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Tag: Ondo state

  • Ondo vows to reduce mortality rate

    Ondo State Government has vowed to reduce to the barest minimum, if not eradicate, Maternal and Child Morbidity and Mortality in the State.

    The State Commissioner for Health, Dr Wahab Adegbenro spoke at a two day Stakeholders Retreat on Saving One Million Lives for Result in Akure.

    Dr Adegbenro said  health, especially maternal and child health indices  are commonly used indicators for assessment of the socio- economic development and classification of nations, hence the need for the stakeholders retreat meant to form a common front to improve these indices.

    The Health Commissioner revealed that Nigeria is the 2nd worst nation in the world after India, in terms of the rate of mortality and disability from maternal health services as one out of every thirteen women that goes into labour dies and about one million children die annually before the age of five due to deaths that can be prevented.

    He said “The Saving One Million Lives for Result, an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Health in partnership with states was put in place to reverse these unwholesome trends and improve specific maternal and child health indices in the country.

    Adegbenro hailed stakeholders in the state for their contribution to the success of the programme as the State recently won an award for achievement across the Disbursement Linked Indicators which has earned the state close to two million US Dollars ($1,972, 00).

    He enjoined stakeholders to brainstorm and chart a way forward to elicit better performance and money for the State.

    In his goodwill message, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan commended the State for receiving the award and promised that every dollar will be judiciously utilized.

    The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Affairs, Mrs Lola Fagbemi said Local government would do everything to make health at the primary Healthcare level succeed and this they have done since the inception of this administration.

    The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Wale Akinterinwa who said the maternal and child health indices in the country is really worrisome, promised to do all within his power to turn round the tide for Ondo State while requesting that such retreat be more frequent.

    Read Also: Woman dies during scuffle in Ondo community

    The UNICEF Chief of field, Dr Adebola Hassan, said to put Saving One million Lives for Result in line for better performance, the state should look at changing strategy by looking at doing things differently as this will accelerate action for result.

    She suggested that the State focus on areas of high burden such as Local Governments that are not performing well so that the state can achieve the desired target.

    The Zonal Director  National primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Funke Adesope opined that Ondo State could do better than it had done because it has what it takes while charging the state to improve the health indices of women and children so that it can get more money as reward , by the end of year.

    In his keynote address, The SOML National Manager, Dr Ibrahim Kano said it was discovered that one of the reasons for the poor health indices of women and children in the country is poor motivation of health workers despite much inputs, so the Saving One Million Lives for Result decided to change the usual way of doing things by rewarding Result.

    He compared Nigeria to neighboring African countries in terms of infant mortality and concluded that children in Nigeria are more at risk because they are more likely to die before the age of five as the country is lower in Health despite the fact that it is higher in Gross Domestic product (GDP).

  • I will continue to serve you better – Mimiko

    Former Governor of Ondo State and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) Senatorial Candidate for Ondo Central, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, on Monday said he would continue to render services to the people at the National Assembly.

    At the official flag off of his senatorial campaign in Akure, the state capital,Mimiko declared that he was the best candidate to represent the interest of the people.

    Supporters came from the six councils in the district to declare support for the ZLP candidate.

    Mimiko’s Special Assistant on Media, Paul Akinduro, said the event at Akure City Hall, which was overcrowded by party supporters and loyalists, was another opportunity for the public to know more about the former governor’s people-oriented programmes that will further protect the interest of the common man.

    Mimiko premised his service at the National Assembly on his past political experiences, recalling the how his administration embarked on social integration programmes.

    He assured the people, who decked in orange vests, caps and neck-tie, that he would represent them well.

    Mimiko said “The people have confidence in our representation as a result of the impactful outcomes recorded while at the helm of affairs in Ondo State. We will continue to put the people first.

    Read Also: Ondo, Mimiko and senatorial contest

    “If I should stand up and speak at the National Assembly that it is compulsory for our pregnant women and children should be given free health care and some people would say it is impossible, we don’t have money; I will say shut up, I did in Ondo State.

    “And if I should rise to speak for equality between the children of the rich and poor: they need modern schools, free transportation system and better life; and someone should declare it is unrealistic, I will say shut up, I did it as a governor,” he said.

    He urged his supporters to ignore the political campaign of bitterness against him by some opposition members, who sponsored thugs to destroy his posters and campaign billboards.

    Mimiko said the name of the party was strategic for winning election, saying “Zenith is the top of everything and why we will be on top of the election for victory. Our party will be positioned at the end, just glance down to the last party and vote ZLP.

     

  • Ondo APC factions align for Buhari’s victory

    Leaders and supporters of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) in Ondo state have assured of their commitments to work for the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates.

    At the campaign flag-off of the candidate for Idanre/Ifedore House of Representatives, Bamidele Baderinwa at Igbara-Oke, headquarters of Ifedore local government, the former state deputy governor, Ali Olanusi and former APC chairman in the state, Isaac Kekemeke said they had resolved to ensure the victory of all APC candidates in next month elections.

    According to Kekemeke, both Akeredolu and Ade Adetimehin-led Executives had denied their alleged support for some Action Alliance, (AA) candidates in the state.

    He particularly urged the electorate to give massive votes to Baderinwa and President Buhari for more development.

    The former APC chairman said, “we had earlier accused (Akeredolu and Adetimehin) of anti-party by supporting AA but the governor who is the leader of APC in the state had denied such allegation through a statement by his commissioner for information.

    “Also, the party’s chairman (Adetimehin) in an interview with reporters denied working with AA. We believe them and we believe all of us can work together for victory of Buhari, Baderinwa and all our party’s candidates”.

    Kekemeke, a one-time Secretary to the Ondo state government (SSG) urged voters in the state to rally round the APC and ensure the victory for the party in the state.

    Olanusi assured that the APC would win massively during the next general elections in the state.

    According to him,the impressive performance of President Buhari and the popularity of APC would facilitate victory at the polls through massive votes.

    Baderinwa,who said he believed in all inclusive democracy through massive empowerment rather than temporary succour that would not stand the test of time, promised to represent the interests of his constituents if re-elected.

    He noted the nation had been faced with serious economic recession,which had affected all facets of life.

    The National Assembly candidate urged Nigerians to pray for the leadership of the country under President Buhari for divine direction rather unwarranted abuses on his personalities.

  • Eight die in two Ondo auto crashes

    Six persons reportedly died on the spot and 10 others sustained serious injuries in a ghastly lone accident that involved a Benue state- bound bus from Ogbomoso.

    Eye witness said the incident occurred on a bridge between Ajowa and Gedegede in Akoko Northwest local government area of Ondo state.

    Sources said it was the heavy bang from the vehicle that attracted residents of Gedegede who rushed there and met the vehicle in flames.

    Men of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Ikare unit rushed to the scene to rescue accident victims with the community residents.

    Read Also: Three die in Ondo road crash

    The Ondo State Sector Commander of FRSC, Commander Rotimi Adeleye attributed the carnage to recklessness of the driver and the night journey which might have affected his visibility.

    He also noted that tiredness due to sleepless night and over speeding in the sharp corner, close to the bridge might be another cause of the incident.

    Also in Akure, the state capital, two young men, including a popular entertainer, simply called Tobi and his friend (name unknown) died in a road crash near the popular St. Peter’s college area, Adegbola junction.

    They were alleged to be coming from a club house around 4.00 am when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which forced it to veer off the median and crashed.

    Sympathisers rushed out from their beds and rushed the victims to an undisclosed hospital where they reportedly died few minutes after admission.

  • Insecurity, major global challenge – Akeredolu

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Thursday, said insecurity was a major challenge globally as there was hardly any continent without its own peculiar socio-economic issues.

    Akeredolu made this assertion in Akure at the Ondo State Security Summit 2019 with the theme: “Improving Security Architecture in Ondo State for Sustainable Peace and Development.”

    He explained that the African continent grapples with serious challenges of existence, which have had debilitating impact on nations’ development.

    “Poverty, occasioned by incessant warfare, inclement climatic conditions, unproductive economies in a competitive and unfriendly ambience and above all, visionless leadership, make the geo-political space occupy an unenviable position in global affairs.

    “The combination of these factors had engendered insecurity. There is hardly any part of the continent that is totally free of crises.

    “Nigeria, our dear country, has had her own share of this existential burden, a phenomenon usually associated with most transitional societies. Socio-economic crises have ensured that the country slips from one crisis to another.

    Read Also: Akeredolu pledges support for security agencies

    “The deplorable situation often compels and uncritical and, most times, erroneous conclusion, which suggests lack of capacity to appreciate the enormity of these challenges by the political leadership,” he said.

    According to the governor, the understanding of the current issue of insecurity as a global challenge will assist us to adopt the right measures to combat the menace appropriately.

    “Our state awaits, eagerly, recommendations from this great gathering, which without doubt, will contribute significantly to the security of lives and property.

    “It will also scale up our index on the Ease of Doing Business,” he said.

    In his address of welcome, Mr Jones Ogunmusire, Chairman, Summit Planning Committee, said the summit was designed to make the state safe for its inhabitants, investors and also make way for capital inflow.

    Ogunmusire, also the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Administration and Policy Planning, said the objectives included appraising the current security architecture, and project the future of the state.

    He stated further that views and recommendations expressed at the summit and memoranda already received from the public would be harnessed, processed and developed into a draft Security Policy Document

    The SSA further explained that the document would be presented to the government for the consideration of the Security Council, while those that required legislation would be sent to the State House of Assembly.

    Delivering a lecture on the theme, Prof. Femi Odekunle, a Professor of Criminology, suggested among others, the establishment of an advisory social-science based ‘State Crime Prevention and Control’ body.

    He explained that the body would be for articulation and coordination of the objectives of crime prevention/control instrumentalities in the state as well for crime/criminal justice administration data collation/analysis and production for regular inputs into the state’s development and security planning.

    The Professor also suggested the execution, to start with, of an ‘Area Crime Prevention /Control strategy’, based on a statewide victim survey, to reduce criminal victimization of citizens in the state.

    Dignitaries at the summit include Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, represented by Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, Brig.-Gen. James Ataguba, Heads of security agencies, and traditional rulers.

    Others were representatives of governments of neighbouring states of Osun, Ekiti, Kogi, Edo, Delta, Ogun and Lagos; and the Areonakakanfo Gani Adams, represented by Yinka Oguntimehin.

    NAN

  • Seven kidnappers arrested in Ondo

    Men of the Joint Security Task Force, put in place by the Ondo State Government to curb insecurity, have arrested seven suspected kidnappers at Emure-Ile junction on Owo/Akure road.

    Parading the suspects at the police headquarters in Akure yesterday, the Assistant Director, Army Public Relations, Owena Cantonment, Maj. Ojo Adenegan and police spokesman Femi Joseph said they were arrested at a hideout inside Emure-Owo forest during a raid.

    Joseph said the task force also nabbed kidnappers’ informants, who monitored their (task force’s) operations.

    He added that they were apprehended with 20 guns, 15 daggers, 15 cutlasses, other weapons, charms, N27,820 cash and clothing materials.

    Read also: Evans: police burned me with cigarette to make me confess

    The spokesman said the command arrested two suspected weed planters, Friday Ami and Sunday Femi, who allegedly killed a 75-year-old woman, Mrs. Modupe Olorunfemi, on her Owo farm.

    He said the septuagenarian was murdered in February 2017 for giving security operatives information about their activities.

  • Nigerian Army deserves better welfare, says Atiku

    Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has said that his administration would improve the welfare of the military personnel if elected the next President.

    At a news conference at the PDP secretariat in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the former Vice President the contributions of men of the Nigerian Army to the growth of the country.

    Read Also: Ekwunife drums support for Atiku/Obi, PDP in Anambra

    According to him, men of the Nigerian Army deserve better welfare considering

    their services to the nation.

    He noted that many of them have sacrificed their lives for the survival of the nation.

    Atiku particularly hailed the Nigerian Army for waging serious war against Boko Haram, stressing that the war against insurgency was fought majorly by the Nigerian army.

  • Akeredolu gives N3m to widows of fallen heroes

    Ondo State governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Tuesday distributed micro-credit loans to widows of soldiers from the 32 Artillery Brigade. Owena Cantonment, Akure, who lost their lives in the war against the Boko Haram sect.

    The governor also doled out a cash gift of N100, 000 to each to 30 widows of the fallen heroes from the cantonment, with a promise that his administration will continue to put smiles on the faces of the dependants of the fallen heroes.

    Akeredolu, who gave cheques to the dependants of the dead soldiers at the parade and wreath-laying ceremony of the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration, held at the state cenotaph, Akure, the state capital, said the token is to cushion the impact of immediate problems engendered by the unfortunate losses.

    He added that no amount of money can replace the lives of the dead soldiers, and called on individuals and corporate organizations to assist in bringing smiles to the faces of this category of persons who had become vulnerable because of the loss of their breadwinners.

    The governor also donated an operational vehicle to the Nigerian Legion in the state, in fulfillment of his promise to the demands of the Legion.

    Read Also: Akeredolu pledges support for security agencies

    While highlighting the steps taken so far by his administration to ensure security of lives and properties in the state, Akeredolu said, “I want to seize this opportunity to thank the security agencies for their efforts in providing security in the State

    “Recently, Operation Egwu Eke III was launched in the state to address our security challenges.

    The move was not unconnected with the incessant cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and ritual killings in parts of the state,

    Akeredolu said “I want to thank the Brigade Commander and his officers and men for their gallantry. We have started to see the effect of this exercise as all these crime prone areas have been quiet of late.

    “The state government is also holding meetings with all the relevant stakeholders in the state, including the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and our traditional institutions

    “Also, as part of efforts to completely stem the tide, in the next few weeks, we shall be providing additional new operational vehicles for our security agencies for adequate, effective and efficient patrol of the State

    “The state government is also organizing a Security Summit later in the week.  We are looking at the security architecture of the state holistically and trying to look at the challenges and proffering suitable solutions. I want to assure you of the readiness of the State Government to implement workable solutions generated at the end of the summit. ”

    The governor also said his administration has given the state’s cenotaph a face-lift in line with the demand of the Chairman, Nigerian Legion in the State.

    According to him, “It is obvious that the Cenotaph that was constructed in 1994 had suffered serious neglect for many years.   This was the situation when the demand for the upgrade/facelift was made, which led to what we are all seeing today

    “Though the work started late, it is, however, gratifying to see the effort we are making in renovating the Cenotaph.  In a similar vein, I want to enjoin the Chairmen of Caretaker Committees in the Local Government Councils to consider having befitting Cenotaphs in their respective Local Government Area Headquarters in the State

    “The spirits of our departed heroes lying symbolically within the Cenotaph deserve our recognition and appreciation at all times.”

  • Igbos in Ondo: We will floor PDP with our votes

    Ahead of the general elections, the Igbo Community in Ondo State has taken a position: to vote against the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    They lamented what they described as “the long wasted years” that Nigerians suffered in the hands of the party, vowing to frustrate the PDP at the polls.

    A leader of the Ndigbo in Ondo State, Prince Ikechukwu Nneke, who spoke on behalf of hundred others in Akure, lamented that the five Igbo States suffered unimaginable marginalization during the PDP years of plundering.

    The group paid a solidarity visit to the State Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC)in Akure, Ondo State capital.

    Nneke said: “No single road in the whole of the South East was given attention during the rampaging years of the PDP. Many of us were afraid to visit our home towns then because the roads were in terrible conditions.

    “Today we can boldly attest to the massive transformation in the infrastructures in the South East. We are happy with the sincerity of the federal government over the Second Niger Bridge project.”

    Read Also: Troops nab cult leader in Ondo

    He said the Igbo community is happy with the giant strides of the APC government in Ondo State, led by Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, particularly the investment in infrastructures.

    “Majority of us are traders and we need good roads to transport our goods from one location to the other. Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has been very supportive in that regard; he has done so much on the internal roads within the towns,” he declared.

    Responding on behalf of the APC Chairman, the State Organizing Secretary, Charles Fagbohunka assured the Igbo Community that the APC-led government would not relent in its quest to ensure infrastructural development across the land.

    Fagbohunka said that the wellbeing of the people is the crux of the policy-thrust of the APC-led government in Ondo State.

    He urged the visitors to take their mobilization drive to every street and shop, so that their agitation could reflect in the electoral victory of the APC.

     

  • ‘Why we are against disloyal APC members’

    Supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ifedore local government area of Ondo state at the weekend urged its State and National leadership to probe one of its members, Ajayi Oladapo  over his alleged anti-party activities.

    The APC loyalists in Ifedore local government area of Ondo state who raised the alarm expressed disappointment over the attitude of Oladapo who is alleged of presently working against the interest of the ruling party.

    A party executive in the local government, Bayo Arijeloye alleged that Oladapo had been allegedly holding sinister meetings with the candidates of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and members promising to work for them rather than the APC.

    According to him, Oladapo claimed he was a leader and could accommodate anyone of his choice since the SDP has been taken care of his needs.

    Read Also: Saraki alleges threat to life, fingers APC thugs, Police

    He said he had on many occasions harassed APC members in the local government area and told them that they cannot dictate to him, boasting of being in charge and could determine who would win elections in 2019.

    Arijeloye noted that such activity was capable of truncating the victory of APC.

    Also, one of the loyalists, and a party leader in the local government, Tunde Ogunlade affirmed  Oladapo had been holding meetings with the candidates of SDP.

    Ogunlade noted that such activity is capable of truncating the victory of the APC in the 2019 elections.

    They urged the party leadership to also sanction him to serve as deterrent to others who might be acting in similar way for selfish interest.

    The APC loyalists acknowledged the leadership qualities of President Muhammadu Buhari for changing the face of democratic rule in Nigeria and pushed corruption to a tight corner.

    Oladapo could not be reached on phone after all efforts for reaction on the allegation of disloyalty.