The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs) Monisade Afuye, has assured Ekiti citizens that Governor Biodun Oyebanji will not neglect any town in his development plan for the state.
Mrs Afuye gave the assurance, in a statement by her Special Assistant on Media, Victor Ogunje, on Friday, while receiving members of Ikere Development Forum(IDF), who paid a courtesy call to her office in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.
Mrs Afuye, who hailed from Ikere Ekiti, revealed that the current administration, had exhibited unquantifiable love for the town, by awarding road projects and increase subvention for the proper running of the Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology domiciled in the community.
Mrs Afuye stated that efforts are also underway for the renovation of three maternity centres in the community for people to savour unfettered access to medical care, for improved life expectancy and to bolster their wellbeing.
For the government’s development plans to ignite the requisite democracy dividends for Ikere residents, she appealed to Ikere people to be united and forge a common front against cases of occasional insecurity and criminalities in the facets of robbery and cultism being witnessed in the town.
Mrs Afuye also reminded that political participation through voting remains a strong basis that can attract development to the town, urging the residents to always participate in voting during elections and register in the coming voters registration exercise.
She applauded the IDF for its giant strides to bring development to the town through robust scholarship awards, empowerments and advocacy for community development, saying these initiatives shall consign members to the positive side of Ikere history.
“Let me bring to your notice that Governor Biodun Oyebanji has strong attachment to Ikere community. As a matter of principle, this government has all- inclusive development template and strategy, which is to ensure that all the towns benefit from the projects being executed.
“This government has awarded the Ikere-Igbara Odo road and works are ongoing there. The bad portions of Ado-Ikere road are being asphalted. Let me also tell you, the Ministry of Health had penciled down three major Maternity Centres that will be renovated soon.
“I appreciate the way your members have been working with Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adejimi Adu Alagbado and our leaders like Chief Wole Olanipekun to bring development to our town.
“But for this to manifest positivity and for the development to move at a faster pace, we must be united, we have to purse that unity and settle all internal crises for us to form a united and indivisible front to attain our respectable position in our dear state”.
In his submission, the IDF National President, Prof. Dele Olowokudejo, saluted the Deputy Governor for her loyalty to governor Oyebanji and the ways she has been pursuing development for the community.
The scholar, who commended Governor Oyebanji for increasing subvention to Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, solicited for more funding for the institution to be able to assume a world class status.
In the same fashion, Prof Olowokudejo, urged the government to put machinery in motion for improved security in the town and curb occasional cases of robbery and cultism that were rearing their ugly heads and causing unwarranted public unrest.
“We want to on behalf of Ikere community appreciate Governor Oyebanji and the Deputy Governor for their love for Ikere Ekiti. They have done well, but we are soliciting the speedy completion of Ikere-Akure road.
“We can’t rule out the fact that we are better off in terms of infrastructures, but we have to do more. A lot more still needed to be done. We want those police stations burnt down during ENDSARS protest to be renovated for better security in our land.
“To open up our town to more investment opportunities, we want a ring road that will traverse some areas, so that some of our hidden opportunities can be exposed to better the situation of our town and to also benefit Ekiti.
“The health of a nation is in its health, we want our people to have access to improved medicare by way of upgrading of some of our medical centres to General Hospitals”.