Ekiti State Governor, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, is billed to receive the Vanguard Newspaper’s Best Governor’s Award (on Good Governance) during the award ceremony slated for next month.
The award, according to the Newspaper’s Board of Editors, is in recognition of Governor Oyebanji’s remarkable implementation of the six pillars of his administration’s development agenda, particularly in the areas of Human Capital Development, infrastructure and industrialization as well as Arts, Culture and Tourism.
The letter of nomination was presented to the Governor in his office in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday by a delegation from the Newspaper’s head office, led by the Deputy Editor, Mr Adekunle Adekoya.
Governor Oyebanji, while receiving the letter, thanked the management of the Newspaper for the recognition, which he said would further spur him to work harder.
He said the state is able to make remarkable and worthwhile achievements in the critical sectors of the economy because the government is being run on the principles of transparency and accountability.
He identified continuity in governance as one major factor that has helped the State to develop more rapidly under his watch, stressing that projects like the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, the Ekiti Agro-allied International Cargo Airport and the Agric Processing Zone are projects started by the immediate past administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi, which his government completed for the benefit of the people.
He also said the reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, have also ceded more fund to the states, adding that the development has helped in the actualization of many projects and programmes of his government. “So, I am thanking the President for this”., he added.
Speaking further, Governor Oyebanji said the revitalized Ikogosi Wram Springs Resort, is government’s first attempt in PPP arrangement, adding that it’s success has redefined tourism development in the state and has emboldened the government to enter into more PPP arrangements to revitalize other tourism sites, starting with Arinta Water Fall in Ipole-Iloro. He also revealed that government was already negotiating with some investors in the sector to establish games village and zoological garden between the two tourism sites.
“On behalf of myself and my team, we express gratitude and appreciation to the board of Editors for counting us worthy for this award. This award coming from a credible organization like Vanguard Newspaper, to me, is exciting. I have looked at the trajectory of Vanguard over time and I see that it’s one of the most serious-minded newspapers in the country. They are objective, highly professional and they have survived the storm in the industry and that speaks to resilience of the management.
“I am excited because of the pillar on which you are giving us this award, which is governance. We believe strongly that we must tilt government policies and processes to serve the people. We also believe that we have entered into a contract with Ekiti people and we must be deliberate and intentional in ensuring that the terms and conditions of those contracts are met, and that is what we’ve been doing quietly here in the last two and a half years.
“Gradually, people are beginning to see that Ekiti is working and I am so glad that you alluded to the BudgetIT Report on Transparency and Accountability. We are a very small state, we are punching beyond our weight. On the ladder of FAAC, we are second or third to the last in the country, but we have kept the state running due to our commitment to good governance, transparency, accountability and self-denial. The little resources we have, we are spending it to give the best value to the greatest number in the society. And that is why we cannot afford to be irresponsible.
Earlier, the Deputy Editor of Vanguard Newspaper Mr Adekunle Adekoya, had said Governor Oyebanji earned the Best Governor Award on good governance due to the significant development his government had undertaken across various sectors in the state. This he said came after reviewing the public space to identify leaders of government that are impacting on the people that elected them.
Adekoya stated that Ekiti has been on the radar of the Board of Editors of the newspaper through the lens of the six pillar of the administration which had helped to deliver on the dividends of democracy with particular interest on improved connectivity index of good roads network through conscientious, deliberate and intentional efforts.
He highlighted three major achievements of the governor that excited the Board of Editors to include Ekiti Knowledge Zone and the Free Trade Zone status recently approved by the Federal Government; commitment to Ekiti mega fabric industry and art culture and tourism, adding that all these will help bring the needed sustainability of the development of the state’s economy.