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Tag: Yemi Olowolabi

  • UPDATED: Olowo of Owo dies at 77

    A first class monarch in Ondo State, the Olowo of Owo, Oba Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi is dead.

    The traditional ruler, who ascended the throne in 2003, was 77.

    A palace source hinted that the monarch had earlier attended a security summit held in the town on Tuesday and developed complications after he had retired to the palace and eventually died.

    Although the state government was yet to make any official statement on the death of the traditional ruler, the news of his death has spread across the state and beyond.

    The Commissioner for Information,Yemi Olowolabi said he was not aware of the development, stressing only Olowo’s palace could confirm the story.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who hails from Owo, is currently on an official engagement outside the country.

    However, an official of Owo Local Government Area of the state who spoke in confidence confirmed the death of the monarch.

    He stated the chairman of the Local Government will announce his death officially on Thursday.

    READ ALSO: ‘I see humility as a virtue’ – Olowo of Owo

    He said the monarch had been on and off the hospital for over a year, attributing his death to health challenges he suffered since his ascension to the throne.

    Oba Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi was the eldest son of his late father, Sir Olateru Olagbegi who ruled the ancient town of Owo between 1910 and 1998.

    He received the staff of office as Olowo in December 11, 2003 from the late former Governor Olusegun Agagu after succeeding his father in 1999.

    He received his first degree in law from London, UK and attended Nigeria Law school in 1968.

    He was married to Ololade Olateru-Olagbegi, a Barrister and law lecturer at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko and they are blessed with children and grandchildren.

    Folagbade obtained a bachelor’s degree in Law from London, UK.

    He later returned to Nigeria to practice Law under the late Fatai Williams.

    He was a lecturer in the Nigerian Law School, where he retired as a reader in 1999 to ascend the throne of his forefathers.

    He was appointed as Chancellor of University of Benin (Nigeria) in 2005 and later University of Abuja.

    He was honoured with the national award of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

    Besides, he was appointed the Chancellor, University of Benin in 2015 and later the University of Abuja.

    The late Oba Olagbegi was a former chairman, Ondo State Council of Obas.

    Palace sources confirmed his death but stated “we cannot announce it now because of various traditions to follow.

    “Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who is an indigene of Owo is currently out of the country for an official duty and must be formally briefed on Olowo’s exit before official announcement,” sources said.

  • Ondo bans commercial motorcycles

     

    The Ondo State Government on Tuesday announced a partial ban on commercial motorcycles (Okada) across the state.

    It said the activities of commercial motorcycles across its 18 Local Government Areas would now stop at 10 pm daily.

    Ondo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Yemi Owolabi, said in Akure that the development was to curb criminal activities and maintain law and order.

    According to him, any motorcyclist that is on the street beyond 10 pm must not carry any load and must show evidence of ownership of such motorcycle.

    The commissioner stressed that the ban does not affect private motorcycle owners that may be going to work or attending to emergency.

    “It has got to the notice of the state government that some people are perpetrating criminal activities under the guise of operating Okada till late hours of the night.

    ”This has to stop, as the issue of security of lives and property remains priority of the government,” he said.

    Owolabi enjoined the public, particularly commercial motorcyclists to cooperate with the government in flushing out criminal elements from the state.

     

  • Ondo 2018 re-ordered Budget, constitutional

    Ondo State government on Friday criticized the statement credited to a member of the state assembly, Olugbenga Araoyinbo  condemning the  2018 Ondo State Reordered budget.

    Araoyinbo was said to have described the budget as “unconstitutional” claiming that it was the cause of the failed attempt to remove the incumbent Speaker, David Bamidele Oloyeloogun and his deputy, Iroju Ogundeji.

    A statement by the state commissioner for information and orientation, Yemi Olowolabi said “baleful and vengeful, the notion speaks  volumes of orchestrated mischief and  calculated malfeasance all in the name of filthy politics.

    “I wish to put on record that it is not unusual for budget to be reordered.  This was done here in Ondo State by previous administrations and it is being done in other states in the Country. Even the Federal Government, recently, had to reorder the 2018 budget in line with some prevailing fiscal realities

    “What we have done now and always is in tandem with our avowed commitment to the welfare of people of Ondo State. No amount of denigrations and aspersions will halt the wheel of progress our state is currently experiencing under the leadership of Akeredolu.

    Read Also: Ondo to offset outstanding salaries

    “The current reordering  budget exercise among other reasons had to be done in anticipation of the release of recent Paris club refund, which is to be used to pay arrears of workers salaries and pensions of retirees in the terms agreed with labour leaders.

    “The bill was passed to the house a couple of weeks after the Federal Government made public the various amounts due to each State as Paris Club refund.

    “Surprisingly, it was left unattended to by the House, even before the recent failed attempt to effect a leadership change in the Assembly”.

    Olowolabi said Araoyinbo’s statement clearly advertised crass legislative ignorance and a morbid desire to mislead the public.

    According to him ” Notwithstanding the heist and hate campaigns, the truth is that the budget size remains unchanged and any enlightened person knows that budget re ordering is a fiscal instrument used for re-allocating funds from non-performing heads to more active heads without increasing the budget”

    He insisted that the state government had done nothing illegal stressing that the state government has continued to hoist the flag of transparency in governance while pursuing the top agenda to transform Ondo State.

  • I am with you on your agitation for a new minimum wage – Akeredolu

    Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has stood behind workers in the country in their demand for new minimum wage.
    In a statement signed by the commissioner for information and orientation, Yemi Olowolabi said Governor Akeredolu explained that the N18,000 currently being paid as minimum wage to workers in the country is unrealistic.
    He spoke against the backdrop of the present economic realities in the country, noting that he had “always believed that a labourer deserves his wage.”.
    ” N18,000 is too poor. The wage that workers get is not something that can take them home. How much is N18, 000? It is nothing. Quite a number of us spend more than that in a month for recharge card”.
    Governor Akeredolu noted that this had always been his position even before becoming a governor. He, however, called for a balancing of the equation, as the challenge of salary payment has left many administrations in the cold as they lack funds for other equally important government businesses.
    “irrespective of the tiny percentage on government’s payroll, there must be bureaucracy to keep the government going. So, how do you balance it? What do you set aside for Infrastructure, Schools, Health and so many other competing interests?
    “But we’ve said, look, whatever is left, we must keep adjusting because it appears you cannot explain to workers. Nobody is prepared to listen to me, that, look over 80% of our revenue goes for salaries alone.”
    For the Governor, labour leaders should educate their followers on the position of things at the inception of his administration and now, especially for the fact that he has not owed them a month in the last 22 months.

    Read Also:Akeredolu rescues accident victims

    Arakunrin Akeredolu drew the attention of the state workforce to the fact that no other government has done the number of kilometers of roads his administration has done in two years, apart from other feats recorded in school renovation and construction as well as accelerated rural water supply.
    “i must appreciate the Federal Ministry of Water Resources which is now telling other state governments to take a cue from us. It’s a showcase to the country.
    “We’ve today repaired close to 700 boreholes all over in nine out of the 18 local government areas. We are going to all the local government areas soon. Despite all these efforts, we firmly believe that workers in Ondo State are entitled to their salaries. We are going to look for money. We’ll pay”.
    The Governor also used the medium to speak on efforts to industrialize the state. To this end, a development partners summit, tagged “develop Ondo 2018” aimed at bringing together critical Stakeholdeers to fashion out a 25 year development plan to enhance the prosperity of the state is billed to take place in Akure, the state capital next week.

  • 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 to spend N50b on road rehabilitation’

    Ondo State government has said it had earmarked about N50 billion in the 2018 budget for rehabilitation of roads in the state toward making them free of potholes.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi said this in an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Akure.

    Olowolabi said that the people of the Ondo state were happy with the achievements of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration in the past one year.

    The commissioner noted that work had commenced at Idanre road in Akure, after the first anniversary of the present government in the state.

    “Contractors are on site at the 4.1 kilometers Ikare township road dualisation while work is ongoing at various roads inaugurated by the governor during the first year anniversary,” he said.

    Olowolabi, however, noted that work was slow in the A Division to Oke Obere dualisation in Akure because lots of property would give way for the project.

    The commissioner assured that compensation would be paid to the affected property owners.

    He stressed that there was no local government in the state that the state government had not touched with developmental projects in the last one year.

    The commissioner said the current government in the state was prepared and focused to serve the people by bringing development to their door step.

    “This government is focused, committed and planned any action to be taken in moving the state forward.

    “Whatever developmental projects that will be taken by the government in the next four years will be in accordance with its blueprint which will serve as a working guide.”

    NAN

  • Lassa fever: Ondo Govt. embarks on sensitisation of populace

    Lassa fever: Ondo Govt. embarks on sensitisation of populace

    The Ondo State Government has embarked on sensitisation of the populace on measures to contain the spread of Lassa fever in the state.

    A statement issued on Tuesday in Akure by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Yemi Olowolabi, said that unhygienic habits of people had led to the spread of Lassa fever in the state

    Read Also: 10 down with suspected Lassa fever in Ondo

    The commissioner, who confirmed 24 cases of Lassa fever and five deaths in four local government areas of the state, said government had strengthened its medical facilities in all its specialist hospitals to contain the spread of the disease.

    He stated that the isolation centre at the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, had also been reinforced to take adequate care of patients as part of efforts to check  the spread of the disease.

    NAN

  • Ondo govt. committed to educational development – Commissioner

    Ondo govt. committed to educational development – Commissioner

    The Ondo State Government says it is working hard to restore the educational sector to its lost glory in all the 18 local government areas of the state.

    The Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Yemi Olowolabi disclosed this on Tuesday in Akure when he received delegation from his former school Ilemobola Comprehensive High School, Idanre.

    Olowolabi said that government was set to embark on massive construction and renovation of public schools in all the 18 local government areas of the state.

    The commissioner, who repeated the commitment of the Gov. Rotimi Akeredolu led administration to turn the education sector around, noted that public schools in the state were in urgent need of government’s interventions.

    Olowolabi noted that construction, rehabilitation of structures and provision of well-equipped modern libraries as well as functional laboratories would be the key objective of the restoration programme.

    The commissioner also allayed the fear of parents by emphasising the fact that education remained free in the state.

    “The state government is committed to providing functional and affordable education both at the basic and secondary levels in the state.”

    He said that the free education system established by late Chief Obafemi Awolowo would be consolidated in the state.

    Owolabi, however, called on stakeholders in the education system to support the state government in rebuilding the educational sector.

    The Chairman, Parents Teachers Association ( PTA ) of the school, Mr Akinduni Akindeko, congratulated the commissioner on his appointment and prayed for God’s guidance in the discharge of his duties.

    Akindeko also solicited for the commissioner’s assistance in providing a functional science laboratory, which he described as a major challenge confronting the school at the moment.

    The school’s Vice-Principal, Mr Samuel Akinsuroju pleaded with the commissioner to remember the school when the government commences the renovation and equipment of schools across the state.