By; OLADELE ADEDAYO, Ado-Ekiti
The Ekiti State Government has attributed its inability to pay the outstanding the N57 billion unpaid salaries, gratuities and pensions of workers and retirees as promised in 2018, blaming it on the recurrent economic doldrums being experienced by the state.
Stressing that the current administration has performed creditably well, the government said it has constructed a total of 139 kilometres of roads in the last four years, while also undertook some palliatives on the dilapidated federal roads to make them accessible for motorists.
The Commissioner for Information, Akin Omole,stated this, at a press conference heralding the 4th anniversary and valedictory ceremonies of the Kayode Fayemi administration and inauguration of Hon. Biodun Oyebanji, with the theme: “Finishing well”.
Omole said that the current government had rehabilitated 14 general and state hospitals and had also initiated operation one primary healthcare per- ward, in line with the design of National healthcare policy.
He lamented that the deplorable states of the federal roads in Ekiti was due to increased traffic from adjoining states, especially upsurge of haulage businesses and cross border trucks, which he said piled pressures on some of the highways to cave in.
“As at 2018 when Governor Kayode Fayemi came on board, he said that he had the intention of paying all these arrears, but budget support fund , Paris club, excess crude and other funds we were getting from the FG stopped and we were only collecting monthly allocation. That wat what actually stopped us from fulfilling this promise.
“We were still able to pay a part of it. We paid two out of the salary arrears. If our predecessor, who collected all these funds could not pay, then we should ask questions. It is not our intention not to pay all these arrears. But we are glad that we have a government that is coming after us. If there are areas where we have not fulfilled our promises, the next government will start from there”.
Reeling out the achievements of the present administration, Omole saud: “Ekiti International Agro-Allied Cargo Airport is a dream comes true, not only for this administration, but also for Ekiti-kete and for the generation yet unborn. Though projected to be an Agro-Based Cargo airport, this does not foreclose commercial passenger operation.
“The Airport boast is CA5-9 4E category with capacity for Aircraft Boeing 747-400 and a runway length of 3.2km”.
Omole added that within the period under review, Fayemi government had completed projects which include dual-lane new Ado-Iyin road; construction of Ekiti State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja; reconstruction of Agbado-Ode-Isinbode road; construction of Aramoko-Erijiyan-Ikogosi road; construction of Oye-Ayede-Iye -Otun road and and; construction of Ilupeju-Ire-Igbemo-road.
“They include: Harding Memorial College, Oke-Isa, Ado-Ekiti. New SUBEB Headquarters, Secretariat Complex, Ado-Ekiti, EKZ Model School, Ijan-Road, Ado-Ekiti, Model School, Isan-Ekiti. Ekiti State Agro-Cargo International Airport, Ado-Ijan Way, Ado-Ekiti. Ikole Township Roads ((Bolorunduro Street—0.67km, Ave. width 5.7m; Olokonla Dualisation—1.6km, Ave. width 11.75m; Dualised road section—1.1km, Ave. width 12m”.
In the transport sector, the Commissioner revealed that the government had constructed a Bus Terminal and Pedestrian Walkway/Drain Cover along Ijigbo-Okeyinmi Roundabout in Ado-Ekiti Central Business Area,while also making lives comfortable for the elderly by building Old people’s Resort, Ado-Ekiti.
During the period, Omole said the government also undertook massive renovation works at the General Hospitals Emure, Aramoko, Ode, Oye, Otun, Ijero, Ikere, Ikole, Ise, Iyin and Omuo-Ekiti, to buoy healthcare delivery to the citizens.
He added that the state government is making efforts to tackle the menace of insecurity in the state, saying administrative bottlenecks was hindering the purchase of the much touted Drone to monitor the forests and checkmate marauding criminals.
The commissioner appealed to the federal government to focus attention on the deplorable Federal roads, saying the government would not rest until the needful is done.
