The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oluwarotimi Akeredolu

  • Akeredolu, Monarchs hail Ondo Speaker over ‘excellent’ representation

    Ondo state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu and traditional rulers in Ifedore local government have lauded the good representation of the speaker of the State Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun.

    Oleyelogun is the lawmaker representing Ifedore Constituency in the state.

    Akeredolu spoke at Igbara-Oke, headquarters of the local government during the empowerment programme for 200 widows and phyically-challenged sponsored by Bamidele Oleyelogun International Foundation(OIF).

    The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Agboola Ajayi lauded the speaker for his excellent and proactive representation at the parliament.

    He said the gesture had assisted in improving the lives of  his constituents.

    Akeredolu used the occasion to advise the beneficiaries and other eligible voters in  the council area who have not collected their permanent voter’s cards to do so in order to enable them participate in the 2019 elections.

    The governor said their vote was their right to elect leaders of their choice.

    Read Also: Ondo youths rally support for Buhari, Boroffice

    He pointed out that the present administration in the state was doing everything possible to empower women, noting that many women-oriented programmes including Micro-credit facilities, empowerment and skills acquisition were being put in place to better position of women and give them their rightful place in the scheme of things.

    Akeredolu disclosed that all the ongoing projects in various communities in Ifedore  will cut across all wards in the local government,  adding that government would continue to do its best to put smiles on the faces of the people of the state.

    At the event, beneficiaries were presented with cash, foodstuffs such as rice, poundo yam,  semovita, spaghetti, bathing and washing soaps and toiletries, among others.

    Oleyelogun who is also the chairman,Conference of Lawmakers in the Southwest explained that the gesture was borne out of his desire to care and cater for the needs of widows in the local government area.

    He said “My quest to alleviate the suffering of the widows arouses my interest in my past experience in supporting them in the little way. I am proud to say that my long years of investment in the lives of the less privileged people was part of what inspired me to set up Oleyelogun International Foundation (OIF).

    The Deputy National Chairman of the Speakers’ Conference said the objectives of the foundation was to build the family and the nation.

    Oleyelogun urged all well-meaning members of the society to rally support towards putting smiles on the faces of widows and less-privileged.

    He also listed some of his achievements in the local government to include payment of WASC registration fee of 49 selected students for 2017/2018 session,  skills acquisition and vocational training for 100 participants , supply of laboratory/scientific equipment and computer among others.

    Some traditional rulers including Adapogun of Ipogun, Oba Ojo Raphael; Asarun of Isarun, and Oba Joseph  among others said all rulers in the local government were solidly behind the Oleyelogun.

    They added that they had endorsed the Speaker for another term in the State Assembly to sustain development in the constituency.

    The royal fathers who described Oleyelogun as a transparent representative, appreciated Akeredolu for the good work he had done in the local government.

    They promised their unflinching support to his administration for more developments.

    Beneficiaries appreciated Oleyelogun for alleviating the sufferings of  the widows in the council area, describing him as a selfless leader who is passionate about improving the lives of his constituents.

     

     

  • Osemawe hails Akeredolu over performance

    The paramount ruler of Ondo kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo, the Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, has hailed Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu over his developmental strides across the three senatorial districts of the state.

    The monarch particularly commended the governor for roads construction and the qualitative health care being enjoyed by the people of Ondo Kingdom.

    The monarch spoke on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the governor at the Governor’s office, Alagbaka, Akure.

    The monarch also appreciated the commitment of Governor Akeredolu over the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo (UNIMED).

    He said: “We thank you for giving us the opportunity to visit you. We seize this opportunity to congratulate you.

    “The purpose of our visit today is to thank you for the great work you have been doing. On behalf of the people of Ondo Kingdom, we want to thank you for the good work you have been doing in Ondo kingdom especially, the University of Medical Science.

    “We are not unaware of your decision to make that university a center of excellence and to ensure the school grows in research and other activities.

    “We want to also thank you for what you have done, not only in the university, because we are aware of what you are doing on our road construction and the qualitative health care that our people are receiving in our kingdom and other parts of the state.

    Read Also: We’ll make healthcare affordable, says Akeredolu

    “We will continue to pray for you and your administration. We are not unaware of what the situation is as far as the economy of this country and the paucity of fund in the state. ”

    The monarch, however, called on the state government to construct a by-pass from Ore linking Awoyaya to Akure in order to decongest the traffic frequently experience in Ondo town.

    The Osemawe also urged the government to help the town in rehabilitation of internal road running through the chiefs’ court and the palace.

    “We want to plead with you to construct a bypass, linking Ore road, through Awoyaya to Akure road. It will decongest the traffic in our kingdom, and shorten the journey of those traveling to Lagos.”

    Responding, Governor Akeredolu said his administration will not leave any town in the state behind in its developmental efforts.

    He said the by-pass is one of the major projects his administration is thinking of embarking on very soon.

    According to the governor, “I am particular about the by-pass, it’s one of the major projects we are thinking of. What we have in mind, the road has been designed, it went to infrastructure bank and some China companies have shown interest.

    “Some of them have raised that it should be five or six lanes, but I said let’s have dual carriage road for now. And infrastructure bank has said we should do it from Ore to Akure for now.

    “The plan is to do the road up to Lokoja, but it means we will have to involve other states. Already, some companies have shown interest that they will do it and toll it. It is important for us to do it. If we want to make Ondo State a hub for Industrial growth, then, it must be done

    “UNIMED is important to us.  In our quest to ensure that it stands, you can’t have a university for medical sciences without a teaching hospital. We felt the need for us to have a specialist hospital here in Akure used for the interim for teaching purposes for now. Like the Obafemi Owolowo University (OAU) used Wesley in Ilesa fora teaching hospital  in those days

    “We have tried to improve our schools; we have had to put fence on our schools, put solar. We are working on the street light on Ondo, I have instructed them to make sure it works.

    Especially where we have dual carriage road.”

  • Akeredolu inaugurates 11-man committee on land reform

    Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Monday inaugurated an 11-man committee on land reform with a view to unlocking economic potentials of land in the state.

    Addressing the committee in Akure, Akeredolu identified inconsistent land policies, uncoordinated execution, poor monitoring and evaluation as factors militating against effective governance of the land sector.

    The governor said that he had directed the state Ministry of Lands and Housing to urgently explore possible means of correcting past lapses and anomalies in land use.

    According to him, the ministry has been specifically mandated to focus on acquisition of land for public and private use.

    The governor added that the ministry should also ensure procurement of title deed, commercialisation through land use charge, digitisation of the land process, mapping of the state, legal reforms as well as management and monitoring of land.

    “These became imperative for obvious reasons as this administration needs to break grounds to shore up the state’s revenue base in order to meet its ever increasing demand and be responsive to people’s needs.

    “Our major desire is to undertake measures aimed at tapping all vital resources to strengthen the state’s social-economic base.

    “One major means of achieving this is to embark on aggressive land reform that will not only enhance our revenue generation capacity, but will also provide a secured environment for prospective and potential investors.

    “It is the only sure way to instill confidence in the system,” the governor said.

    He expressed confidence that the reform would be comprehensive, pragmatic and simple enough to enable the people to buy into its overall goal of improving the quality of life of the people.

    Akeredolu said that efficient governance and responsible use of land would attract large scale agricultural investment.

    He said that these would also enhance job creation through entrepreneurship and industrialisation.

    The governor gave an assurance that the committee’s recommendations would be instrumental in charting a new course for the state on land.

    Akeredolu, therefore, enjoined members of the committee to be efficient in discharging their duties.

    Earlier, Mr Donald Ojogo, the state Commissioner for Lands and Housing, had said that there was need for a holistic as well as more enduring and effective land management and acquisition system in the state.

    “We observed that the state, with a total land mass of about 15,500 square kilometres and having a population of about 3.6 million people would be under pressure to effectively manage its land.

    “The committee will come up with a lot of measures that would eradicate human errors in the administration and acquisition of land in the state,’’ he said.

    The commissioner stated that the Land Reform Committee would ensure that policies were initiated and developed for proper implementation with minimum errors in administration and management of land.

    Responding on behalf of the committee, its Secretary, Mr Wale Adegoke, who thanked the governor for the opportunity to serve, gave an assurance that members would not compromise on the confidence reposed in them.

    ” As population grows, there would be issues of proper allocation of lands as population grows.

    “The committee will chart a way forward and present recommendations that would ensure that land is effectively managed within best practices.

    “We will also ensure inter-agency collaboration in the use of land data as well as delivering value while unlocking the economic potentials of land in the state,” he stated.

    NAN reports that the committee has former Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Prof. Peter Awoniyi, as Chairman.

  • Ondo youths dump LP for APC

    Scores of youths from the six local government areas in the Southern Senatorial district of Ondo State have defected from the Labour Party (LP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The youths were received by the State Chairman, Ade Adetimehin, who was at the venue in Irele, headquarters of Irele Local Government area.

    The chairman represented by his deputy, Agabra Atili, congratulated them for taking a wise decision, and assured them of proper integration.

    Adetimehin urged them to put their request into paper and send it to the State Secretariat for consideration.

    He explained that President Muhammadu Buhari was laying sound infrastructural and economic foundation for a better and prosperous future, adding that same was being replicated in Ondo State, under Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    The exercise was facilitated by the representative of the senatoral district at the Upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Yele Omogunwa.

    The decampees decried what they called “gross neglect” by the LP, which they adduced as the crux of their annoyance, and subsequent defection.

    Read Also: Sallah: 14 passengers cheat death in Ondo

    Facilitator of the defection, Omogunwa said he had the opportunity of meeting and discussing with leaders of some of the groups and observed they are vibrant and articulate.

    Omogunwa said “There is the need to integrate as many as possible into our Party, to ensure electoral success in the next general elections. Mimiko is a deft politician, so the more we are able to pull out of the Labour Party, the better for us in 2019”.

    The Coordinator of the Aviary Youth Vanguard, Coastal Region, Oluwarotimi Omoge, said they decided to join the APC because of the sincerity of President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Omoge, appealed to the State leadership of the party to concede to members of the groups  councillorship positions in their respective political wards.

  • Ondo APC mourns Ex-ACN Chair

    The All Progressives Congress ( APC ) in Ondo State has mourned the exit of one of its leaders, Chief Noah Adesoji.

    The late political and community leader passed on last weekend at the age of 83. He was the Ondo State Chairman of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

    The State Chairman of the APC, Ade Adetimehin, described the death of the octogenarian as a deep blow to the State chapter, “especially at this time when he should be reaping from his years of political toiling”.

    Adetimehin, who led members of the State Working Committee (SWC) to commiserate with the bereaved family in Ile-Oluji, said the departed leader lived a rewarding life,saying he was like a father to many of them.

    He said: “Pa Adesoji was a reliable and trustworthy leader; he was a party man to the core, and a progressive till his last day on earth.

    Adetimehin prayed that God would console the bereaved family.

    He informed them that Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had assured that the State government would be deeply involved in the burial of the former progressives leader.

    Responding on behalf of the family, one of the deceased children, Kehinde Adesoji, thanked the State Government and the APC for standing by the family over the loss of their father.

    The young Adesoji said although his later father was above 80, but noted that “we never wished he should leave at this time because he remained a pillar of the family”.

  • Akeredolu hails Otudeko at 75

    Ondo State governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has joined other Nigerians across the globe to felicitate with Oba Otudeko, an industrialist and patriotic Nigerian per excellence, as he celebrates his 75th birthday.

    Akeredolu in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS) heartily wished Otudeko more fruitful years of continued service to humanity.

    According to the governor, “in the life of mortals, commemoration of of the day of first contact with the earthly plane comes in a yearly calendar”

    Read Also: I will support youths for leadership role – Akeredolu

    Akeredolu prayed for healthy and more prosperous years for the celebrant.

    He expressed his belief that the good seed the celebrant planted in the areas human and material resources have produced fantastic results whose impacts are evidently seen across all sectors of the nation’s social and economic spheres.

  • Ondo nursing School upgraded

    Health workers under the umbrella of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, (NANNM) in Ondo State are excited over the upgrade of the School of Nursing and Midwifery in the state.

    They praised the State government for its decision to elevate the School into degree awarding institution in line with global standard.

    The State Executive Council(SEC) led by Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu  had during the week after its meeting approved  the absorption of the Nursing School by the University of Medical Science, Ondo (UNIMED) into a degree awarding institution.

    The State Chairman of the NANNM, Abel Opeyemi-Oloniyo said the decision of the government would boost the working capacity of nurses and midwives in the state.

    Oloniyo explained that the state government would become first state in Nigeria to carry out upgrading of its School of Nursing.

    Besides, he described as timely a proposed law aimed at upgrading the School of Health Technology in Akure to a College of Health Technology in line with global standard.

    Read Also: ‘Why Ondo commissioners, advisers are frugal’

    He said, “The upgrading of our school of Nursing is a welcome development, we were carried along from day one that government plans to ensure higher status for the school. Schools of Nursing across Nigeria have been given few years, to upgrade their status, we are happy Ondo state is taking a lead in this area, we are going to be the first state in the country to do this”.

    On the recent security breach by patients of the state Psychiatric Hospital, Akure, the NANNM Chairman reiterated his call on the state government to improve security of health workers and patients for adequate service delivery.

    The state Commissioner for health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro said the state government was working hard to improve welfare of nurses and other medical workers especially in the areas of capacity building and security at hospitals.

    Head of Service(HoS) in the state,Toyin Akinkuotu charged nurses to be more proactive in implementing various state government’s policies in the health sector particularly the introduction of free health care service for pregnant women and children below five year old.

  • I will support youths for leadership role – Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has pledged to support the youths to take up leadership positions in the society.

    The Governor, who described the youths as the future of the country, stressed the need to listen to innovative ideas from the youths in order to drive the society forward with regards to the present day realities.

    Governor Akeredolu spoke at the occasion of the 2018 Youth Day Celebration, held at the state Cultural Center, Adegbemile, Akure,the state capital.

    He explained that the youths are more informed and enlightened in conformity with modern realities.

    The governor charged the Youths to contest for political positions in the country, adding that they must come up with new initiatives to challenge the status quo.

    Read Also: Akeredolu delivers 45km roads in 18 months

    He said “I will support you to take up leadership positions. I will encourage you with all my might if you want to make desirable change that will make our nation better

    “The older generation may not want to allow you because they will continue to dream dreams but you can beat them to it if only you can see visions. With your vision and your intellectual capacity and innovative prowess, you will be the change agents , our country is yearning for “.

    Akeredolu, who restated his support for the  #NotTooYoungToRun Bill, however advised the Youths to wait until President Buhari is through with his second term in Year 2023 before they contest for his office, so that they can inherit the solid foundation the President is Presently laying.

    At the occasion, the governor was decorated as the grand patron of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) in Ondo state by the state Chairman, Comrade Esther Owoeye.

     

  • Agbakoba endorses ex-Law School chief for NBA presidency

    A former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) President Dr Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) has endorsed a former Nigerian Law School Deputy Director-General Prof Ernest Ojukwu (SAN) for the association’s presidency.

    Agbakoba said in a statement: “It is clear to me from the list of contestants that Prof Ojukwu is the most qualified. Ernest worked closely with me on many thematic subjects of reform when I was NBA president. He was extremely resourceful.

    “I also know he immensely contributed to the success of past presidents such as Chief Okpoko (SAN), OCJ Okocha (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Bayo Ojo (SAN), Prince Lanke Odogiyan, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) etc.

    “He has clear vision and understanding of the workings of the Bar and the legal profession at the highest level. NBA needs Prof. Ojukwu’s leadership experience, integrity, sincerity, and courage.

    Read Also: Agbakoba seeks promotion of reading culture

    “I believe that the Bar needs a President who can stand as did Thomas Erskine, in England, and declare bravely that: ‘I will at all hazard, protect the independence’ of the Nigerian Bar and the legal profession.

    “We need a man of courage and conviction who has a full grasp of issues not just of the Bar, but also of our nation and will be able to speak out with courage, conviction and candour. I have read the manifestos of all the candidates. Prof Ojukwu’s is inspiring. I endorse him.”

  • Ondo flags off ‘School on the Ridges’ scheme.

    Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Wednesday flagged of ‘ School on the Ridges programme’ tagged ‘Agricbusiness’ for secondary schools in Ondo State.

    At the event, thousands of cashew and oil palm seedlings were distributed to secondary school students.

    Flagging off the programme tagged: ‘Schools at Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure, Akeredolu, who was represented by the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Otunba Adegboyega Adefarati, said the programme became necessary to redirect the psyche of the students aimed at making agriculture a money-making venture.

    He urged students from the nine schools selected from the three senatorial districts in the state for the flagg-off to key into the programme with seriousness.

    The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor on Agriculture and Agribusiness, Akin Olotu noted that agribusiness was introduced to discourage the belief that poor people go into agriculture.

    He said one hectare was set aside by each of the overall 90 schools selected for the programme

    Olotu informed the students of the importance of agriculture and the new dimension to the business which is currently at low ebb in the country.

    Read Also: Ondo seeks Fed Govt’s help to tackle ocean surge

    The agric expert revealed that post-primary school students are being encouraged to see agric as another veritable and lucrative means of generating revenue.

    According to him, the programme was designed to prepare the students towards doing business outside the classroom.

    He urged teachers to desist from using agriculture as punitive measure in instilling discipline in students, noting that this always undermined the psyche of students in seeing agriculture as a good venture.

    Olotu disclosed that the flag-off is the Phase I of the programme which has been segmented into three phases.

    He added that schools would use the programme as a means of generating revenue in addition to subventions being received from government.

    Oyemekun Grammar School, Stephen Ojo said what the schools needed was encouragement and support by the government in entrenching modern agriculture in secondary schools in the state.

    He charged the state government to make the programme a mechanized one, saying most students don’t have the strength to practice the old cutlass and hoe system of farming.

    Olotu however assured that the Ondo State Agribusiness and Development Centre would appoint monitoring officers to supervise the projects in each of the participating schools to ensure survival of the seedlings.

    Stakeholders at the even were led to the already cleared farmland by where they planted the Brazilian species of cashew seedlings brought by the state Ministry of Agriculture for distribution.

    Among the beneficiary schools are St Peter’s Unity Secondary School, Akure, Imade College,  Owo. Fiwasaye Girls Grammar School, Akure, Erinje Grammar School, Ode Erinje.

    Community High School, Kiribo, Gboluji Grammar School, Ile Oluji, Ireakari Secondary School, Idoani,  and Oyemekun Grammar School, Akure.