…Media executivesassess ongoing, completed projects
It was commendation galore for Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, by residents of towns,bcommunities and neigbourhoods where ongoing and completed projects are locatedduring a two-day media tour which ended on Friday.
The tour which commenced on Thursday took general managers of broadcast stations, officials ofthe state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), print andelectronic arms of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ to the project siteson an on-the- spot – assessment of the projects fact.
The media executives and practitioners felt the pulse of the appreciative locals who sang, danced,and hailed Governor Oyebanji for coming to their aid with projects like roads,channelization of drainages, opening up of new areas, renovation and equippingof schools and hospitals among others.
The tour which cut across the three senatorial districts also gave the journalists the opportunityto ask questions from contractors, consultants, commissioners and specialadvisers whose ministries, departments and agencies had supervisory roles oversuch projects.
The journalists also enquired on the quality of materials used for ongoing projects, when they werestarted, the completion dates and the level of their longevity as well as thecost of the projects. They were taken to some of the completed projects and theimpact in the benefiting communities.
Residents of Ilukuno-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government during the tour declared theirreadiness to reward Governor Oyebanji with re-election for another term inoffice in appreciation of work done so far on Ilukuno-Ayegunle Road where onekilometer had been tarred out of the 5.6 kilometers stretch of the road.
Led by the Odofin of Ilukuno, Chief Toyin Obabiolorun, they expressed gratitude to the Governor forremembering their community which they described as “long abandoned”noting that although the work is still ongoing, the joy the project has broughtto them is “indescribable.”
The community leader said his people have resolved to use their votes to re-elect the Governor notingthat “he deserves a re-election to encourage him to continue the good workhe is doing in Ilukuno and other parts of the state which they are hearing ofon daily basis.”
“Without mincing words, BAO, our father, deserves another term in office and that is ourresolution in Ilukuno and our decision cannot be changed. We appreciate him forthe work done on this road because our farm produce used to perish because ofthe bad condition of the road in the past but the story has changed now,”Chief Odofin said.
Also, many residentsof neighbourhoods along Faglo-Olorunsogo Road in Ado Ekiti includingIkingbinsin and Irewumi Communities trooped out in their numbers chanting”BAO for Second Term,” “Four Plus For,” in appreciation ofthe work carried out on the road including the blaster of the rock at a bendalong the stretch to expand the road.
Some of the completed projects inspected during the media tour included the Model Smart School atEkiti Knowledge Zone in Ijan Ekiti; renovation of dining hall and constructionof therapy room at the Special School in Ido Ekiti; 100-capacity hostel atCommand Secondary School, Isan Ekiti; ICT Centre and Catering Department atGovernment Technical College, Igbara Odo; renovated classrooms and ICT Centreat Corpus Christi College, Ilawe Ekiti and GRA 3rd Extension Road in Ado Ekiti.
Ongoing projects inspected included Isinbode-Ara-Ikole Road, Ilukuno-Ayegunle Road,Itapa-Omu-Ijelu Road, Ilawe-Ikere Road, Igbara Odo-Ikere Road, Erekesan Marketinterior-Ewi Palace Link Road, Ado Ekiti New Town Housing Estate, Ado EkitiRing Road Phase One, Indoor Sports Hall and International Centre for Arts andCulture.
Speaking on thebenefits of some of the projects when completed, cabinet members said they werecarefully conceived in line with the six-pillar agenda of the OyebanjiAdministration to enhance the standard of living of the people, attractinvestors in and tourists and to generate revenue into the state coffers.
Special Adviser on Housing and Mortgage Development, Mr. Gboyega Oloniyo, disclosed that the AdoEkiti New Town Housing Estate was embarked upon to make shelter available topeople at home and those in Diaspora who intend to own property in organizedand planned environment.
He revealed that the estate being constructed on a 60 hectares of land would be equipped withfacilities like a 100-room hotel, a police station, a filling station, a ministadium, an amusement park, among others for the comfort of the would-beresidents.
Commissioner for Arts,Culture and Creative Economy, Prof. Rasaki Bakare, explained that theInternational Centre for Arts and Culture would boast of an arts theatre forperformances, an events hall, a gallery of modern arts and craft, an artistes’camp, a research library and a museum.
He further explained that the Centre being built with the aim of attracting grants from theinternational agencies like UNESCO and would also be used to boost tourism andgenerate revenue.
