The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Gov. Olusegun Mimiko

  • Mimiko’s aide lauds Akerodolu’s commendation

    Mimiko’s aide lauds Akerodolu’s commendation

    Aide of the outgoing Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State, Oluwole Babalola has lauded Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, incoming governor of the state for identifying Mimiko’s achievements as a big challenge.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mimiko’s tenure will end on Friday and Akeredolu will be sworn in as the new governor of the state.

    Speaking with NAN in Akure on Tuesday, Babalola, the Special Assistant to the governor on Civil Society Matters, said “Akeredolu is sincere enough to acknowledge Mimiko’s achievement as tremendous.’’

    “He is starting on a right footing. Identifying Mimiko’s good work as a challenge will put him in a good stead to surpass his predecessor’s achievement.

    “He has formed various committees to take appropriate steps that will enable him to hit the ground running,” he said.

    Babalola said that the outgoing administration would continue to pray for the incoming one irrespective of political differences.

    “If Ondo State gets better, we all get better irrespective of our political affiliations. We use the same facilities, our wives go to the same hospitals and markets,” he said.

    Babalola said that Mimiko’s achievements and policies had been able to bridge the gap between the privileged and the less privileged.

    He said all the schools in the state whether mega or not had the same facilities.

  • Ondo decides: Card reader rejects Mimiko’s thumbprint

    Ondo decides: Card reader rejects Mimiko’s thumbprint

    There was mild drama on Saturday in Ondo town as the card reader deployed for the governorship election rejected Gov. Olusegun Mimiko’s thumbprint when he wanted to vote at his Ward 7, Unit 20 Polling Unit in Ondo West Local Government Area.

    Mimiko had to fill the incident form before he was finally allowed to cast his vote at about 12 noon.

    Speaking shortly after casting his vote, the governor said he would resist any attempt to manipulate the election in favour of any political party.

    “Ondo people will not allow any form of rigging or manipulation through the card reader or any other form,” he said.

    No fewer than 1,280,580 voters with Permanent Voter Cards would decide who the governor would be out of the 28 contestants in Saturday’s governorship election.

    Although 1,659,186 voters were registered for the election, 378,606 did not turn up to collect their PVCs.

    The major contestants include Mr Eyitayo Jegede of the PDP, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu of the APC, Dr Olu Agunloye of the Social Democratic Party and Olusola Oke of the Alliance for Democracy.

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  • Boroffice’s group urges EFCC to investigate Mimiko

    Boroffice’s group urges EFCC to investigate Mimiko

    A political group in Ondo State, Ajayi Boroffice 2016 Group on Tuesday called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the State Government and Texas-based Liquefied Resources on exploration of bitumen in the state.
     
    The group in a statement issued and signed by its Chairman, Publicity Committee, Comrade Bola Roland described the bitumen’s deal as a deceptive ploy of Governor Olusegun Mimiko led’s administration to hoodwink the people of the state fraudulently.
     
    The group asked that if it was possible for a state to sign an MoU on solid minerals with the knowledge of the federal government.
     
    It said a recent statement by the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi  to the effect that the bidding round for the exploration of bitumen, would commence soon and shall be concluded before the end of the year has blown the lid off the phantom exploration deal Mimiko claimed he signed with a US company
     
    It urged the people of the state, especially the people in the southern senatorial area, whom it is claimed had suffered criminal neglect for over seven years under the Mimiko’s administration, not to be deceived by the news of the bitumen exploration MOU.
     
    The statement reads: “our group has joined the growing list of personalities and groups that have faulted the recent claim by the Mimiko led’s government that it had signed an agreement with a US based company on the exploration of the vast bitumen resources in the state, reputed to be the second largest in the world.
     
    “The truth which is already in the public domain is that the government of President Buhari has placed the exploitation and exploration of solid mineral resources as one of the cardinal revenue and employment generation drives of his administration.
     
    “To underscore his seriousness, the president has put the astute Fayemi in charge of this important drive; and last week, the minister visited the bitumen-bearing communities of the state to assure them of the seriousness and readiness to turn bitumen to a money spinning and employment generating resource for the people.
     
    “To any discerning mind, the bitumen deal of Mimiko could only be another orchestrated ploy to reap political capital from where he did not sow since the Federal Government is the only tier of government empowered by law to explore mineral resources; a responsibility which the current APC led Federal Government takes with every sense of urgency and seriousness.
     
    “The question to ask is: could Ondo State Government had signed an MOU on bitumen exploration without the knowledge and approval of the FG, in the light of Fayemi’s statement that ‘the FG would partner with the states, investors and the communities to create the enabling environment?” 
     
    “The political group has therefore added its voice and weight to the earlier call of Senator Boroffice on EFCC to immediately commence a detailed investigation into the MoU purportedly signed between Mimiko’s administration and the phantom Texas-based Liquefied Resources on bitumen exploration in the State, in view of new information available to the public, courtesy of Dr Fayemi’s visit to bitumen-bearing communities in the state last week”.
  • Ondo State Govt. to tackle unemployment through agriculture

    Ondo State Govt. to tackle unemployment through agriculture

    Ondo State Government said it had mapped out strategies to reduce the rate of unemployment among youths through agriculture.

    agriculture, the Chairman of the state Wealth Creation Agency (WECA), disclosed this on Wednesday in Akure.

    He spoke while signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and Third National FADAMA Development Project.

    The WECA chairman, who signed on behalf of the state government, said that agriculture could provide massive employment opportunities for youths.

    Olafunmiloye said the collaboration of the agencies was to move the sector forward and boost food production in the state and the country at large.

    She said that the development would develop the agricultural sector and change mindset of youths towards agriculture by encouraging them to adopt modern system of farming.

    According to her, the MoU is expected to emphasise the development of poultry production and cassava cultivation in the state.

    The WECA chairman said that the move was in line with the policy of the current administration to partner reputable and committed individuals and organisations in promoting agriculture.

    Olafunmiloye said that the government had established four Agro Business Cities (ABC) across the state with modern facilities to serve as incubation and training centres for youths.

    Speaking on the value chain addition initiative of the government, she said the agency had established a number of agro allied industries for food processing.

    Among them are 1000 daily capacity chicken processing plant at Akure with modern facilities and cassava processing plant at Ore Agro Business City.

    She said that poultry production was critical to the economy and should be developed and harnessed to create job opportunities for youths.

    According to her, it can also generate revenue for the government and stop the millions of naira being spent on importation of poultry products from other countries.

    She, however, called for collaboration among all the stakeholders to achieve this.

    Mr Festus Oyekunle, the state Chairman, Poultry Association of Nigeria and Mrs Jumoke Bakare, the state FADAMA project leader, expressed delight at the prospect of partnering with state government on agriculture.

    They agreed that the development was with a view to sharpening the interest of youths in agriculture and make them to self employed as well as create wealth for themselves.