This is Ondo State, the land of the brave and virtuous. This is a geographical space richly endowed by nature. This is our collective haven; an impregnable fortress for the protection of the weak and the underdog, a place where everyone is held and treated as important. We are proud inheritors of this enviable heritage from our forebears. We are bold, yet not foolhardy, resourceful, pragmatic and hospitable, but far from being stupid. We show understanding, readily, but resist all attempts by the impetuous and naïve, who mistake the craving for collaboration for the much-needed progress as weakness. We must remain consistent and resilient in the defence of this collective heritage.
I should, therefore, hasten to admonish that there is indeed little or no time for endless celebrations. These appointments must be seen as a call to service at this critical juncture in the life of our dear state. As our administration renews its pledge to the people to be accountable at all times, there is the urgent need for rededication by all those who serve the public. We must encourage broad and massive participation of our people in the business of government.
Government and governance should not be stultifying abstractions, distant and disconnected from the service to which these modern concepts evolved to proffer. Those who lay claims to legitimacy of representation, as deriving from the people, must always keep their focus on this time-tested objective. Governance should not be reduced to a circus show; specious, ostentatious and profligate exhibition of inanities. Any decision or action of acclaimed representatives of the people must be an answer to identifiable socio-economic challenge. Elected and appointed public officials must subject their individual preferences to the collective will. Performance must be measured in terms of its positive impact on the people.
If development is about the people, all decisions and actions must be for the realisation of this lofty objective. Any opportunity offered for service must be understood in this context. Nobody must consider his/her choice, out of numerous other equally eminent candidates, as an invitation to primitive self-aggrandisement. This administration will not permit it. Any conduct which seeks to perpetuate the misery of the people will be discouraged actively.
No appointment is “juicy”. Every ministry, agency and established public office is important. This administration shall extend equal attention to all offices. It would be a mistake, with grave consequences, for anyone to act in a manner which negates decency and decorum. There will be zero tolerance for all acts considered unbecoming of patriotic indigenes of this state. We will simply not allow them.
As the ship of this administration finally gathers steam to set sail, it is pertinent to acquaint the good people of this state with the true financial situation. We believe it is important that our people should possess this information. This must not be construed as politics and we plead with our media practitioners to subject this information to the crucible of serious scrutiny and analysis. The knowledge of true financial status of the state government will guide and moderate the craving desires of all and sundry. Expectations of performance from the government must be anchored on reality. Government officials must bear this fact in mind, always. It will be easy for the people to show understanding when they know the truth.
The economic condition of this state is precarious, depressingly so. We expend virtually all allocations and the insignificant revenue generated internally on recurrent expenditure. The internally generated revenue is very low. The huge debts owed by the state have been worsened by infrastructural deficit on ground. Yet we strive to discharge our obligations to creditors whose exactions on our very poor revenue militate, significantly, against planning.
The government is looked upon as the major provider of succour to the people. Times are indeed very hard. Job creation is a cardinal policy of the administration. We are not unmindful of the cynicism of our political opponents who believe that engaging our youths productively is a tall order. We are, however, convinced of not only the possibility of making this objective a reality, but our activities will erase the doubts as we progress. All hands must be on deck.
This administration at inception met a staggering debt totalling N220,588,125,731.00 (Two hundred and twenty billion, five hundred and eighty-eight million, one hundred and twenty-five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one naira).
With a total inherited debt of over N220 billion, it should not be difficult for anyone to know that the government’s capacity for seeming elastic adjustment to cater for the people has been stretched to its limit. There is no gain asserting the obvious; our administration is not in any position for frivolities. All of us must gird our loins for the great task ahead. The picture is not good. Therefore, all acts with the potential of pushing us deeper into economic crisis must be jettisoned. We earnestly promise to provide the needed leadership.
Despite the challenges encountered by our administration since assumption of office, we have approached governance with resilient determination. Paucity of funds has been a major encumbrance as explained earlier. To put out this quagmire, we have already commenced the process of re-engineering our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) efforts which will soon begin to yield the desired results. The administration has, however, been able to embark on projects which impact positively on the lives and general well-being of our people. We are beginning to register our presence in the consciousness of the people through our activities in virtually all sectors.
Imbued with the unshaken belief that an environment with a developed infrastructure is that which is ready for progress, we have been able to intervene to bridge the very wide gap in infrastructural deficit.
Our intention is to turn our dear state into a hub of socio-economic activities. We are determined to stimulate the economic space for the benefit of our people. The commencement of regular flights from Akure to Lagos, and continuation of Akure to Abuja has been a tremendous boost to the state. Businessmen and women, traders and all those who take investment seriously are trooping into our state with ease. Ondo State is indeed a veritable destination for investors. Air Peace Airline is making this possible. The transparent conduct of this administration and its insistence on discharging its mandate sincerely and courageously make good things happen.
We promised to make life more abundant for our people. We will continue to strive to keep that vow within the available resources. We can turn things around positively. We only need men and women imbued with the necessary patriotic zeal and determination to do things differently. I enjoin us to make our appointments impactful on the generality of the people in the State. We must approach issues touching on their lives with seriousness.
- …Excerpts of speech delivered by Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at the swearing-in ceremony of commissioners and Special Advisers.
