The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oluwarotimi Akeredolu

  • Road Expansion: Akeredolu pays affected properties owners.

    Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has started fulfilling his administration’s earlier promise of compensating residents whose properties were affected by road expansion in the Northern Senatorial District of the state.

    Akeredolu, who commenced the payment of the compensation at the palace of Olukare in Ikare-Akoko, said the payment would be in phases.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Mr. Taofiq Abdulsalam, the governor said the first set of the people to receive cheques were the property owners between Oke Alabojuto and the Central Mosque, opposite Olukare’s palace.

    Abdulsalam said the governor had graciously approved that adequate compensation should be paid to all property owners along the road corridors to ensure that construction works started in full fledge.

    He therefore advised recipients to make judicious use of the money.

    In his speech, the Olukare of Ikare-Akoko, Oba Akadiri Momoh, commended Governor Akeredolu for fulfilling his promises to the people.

    According to the monarch, the governor’s action has shown that he is pro-people.

    Read Also: Herdsmen/farmers clash: Akeredolu preaches peaceful coexistence

    The Olukare appealed to the people whose properties had been marked for demolition to cooperate with the state government and the contractors, as the construction works continued.

    The Chairman of Akoko North-East Local Government Area, Mr. Rafiu Eniayewu, said the people of Ikare would remember Akeredolu for what had done in the town.

    Speaking earlier, the Director, Lands Department, Ministry of Lands and Housing, Nicholas Fayeun, said acquisition of road corridors for expansion was done in the area to ensure that construction complied with approved standard.

    Two of the recipients, Venerable Olusola Adeosun and Madam Wuraola Jimoh, spoke on behalf of their colleagues.

    They praised the governor for giving them a lease of life after their properties had been demolished to give room for road expansion.

    A total sum of N13.9 million was disbursed at the ceremony which was attended by eminent sons and daughters of the town.

  • Three dead in Ondo road crash

    A fatal road accident involving a timber lorry laded with logs and people sitting on top of it has colluded with an in-coming Hilux Toyota van, claiming three lives on the spot.

    Others injured were rushed to the Ondo State Specialist Hospital Ikare-Akoko by men of the Federal Road Safety (FRSC) Ikare Unit Command for treatment.

    The accident occurred along Ikare-Agbaluku-Arigidi Akoko road.

    The Sector Commander, Ondo FRSC, Rotimi Adeleye blamed timber lorries for the way they load logs on lorries and sit on the top of vehicles.

    Read Also: Police arrest 3 ritualists,11 others in Ondo State

    According to him, the act is unacceptable, stressing that they did not have regards for their lives.

    Adeleye noted that he had discussed the issue of timber lorries with Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on how to reduce the menace.

    The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of State Hospital, Ikare, Dr Wale Oguntuase confirmed the death of three persons in the morgue, one with head injury referred to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo and others with various degree of injuries.

    The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) for Okeagbe-Akoko, Adetarami Ibitayo, a Superintendent of Police (SP) has made arrangement for the removal of the vehicle.

    He added that investigation had commenced on the matter.

    An Observer, Kehinde Ojuolape lamented that Ikare-Agbaluku-Arigidi road had recorded many road accidents in the recent times and called for the construction of speed breakers.

  • Group lauds Buhari over APC convention

    A group, Buhari/Osinbajo Continuity Group (BOCOG) has lauded the conduct of the last week Saturday convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.

    It hailed President Muhammadu Buhari, immediate past National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun and the national leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    Other leaders of the party, including the National Convention Committee chairman,the Jigawa State Governor Abubakar Badaru and his Deputy, the Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu were also appreciated for their effort towardst the successful convention.

    In a statement by its Director of Communications Steve Bayode, the group described the emergence of Adam Oshiomhole as a round peg in a round hole.

    According to the group, “Our leaders, President Muhammadu Buhari, his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief John Odigie -Oyegun and others shocked the enemies of our party by the peaceful conduct of the national convention last Saturday and the acceptable outcome.

    Read Also: Buhari: Lagos fire shocking

    “The opposition was expecting the convention to cause irreparable implosion just like their experience in 2014 and ever since have not been able to put their house in order.

    “We believe that the need of the convention is aimed at fortifying the stronghold of our party across the nation.

    “We in BOCOG believed that all stakeholders saw this purposeful drive and ensured peaceful conduct and acceptance of the outcome.

    “We, however, urged our new National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to hit the ground running by embracing everyone and work assiduously to bring more people on board our party towards 2019.

    “We in BOCOG also suggest that Comrade Oshiomhole should move round the 36 states of the Federation to collate whatever challenges the party is facing in their respective states and work on how to surmount them with a view to strengthening our party to the grassroots.”

  • Ondo APC to Buhari: You deserve second term

    Ondo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday inaugurated the new Executive Committee (SEC) that would pilot the affairs of the party.

    The event was coordinated by the state chairman of the party, Ade Adetimehin with the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Ifedayo Abegunde, Commissioner for Agriculture, Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati and other state officials in attendance.

    Adetimehin at the occasion lauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for its courage in tackling various challenges confronting the country with sincerity and utmost dedication.

    According to him, the integrity of Buhari especially on zero tolerance for corruption is unprecedented.

    Adetimehin said” the long period of looting spree and pillaging of the country under the corruption-infested administration of the former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot be curtailed within four years.

    He said “It will be in the interest of the country to return President Buhari and the ruling APC to office for another four year after 2019 election”.

    The chairman recounted the “unwholesome” activities and crises that characterized the political atmosphere during the last executive committee right from its inception especially during the gubernatorial primary and election in 2016.

    Adetimehin said” the then leadership of the party displayed a condemnable act of sabotage and gross indiscipline by engaging in anti-party activities in order to deny the party and its candidate the deserved victory which had been ordained by God.

    The chairman commended the National Electoral Officers saddled with the responsibility of various congresses in the state for their excellent job.

    He acknowledged the manner they conducted themselves within the confine of the electoral guidelines of the party, stressing that they went about their duties diligently without fear or favour.

    Read Also: Breaking: Buhari reluctantly signs 2018 budget

    Adetimehin also hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for providing conducive atmosphere and the template for sanitizing the system which facilitated the free and fair conduct of the exercise.

    He urged members of the new Excos to be dedicated to their responsibility especially with the 2019 general election, stressing that he would be committed to the harmonization of the ruling party for its greatness.

    The chairman also appealed to party members that defected to other political platforms or got involved in anti-party activities to return to the APC through proper channels.

    According to him “we would continue to uphold the tenets of fair-play, decency and respect for members dignity at all times, while operating an open door administrative policy to move the party forward”.

  • Ex-rep Bamidele, three others shot at Fayemi’s rally

    There was confusion at the Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat on Friday when a trigger-happy Mobile Policeman (MOPOL) opened fire as the party’s flag bearer, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, arrived to a tumultuous welcome.

    Former House of Representatives member, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele and three other party members were hit by the bullets fired by the unidentified cop.

    Bamidele who was hit on the arm in the orgy of shooting was said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital at the time of filing this report.

    Fayemi, his wife, Bisi, Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, deputy governorship candidate, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Secretary to Ondo State Government, Mr. Ifedayo Abegunde and other senior party figures escaped being killed.

    They had all accompanied Fayemi from the Akure Airport to Ekiti State where they were received by unprecedented crowds of party supporters and residents in Ikere-Ekiti and Ado-Ekiti.

    The shooting which happened at about 5.00 pm happened as Fayemi and members of his entourage were making their way out of the party secretariat to continue the rally round the town.

    The MOPOL officer who fired the gunshots was overpowered and disarmed by angry party members and given the beating of his life but was later saved by his colleagues from being killed by the angry mob.

    Read Also: Fayemi bows out as Solid Minerals minister

    Party members alleged that he was a fake MOPOL officer sent to disrupt the rally calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to investigate the shooting incident.

    The culprit was trying to keep the surging crowd at bay when he suddenly opened fire but lost control by shooting sporadically in a wrong direction.

    Party leaders carried Bamidele and other victims from the scene.

    The angry party men disarmed the policeman and descended on him and smashed his head with sticks and other dangerous weapons before being rescued and taken to a safe custody.

    The incident caused pandemonium at Ajilosun area of Ado-Ekiti as residents scampered to safety to avoid being hit by stray bullets.

    The entourage was received by the state APC executive led by the Chairman, Chief Olajide Awe.

    Before the shooting fiasco, Akeredolu and Fayemi, while addressing party leaders and members, declared the readiness of the APC to rescue Ekiti from poverty, hunger and underdevelopment.

    Akeredolu applauded the party members for putting behind them the post primary crisis, saying with the crowd he saw today that Ekiti remains the stronghold of the APC.

    Akeredolu said: “Fayemi has returned with full force to reclaim the land. He needs your support and this task shall be achieved in the mighty name of God.”

    Fayemi said: “We are here to work for Ekiti and our party leaders and this we are going to do together because it is a collective responsibility”.

    “We are going to work with everybody, including those who just decamped to our party, because we are one big family in APC.

    “We shall win by the grace of God. Our case was like the case of a ram who moved backward to garner more strength. We are here to rescue Ekiti and it is a task we must achieve”.

    Adeyeye, who joined the APC on Tuesday after twelve years in the PDP, said “Fayose is politically dead and buried.”

    “I have returned home and my mission is to ensure that we killed Fayose politically by burying him.

    “We shall mobilize well to achieve this task and by the grace of God, this is a must-win and must accomplished task for all of us.”

    Earlier in the day, massive crowd trooped out in their thousands to welcome Fayemi into the state as the motorcade passed through Akure, Iju, Itaogbolu in Ondo State before the train reached Ekiti State.

    There was a massive lockdown at Oke Osun, Odo Oja Oke’kere areas of Ikere where thousands of party faithful had gathered to welcome the flag bearer. The convoy arrived Ikere township at about 3.00 pm.

    It took another one hour for the train to reached Ado-Ekiti where mammoth crowd was waiting to receive Fayemi and his team. They arrived the state capital at about 4.00 pm.

    Enthusiastic residents held placards, banners and flyers with Fayemi’s portraits.

    Fayemi was also welcomed by the Hausa, Ebira, Igbo and Urhobo communities, members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), market women and commercial motorcycle riders.

    Traffic was at a standstill along Ikere Road in Ado-Ekiti for about three with party members holding party on the highway.

    Situation in Ado-Ekiti was calm as party members and other residents expressed surprise at the shooting incident.

  • Akeredolu pardons eleven prisoners

    Ondo State, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has granted pardon to eleven (11) prisoners in commemoration of the 2018 Democracy Day celebration.

    The eleven prisoners who had been duly convicted of various terms of imprisonment were freed by Akeredolu in exercise of the power conferred on him by paragraph (d) of sub-section (1)  of section 212  of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    Read Also: We’ll open up Ondo with accessible roads, Infrastructure – Akeredolu

    The Governor, therefore, charged the beneficiaries of the special grace and mercy to shun criminalities and embrace a new life of peace and productivity with a view to contributing to the growth of the Nigerian nation.

  • We’ll open up Ondo with accessible roads, Infrastructure – Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has said his administration would deliver access roads and life-changing infrastructures to uplift the state.

    He spoke at Molege, an agrarian community in Owo Local Government when he visited the community with some members of his cabinet to inspect the 13 Kilometres Molege – Ute farm access road.

    Akeredolu reiterated the commitment of his administration to opening up rural areas across the state at enhancing the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.

    He explained that once rural roads were made accessible to farmers, it would in turn boost the economy of their state.

    According to him “Part of our five cardinal programmes is rural development and in doing that, we have keyed into Rural Access Mobility Programme (RAMP) a World Bank assisted programme.

    “Most essentially, this exercise is to have farm to market access roads.This community has a lot of farming activities and people here are having difficulty in taking their produce from farms to market because of lack of access roads.

    Read Also: Akeredolu tasks Senate Committee on PIB

    Akeredolu pointed out that the roads would give the people smooth access to move their farm produce to the market while the cost of such produce would get cheaper and vehicles last longer.

    He said “During our election campaign, we did promise to construct this road, we have started and we would ensure that it is completed for your use very soon.

    “With our counterparts, we will open up about 540 Kilometres of roads. This is just about 13 kilometres from that. The people should expect it.

    “For me, opening up the rural areas is a promise we made which we will ensure we keep. I have said I want to be remembered as the governor that opened up the rural areas”

    The governor also promised to build a school for the community which has been without any since the existence of the area.

    The Special Adviser to the Governor on Community and Rural Development,  Victor Olabimtan noted that the road construction, from Molege to Ute in Owo Local Government, was the fulfilment of the present administration’s commitment to deliver democractic dividends to people of the state.

    He thanked residents of the community for the support given to those handling the project which had assisted in the progress made so far.

    The traditional ruler of Molege Community, Ahmed Otaro applauded Governor Akeredolu for fulfilling his promise of  constructing the road.

    He commended the governor for the giant strides taken so far by his administration across all sectors, pledging the continued support of Molege residents towards the success of his administration.

  • Akeredolu tasks Senate Committee on PIB

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, on Tuesday hosted a delegation of the Senate Joint Committee on Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

    The Senate Committee visited the state as part of the process of putting together the remaining three parts of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

    Ondo State is an Oil Producing state and also part of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

    The Senate Committee will visit the host Communities to enable them have firsthand information which will help the lawmakers in putting in place the host Community entitlement and Protection bill.

    Akeredolu charged the committee to priotize the development of the host Communities in the Community entitlement and Protection bill.

    He urged the Senate Joint Committee to come up with a wholesome bill that can address a lot of identifiable issues.

    The committee is visiting the host communities today.

  • “We can’t use all allocations to pay Workers’ salaries – Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday lamented a situation where 90 per cent of N5b monthly allocations of the state is being expended on salaries, pension and other worker’s allowances.

    He noted that it would be difficult to meet other obligations such as employment of more primary school teachers, construction of roads, classrooms and other infrastructural projects.

    The governor made the declaration at Owode-Obaile in Akure North local government area of the state during the inauguration of NULGE Ultra-modern Resort constructed by the Ondo State leadership of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

    Akeredolu expressed satisfaction with the state NULGE President, Dr Olubunmi Eniayewu and his team for initiating projects that had direct positive impacts on local government workers across the state.

    He noted that the present administration had been regularly releasing N200m to offset backlog of gratuities of retired public servants and payment of car loan for workers at both state and local government levels.

    Akeredolu, justifying his statement over his administration’s inability to pay workers’ leave allowance until when the State is buoyant which prompted a protest at this year’s May Day celebration in Akure on Tuesday,said it was not a big deal because it was a fundamental human right of every Nigerian to protest or disagree with government’s decision.

    He however said he would continue to act in the overall best interest of the state.

    The governor said “we earn about N5b every month, N4b goes for salaries, allowances, how do we address the problems of shortage of teachers in primary schools, how do we build classrooms, how do we provide transformers for communities without light, majority want their roads constructed. The current state of affairs is depressing”.

    “It is a tragic irony that some people now refer to our state as a civil service enclave where governance has been reduced, virtually, to payment of salaries, allowances, grants and subventions”, He said

    Akeredolu pointed out that “so, you can shout, you can protest, is your fundamental human right, you can remain in sun for days but I will not change my style in the interest of the majority. We are paying salaries regularly, workers must not be selfish, allow us to take care of other people in the state”.

    He maintained that out of over Six million people in the state,workers constituted only two percent,stressing that it would be unreasonable to spend the whole state monthly allocation to take care of workers at the expense of other stakeholders.

    Earlier, the NULGE President, Eniayewu said the Union’s recreational facilities started in 2015, and would facilitate easy training and retraining of more local government workers through seminars and entrepreneurial skills acquisition.

    The Union leader, who commended Akeredolu for prompt promotion of his members, however urged the State government to urgently approve the promotion of local government workers who were due in January, 2018.

  • Akeredolu advises NYSC on ways corps members can be job creators

    Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has advised the governing board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on ways the scheme could also be generating income and self-sustaining.

    Akeredolu, who spoke when a team of the board members paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Akure, said he was ready to help the scheme to improve in the state.

    The governor said that there was nothing wrong if the scheme had it own bakery.

    He said that apart from producing bread, the scheme would even be teaching corps members how to produce bread.

    Akeredolu said that even the foods that corps member ate at the orientation camp could be produced by corps members by investing in farming.

    The governor said the scheme should be tailored towards producing job creators and not job seekers.

    “The permanent orientation camp should be used for development of Nigerian youths. We want them to be job creators,” he said.

    Akeredolu promised to help the NYSC build a perimeter fence to replace the decapitated one at the permanent orientation camp.

    Earlier, a member of the National Governing Board of the NYSC, Joseph Eberedu, congratulated the state for achieving the status of permanent orientation camp from temporary.

    Eberedu, who is also the head of the team, said the NYSC would take the advice of the governor and use the site more purposefully.

    Eberedu, who is also the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, thanked the governor for the renovation work so far done at the camp.

    He said that the environment would be deployed for economic activities that would suite all tribes in the country.

    Mrs Grace Akpabio, the State NYSC Coordinator, thanked the governor for receiving the team and providing enabling environment for corps members in the state.

    Akpabio said the NYSC would always ask for help from the governor who had always been responding to their calls.

    NAN