Fayemi to Launch Initiatives to Deal with Kidnapping, Banditry, Robbery: 2021

As a part of the efforts to make Ekiti State secure for investment and safety in 2021, the Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will launch a safety city venture to deal with all types of kidnapping, banditry, robbery, and different social menaces within the state.

To bolster harmonious government–workers’ relationship, Fayemi mentioned he would fulfill promises to recruit over 1,500 new employees into the teaching, healthcare, and various cadres of the civil service, in addition to paying all outstanding salaries, promotion, and pension arrears on account of lively and retired civil servants.

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The governor spoke in Ado Ekiti Friday in a statewide broadcast to Ekiti residents commemorating the celebration of the New Year.

Besides the establishment of a network, codenamed “Amotekun” to strengthen security, Fayemi said he has continued to support the police, military, DSS, civil defence, Federal Road Safety Corps, NDLEA, and immigration with logistics and coordination to secure Ekiti.

“The new year will witness the launch of our secure city venture, in addition to different initiatives aimed at boosting safety and security within the state,” he stated.

On ways to put smiles on the faces of Ekiti workers, he said the government has commenced negotiations on the implementation of consequential adjustment for officers from levels seven, which he stated had been stalled by the outbreak of the pandemic.

“Those negotiations resumed last month for an eventual resolution. I once again, assure our esteemed workers and retirees that all the inherited salaries, pensions, and gratuities are not bad debts. All the inherited arrears will be cleared one after the other as things improve for our dear State,” he said.

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Fayemi said in government’s deliberate effort to bring government closer to the grassroots, “we revisited the issue of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) that were created from the existing local government areas in the state, on Thursday, June 26, 2014.

“The process of creating additional LCDAs is ongoing. The quest to create more LCDAs is not driven by political coloration, but for the socio-economic wellbeing of our people. I enjoin Ekiti-kete to work with the committee put in place for this purpose, for us to have a just and enduring outcome”.

He said the new year will also witness the commencement of the first phase of the Ado-Ekiti multi modal ring road project which has been awarded to Craneburg Construction Company to complement other road projects being executed across the three senatorial districts of the state.

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Speaking on giant strides to uplift the infrastructural capacity of the state, Fayemi said: “I am happy to inform you all that despite the economic challenges of the year 2020, we are making remarkable progress with our Agro-Cargo Airport project and we are still on course for completion in 2022.

“I must commend the communities affected by the airport for their cooperation and Aare Afe Babalola, the Federal Ministry of Aviation, the Nigerian Air Force for their collaboration and support to date.

“Electricity remains a sore point in many communities in Ekiti State due to the less than satisfactory supply by BEDC. Many of our people are rightly unhappy about the bad electricity supply to the state as we are in government.

“We’re working with the Transmission Company of Nigeria to enhance the transmission capacity within the state by creating an extra loop with the installation of 132-33kva substations in Ijesha-Isu and Ifaki.

“We are also working with the Rural Electrification Agency of Nigeria on solar powered energy in various communities. Equally, the state has signed a contract for a three megawatt Independent Energy Project which is able to provide energy to all public establishments together with the Secretariat, road lights, Teaching Hospital, the State University, and Government Home.”

Fayemi added that he appreciated the truth that the year 2021 goes to be a really busy and thrilling year with political activities due to local government elections and the method of making LCDAs.

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“The remaining half of my tenure is loaded with actions. However, I guarantee you of my avowed dedication to finish and commission all of the legacy projects we began, earlier than the end of my tenure in October 2022.

“The year 2020 has gone however left behind some momentous lessons and deliberate efforts should be made to build on the seen progress we recorded, in opposition to all odds. Subsequently, as individuals, state and government we should always strategy the year 2021, with the determination to get better-lost ground and restore lost hopes,” he mentioned.

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