The Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has assured the people of the state that the best has not been seen in terms of performance under his administration, promising to accelerate the development pedal in his second year and deliver more democracy dividends.
He said the government will undertake more road projects next year based on numerous requests by towns and villages as well as the commencement of the World Bank assisted Rural Access to Market Project, that will focus essentially on rural roads linking farms to markets.
The Governor stated that he has been able to overcome many challenges in the last 12 months to keep some of his electioneering campaign promises, especially in infrastructure upgrade pledging that his administration is primed to do much more in the second year.
Oyebanji spoke in Isinbode-Ekiti, Ayekire Local Government Area of the state, on Wednesday, while flagging off the reonstruction of Ikole-Ara-Isinbode road to connect Ekiti South Senatorial District to the Northern axis of the state.
Oyebanji, who apologised to the community for the agony the commuters plying the route must have experienced on the highly deplorable road, said the year of excruciating pain has gone with the commencement of the reconstruction work.
Oyebanji described the gesture as keeping to the promise he made while campaigning across the state, assuring that he would keep to all the social contracts signed with the people to build a trust between the government and the governed.
Tracing the trajectories of government’s interventions on the road, Oyebanji said: “You know that this road has undergone three stages of rehabilitation, but all were short-lived. But this present reconstruction is going to be total.
“All the lapses witnessed in the previous rehabilitation activities shall be corrected to make this one last and durable.
“We are assuring you that as we begin the second year of this administration, greater things shall continue to happen to our people. We will continue to fulfil all our promises to you, that is our pledge and we shall keep to it.
“I want to charge the contractor handling the project to do a good job that he has been known for and it must be delivered in record time”.
Branding the Ikole-Ara-Isinbode road as central to economic development of that axis, the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Sola Adebayo, said Oyebanji’s government is expending humongous sum of money on rehabilitation and reconstruction of roads on the premise that it was a propelling force for improved industrial development and investment drives.
Adebayo urged the company handling the road project to deliver the best job and finish in record time to be able to meet the yearnings of the motorists .
Applauding the Governor for the gesture, the Onisin of Isinbode, Oba Adesoji Akinyemi, said the road was the shortest route from Ekiti to Kwara, commending the Governor for being a promise keeper, which he demonstrated with the project and the restoration of light to entire Gbonyin Local Government Area .