The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor Kayode Fayemi

  • Don’t expect rubber-stamp National Assembly

    Yemi Adaramodu, former Chairman of Ekiti Southwest Local Government, one-time Chief of Staff to Governor Kayode Fayemi and Chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development, spoke with Lucas Ajanaku in Lagos on the imperative of cordial relations between the executive and legislative arms of government.

    Kidnapping, cyber crimes, etc are as a result of youths unemployment. In your capacity as the House Committee chairman on Youth Development, what would you do to reduce these vices?

    When we talk of the youths,we know that the youths constitute 60 per cent of the population of Nigeria and that large population can never be ignored or can’t be treated with levity. First of all, we want to charge our parents that it is not only to give your children formal education. You should give your children informal education. What are the home training that our children are receiving nowadays? How many parents do have the time for their children nowadays? Then what about the community peer groups? Are they there anymore? So today, it’s just for us to rush a three months old baby to school, he or she starts school from three months. We want them to graduate even when they are still sucking. We produce kids as graduates who don’t even have exposure about life training which contributes to a total person, then value will be built. Then once there is value in the society, definitely we can now know which one we should do in order to gain prominence or become successful the society instead of cutting corners.

    Secondly, the government for me is doing well to create jobs and empower the youths. The N-power is a good example of this laudable initiative of the Federal Government whereby graduates become entrepreneurs and also become job creators. It is very good because it has taken millions of youths off the streets. Then the curriculum that is being taught in school should be the one to prepare the total mind of the child. When the total mind of the child is trained, it is then appreciated and the way the society is seen would be different from what is happening now. Today, unfortunately  what is happening is that everybody wants to have money and wants to get rich quickly. Societal values are no more inculcated either in the curriculum or in the formal training of our children.  That’s why all these cutting corners; all these idea  of wanting to make it at all cost by either kidnapping, robbery or any other notorious means are with us.

    There is this impression that the Ninth National Assembly will be a rubber stamp because of the rancour-free emergence of its leadership. Do you agree with this?

    Are they saying Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, who is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, is not qualified? He has been in the National Assembly for the past 17 years. Are we saying he is not qualified to preside over  the House? What kind of rubber stamping are they talking about? Someone like Speaker Gbajabiamila who has been  Minority leader,  Majority Leader in the House. He had gone through the robes and has learned through the robes and has he the requisite experience and knowledge to lead the House.  Are we saying someone like that is going to be a rubber stamp? That is not logical. Then, the House of Representatives  elected him in a transparent election. You should know that he was popularly elected and even opposition parties voted for him. Are we then to say that the opposition parties that voted for him are rubber stamps of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC)?. The lawmakers saw his leadership qualities  and his virtues, that was why they voted for him massively to be the Speaker.

    Even in the leadership of the committee members that have just been constitited, we have PDP member as the chairman and vice chairman, APGA members, APN members. It’s an all inclusive committee. Just like the motto of his campaign that said:  ‘United Fronts’ which is truly a united fronts. We can’t say there are no more party members because bills and motions will be raised by members and senators and definitely not by the leaders. So there’s no rubber stamp.  The legislature has its own role which cannot be compromised and  has been exclusively stated in the constitution.  So there can’t be rubber stamping. When we talk about budget scruitiny and passage, the ministry prepares and defends it. The ministry cannot build a bridge where there’s no need for one.

    In the 8th National Assembly, there was executive and legislative bickering that held the nation to ransom…

    The reason why it was like that was because everybody came through a political party which was their platform.  Once we have a parent that sends us somewhere, we must listen to them. The emergence of the 8th Assembly did not conform with that kind of parent-child  relationship. The party that sponsored you and called you together and  asked   how you wanted to pick your leadership did  the right thing. Do you think because of that, the leadership would not have the conscience to move forward and say they want to partner?

    There must be partnership in every arm of government. There’s no water tight separation of powers among the three arms of government. The executive can not go alone, neither can the legislature. If they decide to go alone, then, who would make the laws to be executed? So there’s no rubber standing there.

    The Presidency is planning to revert to January-December budget cycle. Do you see that possibility? 

    Yes. It is quite possible because that was what Nigeria had practiced before and it was very okay. Although it had since changed. Even among Nigeria, it’s very confusing to say the new year starts in June. When you say the year’s budget, to everybody, the year starts in January and ends in December. So 2019 budget is 2019 budget and not 2019/2020 budget. So it’s supposed to be a year’s budget and it’s better like that.

    Is the National Assembly is ready to work with the Presidency to make this happen?

    We are prepared and committed to making it happen. It’s the duty of the executive arm of government to prepare the annual budget. The National Assembly’s function to scrutinise the proposed appropriation bill and give approval. So the executive arm of government too has a huge responsibility to make it happen.

  • Fayemi needs lawmakers’ support

    Ekiti State Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi has urge members of the House of Assembly to  support the developmental initiatives of Governor Kayode Fayemi.

    Egbeyemi said the executive-legislature synergy being witnessed at the federal level should be maintained in Ekiti State in passage of executive bills and conformation of appointments that will add value to governance.

    The deputy governor made the remarks when he hosted members of the House of Assembly Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who were on a familiarisation visit to his office in Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    The committee was led on the visit by its Chairman, Tope Ogunleye. Others members are Tajudeen Akingbolu, Reuben Awoyemi, Lateef Akanle, Yemisi Ayokunle, Deji Ajayi and Olatunji Joseph.

    With Egebyemi were Deputy Chief of Staff, Tade Aluko; Special Assistant (Political), Tokunbo Adeparusi; Special Assistant (Media), Odunayo Ogunmola and Personal Assistant Wale Falade.

    The Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Adeniyi Familoni, led officials of his agency to the parley.

    Egbeyemi, who hailed the lawmakers for their support for Fayemi since the inauguration of the Sixth Assembly, said the governor needed their cooperation, urging them to justify the confidence and trust reposed in them by the party, the governor and their constituents.

    The deputy governor, who is also a former member of the old Ondo State House of Assembly.

    He enjoined them to consolidate the good governance being witnessed in the state with quality legislations and performance of oversight functions in appreciation of the magnanimity of Fayemi’s support for their candidature.

    The deputy governor further reminded the legislators that their loyalty to the party and their track record contributed to their emergence from their constituencies noting that “this is the time to move closer to their constituents and replicate good governance at the grassroots.”

  • Fayemi congratulates Buhari, Osinbajo, governors

    EKITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi has felicitated with President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on their inauguration for a second term today.

    He said he was convinced that Nigerians would witness a higher level of growth in the next four years.

    Fayemi also congratulated his colleague-governors, returning and newly elected, who were inaugurated in 29 states.

    The governor, in a congratulatory message, described yesterday’s inauguration of the President and the governors as a positive development and a demonstration of the collective wishes of the Nigerian people for the entrenchment of democracy.

    Read also: I’ll not abuse my office, Abiodun pledges

    Fayemi, who last week assumed office as chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), also congratulated Nigerians on 20 years of unbroken democratic governance, saying that the milestone was achieved by sheer determination of the Nigerian people to make democracy work, in spite of inherent challenges.

    “Today is significant in so many ways. The President and the Vice President are taking oath of office for a second term in office, just as returning and newly elected governors are being inaugurated in 29 states. This has been the tradition since 1999.

    “As a people, we have every reason to be happy today as we witness 20 years of unbroken democratic governance in our country. We owe this to the commitment and determination of the Nigerian people, who have come to see democracy as the most viable option,” he said.”

  • Fayemi: Clearing Augean stable in Ekiti

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi is clearing the Augean stable in the state.

    He is laying off of 2,000 workers recruited by former Governor Ayo Fayose between August and September last year, one month after his exit from office. Fayose government was in haste to effect the recruitment. But, the proper documentation into the payroll was not effected. They had not even been paid.

    Fayose was known for all sorts of drama. Staging drama at the expense of the people was a pastime.

    Months after he became governor  for the second time in 2014, he promised to employ workers. Applicants were asked to submit their CVs and over 10,000 indigenes paid the prescribed N1,000 fee for the form.

    However, till he left office in September, 2018 nothing was heard about that script.

    It is on record that the governor actually employed about 200 menial workers after he came into office. They were mostly between GL 01 and 04.

    But, as with everything with the former governor, there was a drama to it. Those who were employed were not formally inducted into the state’s pay roll and the gist everywhere is that they were being paid under the table, whatever that meant.

    That is on record as the only employment that the governor did until about three months to his exit from office when he announced plans to employ about 2,000 workers into the state’s labour force.

    The promise was made just before the governorship election and given the story of the 10,000 applicants, few believed the story. It was seen as just another election promise by the outgoing governor aimed at luring the people of the state for political objectives.

    Another reason why people doubted him was the fact that just before the election the Fayose administration was owing workers up to seven months in salaries. How a governor owing that much would go the hog of adding to the labour force was seen as untenable.

    Former Minister of State for Works Prince Dayo Adeyeye while querying the rationale for Fayose’s election promise in a statement said:

    “Few weeks after his inauguration as the state governor, he instructed the unemployed youths in the state to submit their curriculum vitae for jobs that he promised to create for them.

    “Over ten thousand youths in the state paid the sum of one thousand naira each, to collect the forms for the jobs, but unfortunately, up till now, he has not employed one single youth in the state,” he said.

    “I wonder how a state governor, who has not paid the state workers for over seven months, owing pensioners months of gratuity and local government workers as well, is going to fund the employment of two thousand fresh employees.

    “Here is somebody, who sacked all that were employed by the Dr Kayode Fayemi administration that now wants to employ 2000 workers.

    “Workers and the youths should know that he is only deceiving them and does not have their interest at heart. The people cannot be deceived because an average Ekiti worker is more educated and enlightened than he is,” he said.

    Even the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Dr. Sikiru Lawal, who should have been inclined towards such a populist idea, was not deceived as he flayed Fayose for trying to take the people for granted through the promise.

    The election did not turn out for the former governor as he expected. He thought his deputy, Prof. Olusola Eleka, would emerge as his successor.  Fayemi was elected.

    However, the former governor took the drama to another level. Few weeks to his exit in September, he commenced the recruitment of 2,000 staff into the state’s employment.

    In August 2018 when Fayemi was declared as governor-elect, the Fayose administration recruited 2,000 workers.

    Read Also: Supreme Court fixes judgment for May 24 in PDP’s appeal against Fayemi’s election

    Fayose through his media aide, Lere Olayinka, defended the recruitment as a fulfilment of the governor’s promise.

    “It is on record that Governor Fayose announced in January this year that recruitment will be made into the state public service and this was followed up with distribution of employment forms in May,” Mr Olayinka  said.

    “This was consequent upon the existing vacancies in the public service, especially the teaching sector. There are schools without adequate teachers in critical subjects like Mathematics, Physics, English and others. So the students that are resuming in September should wait till Fayemi assumes office?

    “Most importantly, Fayose will carry out all the functions of his office till October 16 and since there is need to employ workers, the government will do so through a transparent process.”

    However, that was inspite of the fact that the Fayose government was at that time owing about seven months of salaries.

    The arrears of salary left behind by the Fayose government was besides the total debt profile of over N155.79 billion Governor Fayemi has reported that the former governor left behind.

  • Fayemi nominates 14 for commissioner

    EKITI State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday forwarded a list of 14 commissioner-nominees to the House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.

    Fayemi transmitted a letter to the Assembly, requesting for legislative approval to constitute the state executive.

    Speaker of the Assembly Adeniran Alagbada, who read the letter to his colleagues at plenary, said the governor’s action was in consonance with Section 192 of the 1999 Constitution.

    The commissioner-nominees are:  Dr. Adio Afolayan, Dr. (Mrs.) Moji Yaya Kolade, Chief (Mrs.) Moji Fafure, Mr. Emmanuel Foluso Daramola, Mr. Folorunso Olabode, Engr. Dele Faparusi and Mr. Gbenga Agbeyo.

    Read also: Ekiti pensioners will no longer cry over entitlements — Fayemi

    Others are Mr. Olusoga Davies, Mr. Sola Adebayo, Mr. Michael Awopetu, Mr. Muyiwa Olumilua, Mr. Femi Ajayi, Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu and Mr. Febisola Adewale.

    The Speaker also read another letter from the governor on the reconstitution of the board of Local Government Service Commission.

    Chief S.A. Abejide will serve as chairman. Other members are Mrs. Abiola Adeosun, Dele Oloje, Comrade Bisi Dada and Alhaja Mariam Bimbola Ogunlade.

    The commissioners-nominees and Local Government Service Commission’s members will face the lawmakers tomorrow for screening.

     

     

  • Ekiti to conduct psychiatric test on sex offenders

    In a bid to tackle child defilement and rapists in Ekiti State, the government has resolved to put stringent measures that will serve as check on sexual violence.

    It will henceforth conduct compulsory psychiatric test and publish the names and photographs of offenders on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

    The names of such offenders, according to the government, would also be announced on the state-owned radio and television stations, while the monarchs of the towns the culprits hailed from would be alerted.

    Addressing reporters yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, Attorney General and Justice Commissioner Wale Fapohunda expressed worries that the menace kept increasing despite high number of convictions recorded.

    He said Governor Kayode Fayemi was disturbed by increasing cases of sexual violence, adding that there was need for proactive actions to nip the situation in the bud.

    Fapohunda said the new measures would support the aggressive prosecution and exclusion of offenders from governor’s prerogative of mercy that were already in place.

    “The additional measures put in place include pasting the photographs of convicted offenders in prominent public spaces in their communities and local government headquarters.

    “Issuing an advisory to the traditional rulers of the offenders’ communities on the status of the offenders. Uploading the sex offenders’ photographs on the website of the Ministry of Justice.

    “Showing photographs of sex offenders on Ekiti State Television, announcing their names on radio and television.

    “Compulsory psychiatric test for persons of whom the Director of Public Prosecution has issued a case to answer legal advice for the offence of child defilement. This also includes persons standing trials,” he said.

  • Ekiti elders greet Fayemi at 54

    Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Forum has congratulated Governor Kayode Fayemi on his 54th birthday.

    The elders also said they were grateful to God that President Muhammadu Buhari won the 2019 election.

    In a statement, the forum’s Chairman, Asiwaju George Akosile, said the efforts of the governor amplified Buhari’s victory in Ekiti State.

    He noted that APC’s brilliant performance was due to the support from its members and Ekiti people, hoping that it would translate to rapid growth.

    Akosile lauded Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Ekiti State Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi for their exemplary support.

    “We commend both the governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi and his deputy for their transformational agenda in redefining the image of Ekiti State,” the forum said.

  • Ekiti pays N3.3b UBEC fund

    •Fayemi distributes N30m instructional materials

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi says his administration has paid N3.3 billion as the state’s counterpart funding for the 2016, 2017 and 2018 Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) intervention projects.

    Fayemi made this known in Ado- Ekiti during the flag off of the distribution of working and instructional materials worth N30 million to public schools across the state. The initiative is to further enhance leaning.

    Fayemi, who highlighted some of the investments of his administration in the education sector, listed the approval for the payment of N146 million as allowances to teachers, payment of part of the outstanding salary arrears and allowances owed by the last administration, as well as approval for the payment of rural posting and core subject allowances, among others.

    He said these steps were geared towards making teaching and learning conducive “in affirmation of our professed determination in restoring the values of Ekiti”.

    “It saddens my heart to hear that primary schools in Ekiti State have not been given instructional and working materials since 2016. This is not a good way to achieve effective teaching and learning by our esteem teachers and pupils. The importance of instructional materials in any classroom academic process is more than meet the ordinary eye,” Fayemi said.

    “It is to improve pupils’ knowledge, abilities and skills, monitor the assimilation of information, contribute to the overall development of the pupils and subsequently improve pupils learning outcomes and achievement,” the governor added.

    He said the materials distributed include 17 units of motorcycles, 2,000 cartons of chalk, 450 cartons of red biro, 450 cartons of blue biro, 13,000 copies of diaries; 13,000 copies of registers; 2,000 copies of time books and 150 building blocks.

    Others are photocopiers, 75 counting cards, 100 mathematical set, 100 world globe and 100 sets of plastic round tables and chairs.

    Fayemi said efforts were in top gear to supply computers for e-learning and other relevant instructional materials to enable public schools compete with other states.

    The Permanent Secretary in the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Dr. Adefolakemi Oladimeji, thanked the government for providing an enabling environment for teachers to work and prioritise their welfare by releasing money for the payment of housing loan.

  • Ekiti gets N3.9bn Paris Club refund for salary arrears — Fayemi  

    Ekiti State Government says it has received N3.9 billion from the Federal Government as the last tranche of its Paris Club refund.

    Gov. Kayode Fayemi made the disclosure on Thursday in Ado Ekiti through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode.

    He said that as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, N3.3billion was also deducted and paid as outstanding 2016- 2018 counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) being owed by the state.

    Consequently, the governor directed the Paris Club refund be applied to pay one month salary out of the outstanding arrears to state and local government workers, teachers and pensioners.

    This, he said, was in line with his promise to Ekiti workers and people to clear part of the owed arrears as soon as the Paris Club Refund was paid.

    According to him, the state received the Paris Club Refund, following President Buhari’s intervention in the matter, after his last week’s visit to the President.

    He expressed appreciation to the President for the timely intervention, and assured workers that his administration would clear the five to eight month salary arrears owed workers by the immediate past administration, within a reasonable period.

    ”The immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose received a total of N18.34 billion Paris Club refund in three tranches between December 2016 and December 2017

    ” This is in addition to bailout funds, budget support funds and excess crude support, all totalling about N55 billion, but failed to utilise it on salary being owed workers and retirees

    ” The first tranche of the Paris Club refund totalling N8.87 billion was received in December 2016. The state also got N4.77 billion in July 2017 and another N4.7billion in December 2017,” he said.

    He assured workers in the state that his administration would not owe salaries, adding that he would clear the outstanding salaries for all categories of workers within one year

     

  • Ekiti APC Treasurer shot dead while eating

    …Party mourns

    Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been thrown into mourning following the murder of the State Treasurer, Mr. Moses Adeoye, Wednesday night.

    Adeoye was reportedly shot dead in his house in Otun-Ekiti, headquarters of Moba Local Government Area while having his supper.

    Read Also:Tribunal adjourns hearing of Ekiti governorship poll dispute till today

    The gunmen were said to have invaded Adeoye’s residence at about 9.00 pm and opened fire on the victim while he was eating.

    He was killed few hours after returning to Otun-Ekiti after being part of the town hall meetings held by Governor Kayode Fayemi in Ekiti North and Ekiti South senatorial districts same day.

    Adeoye was the APC chairman in his local government area before he became the state treasurer at the state congress in September.

    The police spokesman Caleb Ikechukwu disclosed that the state command has commenced investigation into the killing assuring that the culprits would soon be nabbed.

    The state chapter of the APC has expressed shock at the killing of a member of the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The APC Publicity Secretary, Mr. Ade Ajayi, disclosed that the state exco had paid a condolence visit to the family of Adeoye.

    Ajayi in a statement on Thursday said the state APC Chairman, Mr. Paul Omotoso, described Adeoye as responsible, honest, committed party man praying that such an incident would not happen again.

    Ajayi also quotes Omotoso as describing the killing of the treasurer as a “terrible blow” to Governor Kayode Fayemi, APC, party members and the Moba people.

    The APC Chairman in Moba council area, Mr. Femi Adeyeye, described the incident as a “rude shock” to all party members and people of the community.

    Adeyeye urged the state government and the party not to forget the family of the slain Adeoye.

    The APC delegation from the state exco also paid a condolence visit to the Oore of Moba land, Oba James Adedapo Popoola, in his palace in Otun-Ekiti, on the killing of the party leader.

    Omotoso urged the monarch to take solace in God on the loss of a prominent son of the community saying the party would do everything possible to bring the killers to book.

    Oba Popoola thanked the APC leaders for the visit noting that the incident has created an injury in the hearts of the people of the town that would take time to heal.