highly discounted prices despite the harsh national economic climate.

The Director General added that the government will now deepen efforts in production, processing, packaging, and marketing to drive further improvements in food sufficiency.

“The Ministry of Agriculture has been doing tremendous work. This is the third year of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration, and for the first time, Ekiti now has a food price index. Prices of commodities have dropped significantly.

“In August, Ekiti recorded the lowest food prices in the Southwest, and we intend to build on this”, Ekundayo said

He explained that the tour was primarily aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability, and evaluation within the sector.

He added that the review mission was part of the Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration’s broader strategy to measure progress and improve food availability in the state.

“This tour is not just about monitoring, but about creating a platform for transparency and accountability so that stakeholders in and outside Ekiti can clearly see what is happening in the agric sector,” he said.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ebenezer Ojo, noted that Ekiti State is rapidly emerging as a model for agricultural development in the southwest.

He expressed optimism that the state is on track to become Nigeria’s leading food provider, saying, “We have become a case study in the Southwest and are recognized nationally for our progress. Very soon, Ekiti will be regarded as the best food provider in Nigeria.”

Ekiti state government has reiterated its commitment to improving educational access to foster a brighter future for the coming generations.

The Commissioner for Information, Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, stated that the state government was dedicated to its free and compulsory education programme up to Senior Secondary School and that it has made adequate provisions for necessary facilities to ensure the smooth running of the education sector.

Olatunbosun, who gave the assurance during a 2-day tour of developmental projects executed by Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration. 

He sressed that numerous interventions of the state government were aimed at enhancing school enrolment, assisting economically disadvantaged students, promoting academic achievements and reducing the number of out-of-school children to the barest minimum in the state.

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The Commissioner added that  the  agenda was to ensure that every child, regardless of background, has access to quality education at no cost.

The Commissioner added that all the 203 public secondary schools in the State were copiously touched with construction of new structures, renovation of old ones and provision of learning tools as well as running grants to ensure smooth running of the schools and provide a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning in the State. 

According to him, the Oyebanji administration also regularly provide financial support for indigent and other disadvantaged students through Conditional Cash Transfer amongst other interventions to their parents to eliminate causes of increase in out-of-school children and attend to the requirements  of students with special needs. 

He said: “In addition to the structural upgrades, government is prioritizing science and technology by procuring cutting-edge laboratory equipment and ICT tools for education to prepare our students for the challenges of tomorrow. With the development, school children in the State now have access to state-of-the-art laboratories and modern computer systems that will aid them in science, technology and innovation.”

Schools visited during the tour included the Model Smart School at the Ekiti Knowledge Zone (EKZ) in Ijan Ekiti, the Special School in Ido-Ekiti newly constructed therapy room and renovated dining hall designed to foster a supportive environment for students with unique needs.

Other projects inspected by the team included the 100-capacity hostel at Command Secondary School, Isan Ekiti, the ultramodern ICT Centre and modernized Catering Department at Government Technical College, Igbara Odo as well as the new ICT Centre at Corpus Christi College, Ilawe-Ekiti and several other newly renovated buildings aimed at equipping students with essential skills for the digital age amongst others.

The Ekiti state government has adopted artificial insemination to boost livestock production and enhance food security in the state.

The commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Ebenezer Boluwade, said artificial insemination has the potential to revolutionise the livestock industry by improving production, fertility and herd management as well as reducing disease transmission.

Boluwade stated this on Tuesday, July 16, in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital during a three-day capacity-building programme for the Extension Agents and Livestock Extension Service Providers on Artificial Insemination by the Ministry of Agriculture under the World Bank-funded Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support (L-PRES) project.

He noted that the use of reproductive technological intervention would change the dynamics in livestock production by allowing farmers to breed high-quality animals as well as increase their overall profitability.

The commissioner who reiterated the commitment of the government to boost food production, said Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led administration has provided palliatives to farmers in the state to enhance food security amidst inflation in the country.

His words: “It is something that can change the dynamics of livestock production in Ekiti State. They are taking the semen of the animal to meet the female one through artificial means. They don’t need to meet physically. You can see in the United States or European countries where they have pig industry.

“In doing that, it creates more jobs for our people, more profit and productivity for them. The little we are doing, they are getting more. The result is what we are looking at to change dynamics across livestock production”.

The L-PRES state project coordinator, Olayinka Adetipe said the workshop was organized to expose the participants to the rudiments of artificial insemination and cascade the techniques to farmers in all the 16 local government areas of the state.

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He said: “Artificial insemination is critical when it comes to animal production. The set of people we gathered here are extension agents and livestock service providers. We decided to make it all-encompassing throughout the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State.

“We selected the personnel so that by the time they are through with this training, they will be able to go to the communities to enlighten the farmers and introduce this artificial insemination.

“We want to also try as much as possible to avoid diseases. Most of these diseases spread through sexual intercourse. It will be reduced because we don’t need the male to come in direct contact with the female animals”, he added.

Ekiti state government in partnership with the Access Bank Plc has launched N1 billion loan initiatives for women-led businesses in the state. 

Speaking at the launch of the Women Initiative loan programme on Tuesday, July 9, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state capital,  Governor Biodun Oyebanji, said the scheme was primarily designed to provide seamless and accessible loan for female business owners in the state.

The governor added the initiative would expand scope of women’s accessibility to soft loans and unlock other financing opportunities for women-led business to bolster micro, small and medium scale enterprises. 

Oyebanji who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Abuse said that rather than paying 35% interest on the loan the state government would be subsiding by 25% while beneficiaries would shoulder 10% for them to repay the money with ease. 

He added that the intention behind the initiative was to  ensure that women entrepreneurs are lifted through loans, so that they can contribute meaningfully to the economic growth of the state. 

“This is not a national cake, this is your working capital. Taking this loan and pay back will provide opportunity for other women, so don’t default. Don’t forget that you have guarantors and if you default, they are going to be the ones to be held liable”, he warned. 

The Managing Director of Access bank, Mr Roosevelt Ogbonna said the  initiative was part of the roadmap designed by the financial institution to empower women being the foundation of the society and driving force for economic growth.

Ogbonna represented by the Regional Director, South West, Mr Bolaji  Aboderin noted that the collaboration will enhance access to funds, stimulate job creation and capacity building for women. 

He added that the initiative launched in 2014 has in no small measure helped the growth of MSMEs in states, which he said has made the bank the preferred financial institution for public-private programmes. 

He said: “We are honored to collaborate with the State Government to enhance access to finance, promote capacity building, and stimulate job creation for women MSMEs in Ekiti State.

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“By empowering women entrepreneurs, we support businesses, uplift families, and foster an inclusive and prosperous society. We are confident that this initiative will inspire a new wave of entrepreneurial spirit, drive economic growth, and create lasting wealth for the people of Ekiti State.”

The state Commissioner for Trade and Investment, Omotayo Adeola, revealed that the loan is principally for women in business with 10% interest rate.

She said that business owners operating micro businesses can access a sum of N100,000, while the second category can access N500,000, and those operating at marco level can access between N 1m and N2m.