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Tag: Ekiti

  • Ekiti: Aspirant backs APC elders on consensus candidate

    Ekiti: Aspirant backs APC elders on consensus candidate

    Former Majority Leader of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, has thrown his weight behind the choice of Dr. Wole Oluyede as the All Progressives Congress (APC) preferred candidate from Ikere-Ekiti. Afuye condemned the opposition of two aspirants, Muyiwa Olumilua and Kola Alabi, to Oluyede’s selection, saying it was wrong for the duo to have agreed to the process at a private parley and come out to condemn it in the open.

    He hailed the role played by Ikere Development Forum (IDF) led by eminent lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), in narrowing down Ikere’s APC aspirants to one, arguing that the process was democratic and not an imposition. The five APC aspirants who participated in the process were Oluyede, Afuye, Olumilua, Alabi and Chief Sesan Fatoba. But Olumilua, son of a former governor, and Alabi have vowed to go ahead with their ambition and declared their readiness to participate in the state APC primary election.

    Olanipekun and other IDF members, in a bid to enhance Ikere’s chances of producing the next governor, called five APC aspirants from the town together at a meeting held in Lagos from February 11 to 12 and urged them to pick someone among themselves. When the aspirants could not agree among themselves who should be the town’s APC consensus candidate, they all agreed that the group should choose one of them and Oluyede, a medical practitioner and investor, emerged as the choice.

     

  • Aspirant promises to restore Ekiti’s glory

    All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State Chief Dele Okeya has promised to restore the lost glory of the state, if elected at the poll.

    Okeya, who accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of impoverishing the people, promised to promote public welfare.

    He spoke in Emure-Ekiti during the inauguration of his campaign coordinators for the 16 local government areas.

    Okeya said he has the capacity and experience to lead the state, charging the coordinators to justify the confidence reposed in them.

    He said that the rebirth of Ekiti State was necessary to boost the peoples’ confidence in the democratic system.

    Okeya said: “I am ready to serve Ekiti to restore the lost glory, our virtues and values. Ekiti is not known for street begging, we are known for self esteem, high moral standard and respect for elders. I am bringing light to Ekiti and when light appears, darkness disappears.”

    He urged delegates at the primary to shun money politics and focus on the antecedents of contestants. He said: “The desired goals could only be achieved by the party and Ekiti when a honest and experienced leader is put at the helm of affairs.”

    Okeya advised the coordinators to be faithful in the discharge of their responsibilities. He said no “foreign politicians” would be imposed on them while selecting people into various political offices.

    The Director General Dele Okeya Campaign Organisation, Chief Kehinde Babatola, urged them to work hard for the success of the aspirant during the primary.

  • Ekiti PDP members allege persecution over support for aspirant

    Ekiti PDP members allege persecution over support for aspirant

    Some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members in Ekiti State  have alleged that they are being victimised because of  their support for a governorship aspirant, Otunba Segun Adewale.

    The embattled party members, who belonged to the Ali Modu Sheriff faction before the Supreme Court judgment settled the party’s leadership crisis, said the party leadership was violating their freedom of association.

    The party faithful, who are from Ijero Local Government Area, where Adewale hails from, claimed that they had been on suspension since March 23, 2016 for taking sides with Sheriff against the  former Caretaker Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi.

    They complained that they were  being sidelined by the State Working Committee in the affairs of the chapter, despite the directive by the National Chairman, Chief Uche Secondus, and the Chairman of the Reconciliation Committee, Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, that Sheriff’s faction should be reabsorbed unconditionally.

    Speaking with reporters in Ado- Ekiti, the state capital, the former PDP secretary  in Ijero Local Government Area, Hon. Olurotimi Akande, alleged that 50 members were suspended for alleged anti-party activities.

    He said the latest alleged victimisation was due to their support for Adewale against Governor Ayo Fayose’s preferred candidate and deputy governor, Prof. Kolapo Olusola.

    Following Adewale’s entry into the race, a crisis of confidence developed between him and the governor. Also, other contenders, including the former Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Senator Biodun Oujimi from the South District, Ambassador Dare Bejide and former Commissioner for Justice Owoseni Ajayi, have objected to the endorsement of an anointed candidate by the governor.

    Akande said: “After the supreme court judgement on Senators Makarfi and Sheriff, which was an internal crisis and not about anti-party activity, Governor Fayose made a pronouncement that all of us must be reabsorbed but the State Working Committee, led by Chief Gboyega Oguntuase never implemented that.

    “Throughout that time, I was not called to any elders’ meeting in Ijero local government as guaranteed by the party’s constitution. They were treating us as outcasts despite that the NWC and the Board of Trustees had directed that we should treated well.

    He added: “Internal crisis in a political party ends when the party or court resolves such issue. Members always fall in line, it is like when a candidate of a party emerges, others will queue behind him but the contrary was happening here in Ekiti PDP.

    “I see no offence in anyone supporting a candidate of choice. Chief Adewale is our leader and we are backing him for the governorship fully but we will work for whoever wins the primary, even if it is Prof Olusola, we will display that loyalty,” he said.

    A PDP chieftain, Hon. Idowu, said the only way they can support the party in the July 14 poll is for the NWC to conduct a free, fair and credible primary.

  • Ekiti college teachers protest ‘amputated salaries’

    Ekiti college teachers protest ‘amputated salaries’

    •Teachers begin indefinite strike

    Lecturers at the College of Education in Ikere-Ekiti have slammed the state government for paying them “amputated salaries”.

    The teachers also condemned the deduction of 120 per cent taxes from their salaries, saying it inflicted hardship on them.

    The college teachers, who have begun an indefinite strike, demanded the payment of their six-month salary arrears and an increase in the subvention to the institution.

    Acting under the aegis of Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU), the teachers issued a communique at the end of an emergency congress at the school.

    They demanded the payment of N900 million pension arrears and gratuities of retired workers.

    According to the communique signed by their Chairman, A. B. Olokesusi and Secretary, Dare Owolabi, the teachers called for a negotiation of the tax regime before its implementation.

    They also expressed anger that the state government denied them audience, despite three separate letters to the Ayodele Fayose administration on their welfare.

    COEASU said: “While we agreed that the payment of tax is a must for all citizens of a nation, the union also believes that tax payment is subject to negotiation.

    “A situation where all allowances – leave bonus, research allowance, teaching practice allowance and so on – are taxed is highly provocative and seriously condemnable.

    “Apart from this, the state government has been paying amputated salaries to members over the years since the monthly subvention is far below what can cater for the workers’ salaries.

    “Having deliberated critically on these issues, the following were the resolutions:

    “The management of the college should stop further deduction of tax arrears of the salaries of members.

    “The management should, with immediate effect, explain to the union the reason for over 120 per cent tax deduction from salaries of members.

    “The arrears of tax so deducted be refunded to members without any delay.

    “The union condemns …the unnecessary burden being placed on workers who have not received six months’ salaries due to the failure of the government.

    “The union hereby rejects …the payment of amputated monthly subvention to the college by the state government.

    “The union hereby demands the immediate increase in the monthly subvention to the college to enable the management pay full salary to the workers of the college.

    “The state government should, as a matter of urgency, start the payment of backlogs of gratuity and pension arrears running to N900,000,000.OO.

    “The union observes that in the last 30 years, no pension and gratuity has been paid to any retiree of the college.

    “In view of the fact that the union has exhausted all avenues to redress the obnoxious tax deduction and based on the failure of the state government to meet with the union on the negotiation table, the union, therefore, agreed and resolved to embark on an indefinite industrial action until the government reverts to the previous tax being paid.”

     

     

  • Aspirant to establish rice mill in Ekiti

    •Ex-commissioner defects to APC

    An Ekiti State senator, Ayo Arise, has promised to turn the state into one of the major producers of rice if elected governor in the July 14 election.

    Arise, who declared his intent to run on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the weekend, promised to establish rice mills and package the local rice for sale within and outside the state.

    The former Chairman of Senate Committee on Privatisation visited the APC secretariat in a carnival-like fashion where he unfolded his agenda to develop Ekiti State before the party executives and thousands of his supporters.

    Arise stormed the secretariat at Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti in a long convoy of vehicles with popular Fuji artiste, Saheed Osupa, thrilling residents with his genre of music.

    Also, a former Commissioner for Environment during the Segun Oni administration, Otunba Segun Olanrewaju, and his supporters, defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC at the ceremony.

    Arise said rice production was one of the areas Ekiti has comparative advantage, adding that setting up of mills and packaging “Igbemo Rice” would generate cash into the state coffers and create jobs for the residents.

    The senator noted that the industrialisation of Ekiti would be his priority to make the state less dependent on allocations from the Federation Account.

  • Ekiti miners to benefit from Fed Govt, BoI N5b loan

    Ekiti miners to benefit from Fed Govt, BoI N5b loan

    Mining activities in Ekiti State have received a boost as small scale miners in Ijero-Ekiti axis will benefit from a N5 billion intervention fund from the Federal Government.

    The Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and the Bank of Industry (BoI) are making available N2.5 billion each for the intervention fund to assist the miners.

    The miners will access the cash through cooperative societies to empower them and stop illegal mining in the state.

    The Programme Director of African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development (Centre LSD), Mr. Monday Osasah, broke the news yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, at policy dialogue on Mining supported by Open Society for West Africa (OSIWA).

    He said the N5 billion intervention fund for artisanal and small scale miners was a conscious effort to grow and develop the Mining sector and make it contribute to government revenue.

    Osasah said qualified artisanal miners would be allowed to access between N100,000 and N10 million while small scale miners could get between N10 million and N100 million.

    The Owa Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adebayo Adewole, who described his kingdom as “the mining centre of Ekiti,” urged Federal and state governments to show more interest in the sector.

    Oba Adewole expressed dismay that gem stones and feldspar mined in the community were taken away and turned into finished products.

    He said: “If government shows more interest in mining in Ijero Kingdom, it can lead to a glass industry and this will create more jobs.”

    Also, LSD Campaign and Research Officer Mr. Omaojor Ogedoh said the advocacy for effective natural resource governance was being implemented in Taraba, Ebonyi and Ekiti states.

  • NDE trains 2,000 in Ekiti

    NDE trains 2,000 in Ekiti

    The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) in Ekiti State has trained 2,000 persons in various vocations to reduce unemployment.

    Over 1,400 of the trainees underwent training in cosmetology, which encompasses making of bar soap, liquid soap, detergent, perfumes and disinfectants.

    Six hundred of the beneficiaries were trained in domestic trades, such as barbing, GSM repairs and catering, among others.

    At the opening of the training, NDE Director General Dr. Ladan Nasiru Argungu said the agency designed many empowerment programmes to reduce unemployment.

    Argungu, who spoke through the State NDE Coordinator, Mr. Babatope Akinyemi, said the skills the participants gained would help them to stand on their own and become employers of labour.

    He urged the participants to use the training to contribute to the grassroots economy and become useful to the society.

     

     

     

     

     

  • Youths donate books to pupils in Ekiti

    Pupils of four public primary schools in Afao-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti State had cause to smile at the as they received free exercise books from an interest group in the community.

    The donation was carried out by Afao-Ekiti Youth Development Forum under its School Children Empowerment programme.

    The benefiting schools were CAC Primary School; St. David’s Primary School; Muslim Primary School; and SUBEB Model Primary School.

    The initiative was supported by a philanthropist and an indigene of the community, Mr. Kayode Akinyemi, who joined the youths to present the exercise books to the pupils.

    The beneficiaries couldn’t hide their joy at the donation which they said would give them impetus to take their studies serious.

    They also expressed gratitude to Akinyemi and Afao Youth Development Forum for the initiative.

    A Primary Three pupil at CAC Primary School, Uworre Happiness, praised the sponsors. She said her ambition was to become a governor in the future.

    Another pupil in the school, Egunjobi Susan, who also said her ambition was to become a governor, urged the sponsors to continue the gesture for more pupils to benefit.

    One of the coordinators of Afao-Ekiti Youth Development Forum, Oni Oluwafemi, said the donation was valuable to the pupils.

    Oluwafemi said: “This project is very essential since the pupils came from humble background because you cannot find the children of the rich in schools in places like this.

    “It’s a privilege to be part of this project, you can see the excitement on the faces of the children in the schools were the donation was made.

    “Some of them, at one time or the other, had been sent home because they lacked writing materials especially exercise books.

    “We want to thank Mr. Akinyemi for identifying with the youths of this community and supporting this initiative with his personal money.

    “He may not be the richest person to come out of Afao-Ekiti community but what he has done today will remain indelible in our minds and in the minds of this children.

    “He has done so many things in this community we can point to. This is for the development of our community and indigenes and non-indigenes alike have benefited.”

     

  • Ekiti wins science quiz competition

    Ekiti wins science quiz competition

    Ekiti State has won the 2017 Science Teachers Association of Nigeria’s annual national science quiz and project competition held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    The state was represented by the College of Education Demonstration Secondary School at Ikere-Ekiti.

    Last year’s edition was the 60th anniversary of the association.

    After a keenly contested competition, which attracted participants from all the stated of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Samuel Oloko and Akala Olatoye did a project on the production of an environmental-friendly bio-bricks from sewage waste to win the secondary school category.

    Presenting the victorious pupils to the management of the college, the school’s head teacher Dr ibitola Makinde said the school’s representatives won the preliminary stages involving public and private secondary schools in Ekiti State and represented the state at the finals in Port Harcourt and through a dint of hard work came first.

    She explained that the school has consistently won laurels in quiz competition and projects both at the state and national levels with a promise to sustain the tempo.

    Receiving the victorious students and their teachers in her office, the Provost of the College, Professor Mojisola Oyarekua expressed satisfaction at the commitment of the teachers to duties which she said led to the excellent performance of the students who represented the state at the competition.

    She said the management of the school will continue to do everything possible at making the school rank among the best in Nigeria.

     

  • Ekiti governorship aspirant to attract investors

    Ekiti governorship aspirant to attract investors

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Dr. Wole Oluyede, has promised to attract local and international investors to free the state from dependence on federal allocations.

    Oluyede said he was not afraid of competing against former governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi in the primary for the July 14 poll.

    The doctor-turned politician is confident of winning the party’s ticket and election.

    Speaking with The Nation yesterday, Oluyede promised to galvanise a knowledge-based economy and ensure effective utilisation of human resources to stimulate investments.

    The aspirant said Ekiti cannot continue to depend on Abuja for monthly “financial handouts” amid abundant agricultural, mineral and tourism resources.

    He said: “Our federal allocation should just be a plus to us. We cannot go to Abuja to get money we did not work for every time.

    “What we should do is develop what we have. We need to develop our agriculture, we need to develop tourism. We have one of the most important sources of wealth in the world: knowledge.

    “That is what countries have, and that is what China is developing now. We need to become innovators and entrepreneurs.

    “What I am trying to say is that we must encourage one another to invest in our own economy to create jobs.

    “We have a good number of educated people; we must use them. We don’t need to buy Okada for our youths because we want them to produce things we can sell to others.”