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Tag: Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

  • Ondo APC, PDP: Gazing at 2020

    Ahead of next year’s governorship election in Ondo State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have returned to the drawing board. Correspondent DAMISI OJO examines the permutations by the ruling and opposition parties.

    The governorship election will hold in Ondo State next year.

    Although  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has not released the time table, the political parties are warming up for the poll.

    Already, gladiators are preparing  for the contest. No fewer than 20 parties are expected to participate in the exercise, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are the parties to watch.

    While the PDP is banking on its victoryduring the last presidential and National Assembly elections, which was due to the disunity in the APC, the ruling party is working hard to retain the Alagbaka House.

    Indeed, there is still a stumbling block on the way for the APC, judging  by the disharmony in the party. APC leaders are still at loggerheads.

    Since 2016 election, the heat has been on. The progressives party has been divided since that disputed primary. During the election, the party split.  The different groups worked at  cross-purpose. They did not support Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    The aggrieved members were fighting the ‘Team Aketi’, which worked for Akeredolu to become the helmsman in 2016. Now, the group is working to ensure that the Owo-born lawyer gets the second term ticket and retains the seat till 2024.

    Akeredolu, who was initially relunctant to unite the factional groups, shortly after emerging as the governor, is seeking reconciliation ahead of next year polls. But, he still has many hurdles to surmount to achieve the goal.

    Recently, the APC Southwest Caucus, led by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was in Akure, the Ondo State capital, seeking for unity and to guard against destroying the party.

    At the meeting, it was learnt that   next year’s election and second term ticket werenot  on the agenda. The meeting was basically for reconciliation to fortify the ruling party.

    Besides, sources hinted that there was an agreement to dissolve the APC’s State Executive, led by Ade Adetimehin, to be replaced with a Care-taker Committee. Its membership is expected to be all-encompassing.

    However, after almost three-months, the same exco is still running the party, to the displeasure of the aggrieved parties .

    The concerned groups ,led by former Deputy Governor Alli Olanusi, who is also a member of theAPC Board of Trusteees (BOT), have  reminded Abuja forces to support the resolution.

    They are feeling uncomfortable with  loyalists of ‘Team Aketi,’ who are running the party. They are frowning at the inability of the NWC to dissolve the state exco as agreed upon during the July 10 peace meeting.

    For now, the estranged members have not been accomodated by Akeredolu to strengten the party to become a winning platform ahead of next year’s poll.

    The crack is bold on the wall. However, some aspirants are warming up.  They are not intimidated by the power of incumbency weilded by the governor. Therefore, Akeredolu may not be the only aspirant at the primary.

    The contenders include the Executive Director, Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC),  Ife Oyedele, former governorship candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) the Pioneer Chairman of APC Isaac Kekemeke and former Information Commissioner Banji Ayiloge.

    Observers are of the view that the senator representing Ondo North District, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, may be interested in the coveted seat. But,  feelers from his camp have not been definite.

    Three aspirants-Oyedele, Oke and Kekemeke-are from the South District,which is agitating for power shift.

    They said the Central had produced  Dr Olusegun Mimiko and the North has produced Akeredolu, adding that   the South has not tasted it in post- Olusegun Agagagu period.To the South, the state has an unwritten zoning arrangement.

    The PDP is also thirsty for power,  having been booted out of office on February 24, 2016 by the ruling APC.

    PDP lost power to the APC due to  internal wrangling and litigations.

    The crisis led to the failure of its candidate, Eyitayo Jegede (SAN), to succeeed Mimiko.

    Observers believe the party, which must have learnt its lesson, is ready to correct its past mistakes.

    The party’s success March general elections gave it a ray of hope.  The party produced two senators, Nicholas Tofowomo (South) and Ayo Akinyelure  (Central).

    Already, the party in readiness to send Akeredolu and his party, APC packing in Alagbaka House, is parading no fewer than 16 aspirants.

    Majority of them are from the North where governor Akeredolu hails from. Some are from the South and few from the Central.

    PDP aspirants are Eddy Olafeso (P.hD), who is the National Vice Chairman (Southwest ) and former Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Mobilisation under Agagu.

    Jegede, a former Commissioner for Justice under Mimiko, was the 2016 PDP governorship candidate.

    He came second after losing to  Akeredolu.

    Already, Jegede has begun consultations without minding some side talks that Ondo Central should rest for now after the exit of Mimiko.

    He said he had consulted God Almighty on whether he  should go forward on the project and the answer was in affirmative.

    Also on the list is Ebiseni, a lawyer and a three- time commissioner, and  the former Chairman of Ilaje Local Government and immediate past Publicity Secretary of the party, Banji Okunomo, and Otunba Bamidele Akingboye.

    In PDP, there will be no zoning. The congress will elect the strongest candidate.

    Stakeholders in the two parties are posting that their parties will win.

  • Ondo violence: Group seeks compensation for victims

    A group of eminent personalities in Ondo State under the aegis of Akoko Development Group (ADG) have pleaded with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to compensate the families of those  affected during the bloody political violence in Oba-Akoko, Akoko Southwest Local Government Area.

    The non-partisan group, at the weekend, condemned  the mayhem witnessed during the March 9 House of Assembly elections in the sleepy community.

    Two persons were reportedly killed during the mayhem and many houses and vehicles worth millions of Naira were burnt by irate youth.

    The development forced the state government to impose a curfew that paralysed economic activities in the community for almost two weeks.

    ADG blamed politicians for the crisis, stressing that the development fell below accepted norms of human behaviour at both local and international levels.

    It hailed the state government for its quick intervention in dousing the tension and restoring normalcy in the town.

    Besides, the group called for compensation to the families of those killed, injured or having their businesses and properties destroyed.

    Akeredolu had instituted a probe panel to investigate those behind the attack, particularly politicians and those causede the destructions in the community.

    The group urged parents and politicians, who promoted the ‘miscreants’ to desist from such act, stressing that such incidence should not be allowed to happen in any part of Akoko land again.

    It also advised politicians to always play the game according to veritable and acceptable rules and standards.

  • Akeredolu to rename Ondo varsity after Agagu

    Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said the state University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) will soon be renamed after former Governor Olusegun Agagu.

    Akeredolu stated this during a thank-you tour to Okitipupa Local Government Area in Ondo Southern Senatorial District.

    He explained that the two newly-elected House of Assembly members representing Okitipupa 1 and 11 constituencies, Akineogunde Akinfomide and Akinwumi Emmanuel, would move the motion for the renaming of the university to Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa.

    According to the governor, it is a decision that can only be taken by the House of Assembly and they would move the motion as their first assignment.

    He said: “You know we have Adekunle Ajasin University in Akungba and it won’t be bad to have Olusegun Agagu University in Okitipupa.

    “When we came on board, we noticed that the university lacked infrastructural facilities, a good road network and other areas, which we looked into and fixed.

    “The project would have been added to the museum of abandoned projects, hence the need for the major upgrades by this administration.”

    Akeredolu, who thanked the people for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner during the election, lauded them and sought for their continued support for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

  •  Akeredolu to visit Ondo’s 18 LGs

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is to  embark on a week-long visit to all the 18 local government areas of the state from Monday

    The purpose the visit, according to the governor, is to enable him to, once again, interact with the people of the state.

    “This again is another opportunity for me to meet and interface with the good people of Ondo State. The visits will avail us the opportunity to talk and reflect on our activities and achievements in  the last two years and to chart a new course for the future,” Akeredolu said.

    The Governor and his team visit three local governments each day of the week, beginning with Irele, Ese-Odo and Ilaje local government areas on Monday.

    It will be be the turn of Okitipupa, Odigbo and Ile-Oluji local government areas to host the governor on Tuesday, March 19.

    Governor Akeredolu will Ondo West, Ondo East and Idanre local government areas on day three of the program, while the team will visit Ifedore, Akure North and Akure South local government areas on the fourth day.

    The Governor will visit Akoko North-West, Akoko North-East and Akoko South-East local government areas on the fifth day.

    The program will be rounded off with visits to Akoko South-West, Ose and  Owo local government areas on the sixth day.

  • Akeredolu hails Ondo people over peaceful conduct of presidential, N/A polls

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has hailed the people of Ondo State for their exemplary conduct during the last presidential and national assembly elections.

    He expressed delight that the people’s conduct during the polls portrayed them as good and responsible ambassadors of the state.

    The governor, in a state-wide broadcast to the people of the state attributed the peaceful atmosphere during and after the polls to the determination of the residents not only to participate in electing their representatives but to always showcase the unique qualities of their decency and resilience for which the state is reputed.

    He said: “I wish to thank you, profusely, for your cooperation in ensuring that the state remains a reference point for reasons of valour, courage and fierce independence in the art of deliberative governance.

    ‘Your attitudes, manifest or implied, leave no room for conjectures. When you speak, it is eloquent, when you choose to act, your message is not mistaken. Our land is indeed a lesson for those who cherish frankness.”

    Akeredolu also congratulated President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-Presicent Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, on their victory in the February 23 presidential election.

    He said the victory represents Buhari’s widespread acceptability across all the country’s geo-political zones.

    The governor expressed the belief that the President would use his re-election to consolidate the achievements of his economic policies.

    Akeredolu, however, reminded the people of the state of the March 9, 2019 House of Assembly election and urged them to display good conduct that would be second to none in the forthcoming poll.

    He said: “This is another very important exercise; local political leaders are going to be chosen to represent our people at the House of Assembly.

    “I appeal to you to see this exercise as a strictly family affair in which brothers and sisters, with shared heritage, and even blood affinity, will be locked in an innocuous electoral combat for the benefit of all.

    ” Our dear state will be the ultimate winner if all of us approach it in the spirit of sportsmanship. All of us will be winners and our people will be the better for it.

    “I enjoin you to participate, actively, without let or hindrance. The government, on its part, will ensure that adequate security is provided for all our citizens to exercise their franchise.

    “Our people are encouraged to feel confident in their attempt to choose their leaders.

    “Citizens of this state, who are of Igbo, Ebira, Hausa, Oyo and Edo extraction, as well as other minority ethnic groups, should feel free to participate in the exercise as members of this large and heterogeneous family. I appeal, passionately, that we cast aside all divisive and primordial sentiments. Ondo State is our primary place of domicile. Our allegiance to her must be unalloyed.

    “The participation of the electorate in the state is limited to the election of members to the House of Assembly. The gubernatorial election is due next year. This administration encourages voters to choose candidates whose campaign promises are in tandem with its vision on infrastructural development.

    “We have been able to achieve this much due to the prudent management of limited resources. We hope to do more with the cooperation of patriotic members of the House of Assembly who await your mandate in a couple of days.”

  • ‘Akeredolu didn’t share money to vote against President’

    Leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akoko Northwest of Ondo State yesterday refuted a report by some party elders that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu financed the activities of the Action Alliance (AA) in the area.

    A statement by a former Assistant Secretary of the party in the local government, Thalis Apalowo, also accused the governor of disbursing money for the prosecution of AA candidates on the eve of the postponed elections.

    It also alleged that Akeredolu was a major threat to the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates in Ondo State.

    But addressing reporters yesterday in Akure, the state capital, Akoko Northwest APC Chairman Tajudeen Kareem described the allegations as blatant lies concocted to seek attention.

    He said: “We need to keep the records straight and let the larger number of loyal members of APC know the truth.

    “It is not only ridiculous that Thalis could sign such a statement but also sad that he signed the statement on behalf of a group of leaders and elders of the party in our local government area.

    “By any standard, Thalis is neither a leader nor an elder of our great party in Akoko Northwest Local Government Area. He failed woefully in his effort to smear the governor when he refused to name members of the so-called group.

    “It is an insult on the collective honour of our leaders and elders in Akoko Northwest that a man in his ’30s would ascribe to himself the title of a leader and elder and claim to be representing a faceless group.”

    The chairman noted that Akeredolu, as APC leader in Ondo State, had always supported President Buhari and other candidates of the party at all levels by organising one of the most successful political rallies in the three senatorial districts.

    Kareem said on the eve of the postponed elections, the governor met with other APC chieftains from the 18 local government areas of the state to discuss the success of the party at the polls.

    He said all party stakeholders attended the meeting.

    According to him, funds for APC agents and other logistics were disbursed for the purpose of the elections, but were retrieved shortly when information was received on the suspension of the elections.

    Kareem said the local government party chairmen received the funds on behalf of each local government area, while the caretaker chairmen, who were all APC supporters, witnessed the fund collection.

    The APC stalwart refuted the allegation that funds were shared to AA candidates, saying the funds were for the payment of stipends to party agents.

    Kareem said Akeredolu, as the party’s state leader, inaugurated the state’s presidential campaign council, which comprised of eminent leaders and members of the APC, and organised three mega rallies in support of President Buhari’s victory in the three senatorial districts.

    He said the APC leadership in Akoko Northwest Local Government was working assiduously for the re-election of the President, adding: “No form of blackmail can deter us from carrying on with the support.”

    Also, the Commissioner for Natural Resources, who is a former APC chairman in the local government, Rasheed Badmus, said Akeredolu and Ondo State APC were committed to the landslide victory of President Buhari and other APC candidates in the area.

     

  • Akokoland…New, safe road to travel

    The story of Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State has been re-written.

    Its dreadful township road was notorious for resulting in deaths.

    Its Oke Alabojuto area had a dangerously steep hill. For vehicle owners plying the road, especially articulated vehicle drivers, ascending and descending the hill was trickish.

    However, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has found a way around the hills. Now, the woes are over.

    At the beginning of the project, very few believed the hill could ever be brought down and reduced to ground level to give way to a dual carriage way, the first in Akokoland.

    Today, the doubting Thomases have continued to throng the site of the once notorious hills.

    The paramount ruler of Ikare Akoko, Oba Akadiri Momoh, Olukare of Ikare-Akoko,  said he was elated at teh development.

    Oba Akadiri said: “I received the news with joy. Everybody in the town was very happy about the new development, because they knew the project was going to put a stop to the recurring needless accidents on the road.

    “The construction of the Oke Alabojuto road is a wonderful thing to happen to the people of Akokoland and Nigeria in general, because the road links Ondo State to other parts of the country.

    “We do appreciate the governor’s determination to permanently arrest our fears about this road. Our major concern, before the construction of the road by Akeredolu, was how to put a stop to the countless deaths on the road.

    “Most vehicles, especially trucks and other big lorries would lose control and crash while ascending or descending the road due to break failure or other mechanical faults. And these resorted to loss of lives and properties.”

    Also, the Olokeruwa of Okeruwa, Ikare-Akoko, Chief Dele Akerele, said casualties on the road reached a scary height when about five crashes, all resulting in fatalities, occurred within one week.

    He said: “The days of wailing and gnashing of teeth over auto crashes and deaths on Oke Alabojuto are finally over.

    “I feel very delighted that something good is coming to my town. Before the current state government started the constructing of this road, there had been series of fatal accidents. In fact, there was a week about five fatal accidents were recorded on this hilly portion of the road.

    “Our people are also delighted to see this road being constructed. It is a miracle, because it appeared that we have lost hope on the possibility of the community attracting the attention of the state government to put an end to the perpetual fear of losing lives to avoidable crashes on the road.”

    Chief Jacob  Maku thanked the government for the project.

    Maku said: “At a point, we even took steps to appease the gods to put an end to the recurring accidents on the road. We invited religious leaders like pastors and Imams to help intercede for us, but we thank God for the government of Akeredolu for sharing in our pains and for making ‘Oke Alabojuto’ to become ‘Isale Alabojuto.’

    “Everybody in the town has been praying for the success of Akeredolu’s administration. One thing we are asking God to do is to give our governor the power to complete the project.”

    Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the story for the people is the prompt payment of compensation to people whose houses were affected by the construction of the road.

    To many of the beneficiaries, the distribution of cheques by the government further rekindled their trust and love for Akeredolu.

    Apparently excited after receiving the cheque for the compensation for his building that gave way to the construction of the new road, Akeem Jimoh described Akeredolu as an exemplary leader.

    According to him, “Akeredolu is an example of a leader sent by God to rescue the people of Ikare-Akoko from recurring motor accidents.”

    Also, Omotola Johnson, 46, is particularly happy that compensations were paid to owners of buildings affected by the construction even before the completion of the project.

    His words:  “We are particularly happy that Akeredolu compensated us as earlier promised by him. I was among those who were presented with cheques as compensation for our properties demolished to give room for levelling the hilly Oke Alabojuto.”

    The feeling was the same for 35-year-old Rasheed Ramon, whose father’s house was affected by the demolition exercise.

    He said: “I thank God for giving us somebody like Akeredolu. I also thank the governor for fulfilling his promise to compensate people whose properties were demolished in the course of bringing the Oke Alabojuto down to give room for the construction of our road.”

  • Ocean Surge: Ondo cries out, seeks FG’s aid

    …says problem beyond us

     

     

    Ondo State Government Tuesday made a passionate appeal to the Federal Government to come to its aid on the incessant surge from Atlantic Ocean.

    The development has caused damage at Ayetoro community in Ilaje local government area of the state as more than 25 buildings including the only secondary school in the oil producing community have been submerged.

    Similarly, over 200 persons are now homeless.

    The Deputy Governor, Agboola Ajayi, who represented the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, made the appeal after inspecting the damage caused by the surge in Ayetoro.

    Read Also:Flood sacks hundreds in Ondo riverine community

    Agboola, accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Funso Esan and the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Gbenga Edema, sympathised with the residents, particularly with those that are directly affected by the sea incursion.

    He lamented the loss of houses and property to the disaster, urging the Federal Government to do more in the protection of the oil producing community.

    The Deputy Governor, a former member of the House of Representatives and chairman House Committee on NDDC said only modern technology could put an end to the crisis.

    He said “I remember when I was at the House of Representatives, I personally led member of the NDDC to this community and I also traveled to Netherlands to look at the modern technology which we felt it would have been able to solve the problem.

    “As I am here now, you should know that Ondo State is here, the SSG is here, Chairman Ilaje local government is here, we are all here.

    “As a matter of fact, the Governor would have been here personally but he is away with Mr. President in Netherland. He directed us to be here today to express our feeling, to assess the level of damage and look for best way to prevent future occurrence.

    “Certainly you can see this has gone beyond Ondo State government. We will make noise and let the whole world knows that Ayetoro is in danger, Ondo State is in danger and the federal government should rescue this oil producing community.

    “Probably what they did in Lagos will solve this problem. Look at Eko Atlantic city, this was able to stop this sea incursion and people are able to drive freely and not only this, they are even building houses on top of the sea.

    “Like what the community said, they are about three kilometers away now, a lot of houses have been eroded, children cannot go to school. So we are worried but we are assuring our people that we will not relent on our efforts to stop this disaster”.

  • Akeredolu to Fayose: You can’t stop us from coming to Ekiti

    Ondo State government on Tuesday criticised the statement credited to Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose through his Media aide, Lere Olayinka, castigating Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    Fayose had alleged that Akeredolu brought no fewer than 150 policemen to Ado-Ekiti last Friday to instigate the gun attack in which about four persons, including an APC chieftain, Opeyemi Bamidele, were injured.

    He equally repeated the accusation that Akeredolu had planned to use Ondo State’s two months’ allocation to fund the electioneering of the APC governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    A statement by the Ondo state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Yemi Olowolabi said” Ordinarily, we would have ignored all the deliberate lies and falsehood, but we felt that we would not be fair to the unsuspecting larger members of the public if such lies were not debunked.

    “For the information of the doubters, Governor Akeredolu, even if provoked, cannot debase his personality to a level that he will sacrifice the interests of his people for pecuniary gains.

    Read Also:Adeyeye’s defection to APC won’t affect PDP’s fortune – Fayose

    “Instead of engaging in hypocritical activities like eating at motor parks and cutting ponmo at the market square, Akeredolu is currently applying the public resources for the betterment of the lives of the people of the state.

    “So, it is interesting to state that Ondo is witnessing massive infrastructural development in all sectors of the state. On Monday at the state executive council meeting, a number of projects were approved for execution. That’s how development is moving in Ondo State.

    “Governor Fayose and his boy should be reminded that the Akeredolu led administration has performed creditably well in the last one year and few months.

    “On the Friday’s gun attack in Ekiti, we would like to refer Fayose to a statement by the Ekiti State police spokesperson, Caleb Okechukwu, cleared the air on the issue. Investigation by the police had revealed that the shooter was a police officer brought from Lagos by an Ekiti politician.

    ‘For this revelation, we believe that the Ekiti governor and his cohorts will now bury their heads in shame.

    “We, therefore, call the security agencies in the country to take note of the false accusation leveled against Akeredolu by Fayose and his town crier, who only a few years ago wrote a detailed report about the devious activities of his master.

    “It is also important for Lere and his boss to know one very important fact, that unlike his boss, we are committed to the progress and peaceful co-existence between the state and Ekiti. I mean, aren’t we one before October, 1996? The seed of discord Fayose is trying to plant between the
    two states will not germinate no matter how much cunning he is.

    “We will love to state here categorically without mincing words that Governor Akeredolu reserves every right to show support for the candidate of his party in Ekiti state, just as Governor Nysom Wike and the rest are showing support for the PDP in the state.

    “There is no law that prohibits that Fayose and the PDP are making issues out of this because of the smell of defeat that has overwhelmed them.

    “Fayose also tried to rewrite the sad incident that occurred on Friday, claiming that the tear gas canisters that hit a taxi driver were fired by the policemen that accompanied the thugs from Akure.

    Residents of Ekiti and those who were present during the incident knew that the pandemonium that greeted the shooting at the APC secretariat necessitated the tear gas canisters fired by the policemen.

    “Please note that the Policemen who fired the tear gas canisters were duly drafted to the secretariat by the Ekiti state police command to forestall the breakdown of law and order.
    On several occasions, we have come out straight to debunk the lies of Lere and his boss over an alleged statement made by Governor Akeredolu that he was ready to use two months allocations from his state for Fayemi’s election.

    “But again, such lies can only be told by people of low esteem. As we speak, the workers’ friendly governor in Ondo state has paid the May salary of workers. We are not owning a dime.

    “And unlike Governor Fayose who is owing the state workers between seven and eight months’ salary arrears, Akeredolu has paid up to date and also cleared four out of seven months backlog of salary inherited from the immediate past administration in the state”.

    The statement pointed out that Ekiti election is July 14, and Akeredolu has paid May salary with the allocation for May,but Ekiti state government is still pushing the story of the governor planning to use two months allocation to pursue Ekiti election.

    It added; “For the records, Akeredolu has recorded landmark achievements in the last 15 months of his administration in Ondo state. Fayose and Lere should take a ride to Akure and see what Akeredolu has done at Iwalewa and Abusoro. Or better still, Fayose should take a trip to the whole of Ondo State and see projects.

    Projects like construction of Iwalewa Road, Akure, Construction of Sabomi Road, Ese Odo, Construction of Abusoro, Ijoka Road, Akure, Construction of Opasorun road, Bajare/Okemayo, Construction of St. Joseph Road in Idanre, Construction of 3 box culverts at Oyinmomo  Ishakunmi and Megida Rental Road , Ikare.

    Others are Construction of Jubilee – Ugbe Road, Ikare, Construction of Oke Alafia Road, Supare,  Construction of Ogbomo Ifedara, Ajegunle Streets and Howlet Road, Ifon,  Construction of Ilara Mokin /Ikota, otherwise known as Gulf C road, Ilara, Construction of Police Road, Ore,  Construction of Virgin road network within GRA to Prison, Owo, Construction of internal and access roads within the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) Okitipupa, Rehabilitation of the deadly Iwaro Oka hill and the
    ongoing work at the notorious Oke Alabujoto in Ikare Akoko are there to mention  a few.

    “Fayose and his boy also attempted to drag Governor Akeredolu into the attack by the herdsmen on Chief Olu Falae’s farm. What we don’t understand is whether Fayose understood what he was saying and the import of his statement.

    “Akeredolu sympathized with Chief Falae over the attack and also issued a strong warning to Herdsmen to vacate the state. No single incident has been heard since them. We are aware that same herdsmen kidnapped Chief Falae under the PDP administration in the state.

    “He, who comes to equity, must come with clean hands. We want to urge Nigerians to disregard the blatant lies being spread around by Fayose and his attack dog, Lere.

    “Today in Ekiti, politics has been turned into a do or die affair by Fayose. His only strategy is lying and concocted stories. We are therefore, advising him and his cronies to go and prepare for the election”.

    The statement emphasised that thousands of Fayose cannot stop Akeredolu and other APC governors from coming to campaign in Ekiti state.

  • Ondo team understudies Osun’s empowerment programmes

    Ondo team understudies Osun’s empowerment programmes

    The Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO); the empowerment programme of the Osun State government, has continued to receive recognition from many individuals and organisations.

    The programme, which had been recognised by the World Bank also recently, was accepted by Ondo State government.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State recently sent a delegation led by his Special Adviser on Public and Inter-governmental Relations, Mrs. Bunmi Ademosu, on a two-day study tour of the programme in Osun State. The tour lasted between Wednesday December 13 and Thursday 14, last year.

    The aim was to replicate the programme in Ondo State. Members of the team included the Special Assistant to the Governor on NASSCO; Mr. C.K. Ojo, his counterpart in the Home Grown School Feeding; Mrs. Morinola Olanipekun, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget; Mr. Bunmi Alade, the Ondo State Coordinator of YESSO;  Mr. Olaoluwa Bankole, the Head, M and E/MIS Ondo State YESSO; Mr. Oyenusi Olusola, Ondo YESSO Internal Auditor; Mr. Bamigbede Steve, Project Administrative Officer, Mr. Victor Momoh, the Procurement Officer; Mr. Ogunmusire Oluwole and the Project Accountant; Mr. Akinseloyin Akinduso.

    Before the two-day study tour, the Osun State Coordinator of YESSO, Mr. Femi Ifaturoti, told the Ondo delegation that the scheme was designed to reduce the rate of unemployment among the youth and to minimise poverty in the society to the lowest minimum.

    Ifaturoti also told the team at the YESSO office in GRA Oke-fia, Osogbo that the programme was designed to strengthen the safety programmes through coordination, effective targeting and monitoring and evaluation. He narrated how the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) which has earned the Rauf Aregbesola administration several awards and accolades across the globe attracted the World Bank.

    According to him, the merits of YESSO include the generation of the Single Register (SR) of the poor and vulnerable households through the highly transparent and credible Community-Based Targeting (CBT) Process which he said is the building block of the Federal Government Cash Transfer Programme, Provision of Labour Intensive Work (Public Workfare), Skills Training for Unemployed Youths (Skills for Job) and the Targeted Grant Transfer in the Northeast region.

    He said the Osun YESSO was established with the State Operation Coordinating Unit (SOCU) as the institution responsible for coordination, management and oversight of social safety nets.

    He also explained that SOCU has a database of the poor and vulnerable households for selecting them into safety nets interventions that can support their needs.

    His words: “There are important lessons to learn from the YESSO model, which include curbing unemployment. Other lessons are the important roles communities can play in identifying the poor and vulnerable households, the selection criteria which limits the error of inclusions and exclusions.

    “This is an output of the Single Register (SR), a phenomenal which gives the community an ownership and credibility to the process. Meanwhile, the failure of previous interventions on youth empowerment to reach the intended beneficiaries, who are largely the poor and vulnerable groups in the society, has shifted the attention towards the Community-based Targeting (CBT) process which involves geographical targeting, community gathering, data collection, analysis and validation of the list of identified households at the community level.

    “The key distinction of this approach is the substantial role of the community in the overall selection of the beneficiaries (Community Ownership of the process) following some selection criteria which target the poor, vulnerable and unemployed youths that will either participate in the labour-intensive work. The condition for selecting the beneficiaries is that the youth must be between 18 and 35 years old and be in the bracket of Skill Matching Training Programme.” Speaking  further, he said from December 2016 till date, a total of 7,000 households have received direct cash transfer on monthly basis, adding that 1,000 youths between the ages of 18 and 35 years have been effectively enrolled in labour-intensive work with accompanied monthly stipends. He added that the numbers increase per phase of CBT as Osun YESSO is currently rounding off the fourth phase.

    Also, the Commandant of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), Col. Enibukun Oyewole (rtd), told the delegation that the OYES was successful because of the commitment of Governor Aregbesola to the programme. He maintained that the success of a scheme such as OYES relies heavily on the strong political will of the Governor; a factor which he said has assisted the scheme in Osun.

    Oyewole revealed that the fact-finding visit of the World Bank to the Osun OYES led to the national launch of YESSO on September 19, 2013 in Abuja where he said Governor Rauf Aregbesola delivered a keynote address.

    He further said because of the success of the OYES, the Federal Government and about 27 states have equally sent their delegations to understudy the scheme. The Commandant also revealed that since the inauguration of the initiative, over 42,000 youths have been engaged in the scheme, attributing low crime rate in Osun State to the youth empowerment programme.

    The Head, Project Implementation Unit-Public Workfare component of Osun YESSO, Olugbenga Odulaja, underscored the nexus between the untiring commitment of Governor Aregbesola to Youth Engagement and the success story of Osun YESSO, stressing that the political will on the part of the governor is pivotal to the success of the support operation in the participating states.

    Also in their submission at the parley, the Gender and Management Information System (MIS) Officers, Mrs. Sherifat Oyelayo and Mr. Bello Ademola respectively, said the State Cash Transfer Unit of the Osun YESSO has been selecting its beneficiaries from the Single Register of the Poor and Vulnerable Households, which they described as YESSO credible. They said N5, 000 per month is paid to each beneficiary through the Federal Government’s Cash Transfer Programme.

    Responsding, the leader of the delegation, Mrs. Ademosu commended Governor Aregbesola for his “impressive” commitment to youth empowerment. Also appreciating the Osun YESSO led by Ifaturoti for a job well-done, she said the purpose of the tour was to study the developmental programmes that encouraged the youth in Osun. She also revealed that the team was in Osun to share from the state’s experience on how it is tackling unemployment among the youth.

    She said: “Osun and Ondo states share the same vision in dealing with youth unemployment. Wherever we are, everybody should have a passion to move the country forward.”

    For the study tour, Odundun community in Ilesa East Local Government Area was used a model. At the Community Engagement Stage, participants who stated some of the causes of poverty among the poor and vulnerable in the society identified unemployment among the youths, lack of financial support, over population, sickness, orphanage, disability and lack of social amenities, among others.