Home About Ekiti Ministries Exco Members Governor FFTF Feedback Contact US | A WELCOME ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY BRIGADIER-GENERAL ADETUNJI OLURIN (RTD), THE ADMINISTRATOR OF EKITI STATE ON THE OCCASION OF THE WORKING VISIT OF HIS EXCELLENCY, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, GCFR, THE PRESIDENT OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE ARMED FORCES TO EKITI STATE ON MONDAY 9TH APRIL 2007. Protocol It is with great pleasure that I welcome Your Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and entourage to Ekiti State on behalf of the Government and people of Ekiti State. Your several visits to Ekiti since the inception of this tenure showed the responsiveness and the interest of Your Excellency in the welfare and overall development of the state. It will be recalled that your prompt intervention during the dark days of Ekiti over five months ago when palpable fear, uncertainty and political tension gripped the entire state spontaneously brought relief and peace to the state.2. Today, I am proud to confidently say that we have achieved a level of peace that is quite encouraging, though there are still more grounds to cover. In working within the mandate given me under the Emergency Rule, I set up a Judicial Commission of Enquiry to look into the activities of political appointees and government officials between 29th May 2003 and 19th October 2006 with a view to ensuring genuine reconciliation and lasting peace in the state. The Commission which was headed by a Judge of the Federal Court of Appeal, Hon. Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, submitted its report recently while a Committee is already working on the draft White Paper for the consideration of the State Executive Council. It is intended that the proposed White Paper, if implemented, will right all wrongs and further douse the tensions which have been bottled up in the people. 3. The relative peace we have achieved within the last five and a half months has created very conducive environment for political activities in the state, coupled with the fact that this administration offered a level playground for all political parties to operate. The fact that people were allowed, through the Judicial Commission of Enquiry, to express their ill fillings, bitterness, distrust and betrayal actually enhanced the peaceful electioneering campaigns. It is also hoped that the Stakeholders in Ekiti project will join hands together to ensure peaceful, free and fair elections on 14th and 21st April 2007. 4. One of the institutional frameworks put in place during this Emergency Rule is the constitution of the State Economic Advisory Council with eminent men and women of proven integrity who had made indelible marks in their various endeavours. This became expedient because of the level of poverty and under development I observed on my assumption of duty in the state as the Administrator and the need to ensure systematic but aggressive industrial take-off in Ekiti State. This is also in response to your admonition to the intellectuals to rise up to the economic development of the state. 5. The Council had submitted its report which should serve as a guideline for succeeding Administrations so as to put the state on the right path for industrial development. It is therefore hoped that the blue print which contained developmental strategies will be embraced by all for future economic planning in the state.6. The journey so far has been challenging, but this Administration has not left any stone unturned and we are always abreast of the potential threats to live and property. Logistics are always provided for the security agencies to complement their efforts to ensuring peaceful co-existence in the state. Adequate transportation facilities have equally been made to assist the security monitoring of the forthcoming elections.7. Your Excellency, it is apposite to state at this junction that inspite of the primary responsibility to restore peace and order in the state, this administration within the last five and a half months initiated a numbers of projects which are ongoing at the various parts of the state. 8. I wish to put it on record that His Excellency, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo graciously approved intervention fund to the tune of N1.0 billion for the state to control the gully erosion in Efon-Alaye, Ipoti and Ado-Ekiti, the towns most adversely affected by ecological problems. Also, Mr. President granted approval for rehabilitation of Ero, Itapaji and Ado Dams in the state to ensure adequate supply of water to towns and villages in the state as well as the state capital, Ado-Ekiti. The contracts for the projects had already been awarded and the contractors had mobilized to the project sites. I wish to use this opportunity to thank Mr. President for his kind gesture and his responsiveness to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of Ekiti. It is another example of benefits from the center which the state had always enjoyed.9. We will continue to press the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel supervising the 132KVA line and sub-station in the state to ensure early completion of the project. I have the latest report indicating that the new completion date is fixed for July 2007.10. Apart from the Federal Government intervention, this administration addressed rehabilitation of some roads which are critical to human and material movement. In addition to the on-going road projects which I met on ground, the contract for the rehabilitation of the following roads had been awarded and work is going on steadily on them;(a) Ido – Otun – Omuaran Road and Otun – Erinmope Road(b) Emure – Eporo Road(c) Agbado – Ode – Omuo Road(d) Omuo – Eda-ile Road(e) Omu – Itapaji Road and,(f) Igbara Odo – Ibuji Road 11. Also, during this Emergency Rule, Street lightening of Fajuyi/Trade Fair and Ijigbo/Ilawe roads in the state capital has commenced while the external electrification of the Government Housing Estate along Ikere road is also in progress.12. The award of contracts for the rehabilitation of the following roads has also reached an advanced level:(a) Ifaki – Orin – Ora Road(b) Itawure – Okemesi Road and,(c) Ita – Ido Ajinare Road13 In Area of Agriculture, this Administration established Cassava Processing Plants in each of the three senatorial districts which are already under construction. They are located at Ijero, Eporo and Orin; while Cassava Multiplication Projects were cited in all the Local Government Areas. Other agricultural projects embarked upon are:(a) Purchase of 42 brand new tractors;(b) Rehabilitation of Orin Farm Settlement under the Youth Empowerment Scheme;(c) Fish hatchery project(d) Purchase of Agricultural inputs like Agro chemical, seeds, raw materials and hardwares(e) Release of forest regeneration fund14. It is important to state that the focus of this administration is to empower the generality of the people so as to eradicate poverty in our midst. In furtherance of this, this administration embraced and co-funded programmes such as : (a) NAPEP Multi Patner Micro Finance Scheme having a loanable fund of N130m and, (b) Disbursement of loans to women co-operative societies among others.15. It is my belief that these projects and many more that I can not mention now will move Ekiti forward and ensure the sustenance of the growing peace and tranquility in the state.16. Mr. President Sir, I have before you again today the eminent sons and daughters of Ekiti who have been supportive of this administration. They have made the task of restoring peace to Ekiti easy for me. They have not hesitated to contribute meaningfully to governance and the various events going on in Ekiti State. What I have discovered from my personal interaction with them since I assume office is that they are quite committed to the survival and development of Ekiti State.17. It is therefore my pleasure, Mr. President to present to you the eminent citizens of Ekiti State as we commence this interactive meeting.18. Mr. President, we thank you for your fatherly love towards Ekiti State and we wish you good health and a safe journey back to Abuja after this meeting.19. Thank you and God bless you all. |
