…As Media Executives Assess Government Projects
It was commendation galore for Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, by residents of towns, communities and neigbourhoods where ongoing and completed projects are located during a two-day media tour which ended on Friday.
The tour which commenced on Thursday took general managers of broadcast stations, officials of the state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), print and electronic arms of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the NUJ to the project sites on 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 equipping of schools and hospitals among others.
The tour which cut across the three senatorial districts also gave the journalists the opportunity to ask questions from contractors, consultants, commissioners and special advisers whose ministries, departments and agencies had supervisory roles over such projects.
The journalists also enquired on the quality of materials used for ongoing projects, when they were started, the completion dates and the level of their longevity as well as the cost of the projects. They were taken to some of the completed projects and the impact in the benefiting communities.
Residents of Ilukuno-Ekiti in Ijero Local Government during the tour declared their readiness to reward Governor Oyebanji with re-election for another term in office in appreciation of work done so far on Ilukuno-Ayegunle Road where one kilometer 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 for remembering their community which they described as “long abandoned” noting that although the work is still ongoing, the joy the project has brought to them is “indescribable.”
The community leader said his people have resolved to use their votes to re-elect the Governor noting that “he deserves a re-election to encourage him to continue the good work he is doing in Ilukuno and other parts of the state which they are hearing of on daily basis.”
“Without mincing words, BAO, our father, deserves another term in office and that is our resolution in Ilukuno and our decision cannot be changed. We appreciate him for the work done on this road because our farm produce used to perish because of the bad condition of the road in the past but the story has changed now,” Chief Odofin said.
Also, many residents of neighbourhoods along Faglo-Olorunsogo Road in Ado Ekiti including Ikingbinsin and Irewumi Communities trooped out in their numbers chanting “BAO for Second Term,” “Four Plus For,” in appreciation of the work carried out on the road including the blaster of the rock at a bend along the stretch to expand the road.
Some of the completed projects inspected during the media tour included the Model Smart School at Ekiti Knowledge Zone in Ijan Ekiti; renovation of dining hall and construction of therapy room at the Special School in Ido Ekiti; 100-capacity hostel at Command Secondary School, Isan Ekiti; ICT Centre and Catering Department at Government Technical College, Igbara Odo; renovated classrooms and ICT Centre at 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 Market interior-Ewi Palace Link Road, Ado Ekiti New Town Housing Estate, Ado Ekiti Ring Road Phase One, Indoor Sports Hall and International Centre for Arts and Culture.
Speaking on the benefits of some of the projects when completed, cabinet members said they were carefully conceived in line with the six-pillar agenda of the Oyebanji Administration to enhance the standard of living of the people, attract investors in and tourists and to generate revenue into the state coffers.
Special Adviser on Housing and Mortgage Development, Mr. Gboyega Oloniyo, disclosed that the Ado Ekiti New Town Housing Estate was embarked upon to make shelter available to people at home and those in Diaspora who intend to own property in organized and planned environment.
He revealed that the estate being constructed on a 60 hectares of land would be equipped with facilities like a 100-room hotel, a police station, a filling station, a mini stadium, an amusement park, among others for the comfort of the would-be residents.
Commissioner for Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Prof. Rasaki Bakare, explained that the International Centre for Arts and Culture would boast of an arts theatre for performances, 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 the international agencies like UNESCO and would also be used to boost tourism and generate revenue.
Speaking on the Indoor Sports Hall, Technical Advisor on Sports Development, Dr. Olusola Osetoba, said the project is a big statement from Governor Oyebanji to provide facilities to place the state on national, continental an global sporting map.
She noted that the indoor sports hall, when completed, can be used for not less than 16 sports including basketball, handball, table tennis, squash, badminton, gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, among others.
Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun, said the media tour afforded the media professionals opportunity to have a first-hand knowledge and physically see the work being done by the Oyebanji Administration and feed the people back with what they have seen.
Olatunbosun said the tour also served as a means of giving account of stewardship and carrying the media along in the development of Ekiti State in recognition of its role as a partner in dissemination of the right information to the populace.
