The Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the execution of multiple projects across the state was an indication that his administration is working round the clock to deliver on the promises made to the people, in spite of the impact of COVID-19 on the state’s resources.

The Governor stated this Tuesday evening at the end of his two-day tour of projects sites across the state.

Dr Fayemi who commenced the inspection on Monday, visited the four newly constructed model schools in Ado-Ekiti, the ultramodern Oja Oba Market Complex; Ureje water dam and water treatment plant rehabilitation project at Ajilosin; JMK Rice Mill at Odo Ado; Ekiti State Water Corporation Headquarters building project at Ilokun; Fajuyi Water Dam, Ado-Iyin road project; Secretariat complex projects and the Civic Centre.

The Governor also inspected Ikun Dairy farm, Agbado-Ode-Isinbode-Omuo, Ijan-Ire-Ilupeju, and Oye-Isan-Iye-Ikun road projects, Egbe Dam, Ero Dam, and the rehabilitation of health centres at Agbado Ekiti, Ikota Ekiti, Isan Ekiti, Oye Ekiti and Igogo Ekiti. The Governor told journalists at the end of the tour that he was satisfied with the pace of work as well as quality of work being done, adding that he was convinced most of the projects would be delivered at the scheduled deadline.

He explained that the four model schools which were named after four prominent leaders in the state, were meant to decongest some secondary schools around and within Ado Ekiti, the state capital, as well as open up the areas for urban development.

According to Fayemi, naming the schools after Ekiti heroes is an acknowledgement of the significant contributions of the icons whose names the schools bear, to the development of education in the state.

The model schools which are expected to be delivered end of September, according to him, had reached significant levels of completion and the contractors were working hard to meet project deadline.

The Governor further said his administration was at the verge of completing all the projects that were abandoned as a result of his exit from office in 2014 in addition to some of the abandoned projects inherited from previous administrations.

Dr Fayemi said: “The contractors are on site, they are trying their best to meet with deadlines I gave them. All these projects are meant to be delivered by September 30 and as you can see from the background this is almost virtually ready except for the finishing touches they have to put there.

“Our four new model colleges were named after some of our heroes. This is Ayo Fasanmi Model School, unfortunately it is sad that Baba had passed on before we finished but he was aware and he had been here once or twice just to see the progress of the project. Then we have Banji Akintoye, David Oke and Deji Fasuan Model Schools, these are Ekiti icons who cherished education and have contributed immensely to the development of our state.

So naming these institutions after them is in itself a statement of how we cherish the labour of our heroes in Ekiti and those who have done their best to represent the values of Ekiti.

This for us is a demonstration that we are doing everything within our power to deliver on everything we promised our people, in spite of the impact of COVID-19 on the resources of the state, the governor explained.

“You will recall that my mantra has always been that we will not tolerate abandoned projects, even projects that had been abandoned before we came to office, we are ensuring that these projects are completed. And the ones that were abandoned simply because we left office in 2014, we have virtually completed all those projects. This is what we are about as a government, we make sure that we follow the vision of transformation we have designed for Ekiti State.”

Fayemi, who also inspected Ikun Dairy Farm in Ikun Ekiti, said the State Government is expected to profit from its 25 percent equity share it has in the project which was done on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.

The Governor said he was excited at how the dairy farm had progressed within the period it became operational.

Dr Fayemi, who pointed out that government was not designed to be an implementing agent but an enabler and facilitator of business facilities, said his administration was set to replicate a similar model of engaging private partnership in managing the affairs of some of government’s investments for optimal service delivery to the people.

His words: “The sustainability is already inbuilt, this is a joint project and the majority share belongs to Promasidor, it does not belong to the state, I think the state has 25 percent, Promasidor had 75 percent, regardless of whether successive governments show interest or not, the project will go on, it is a public private partnership (PPP) and what we have contributed is the facilities and the profit we are going to make out of it will come out of our share of the equity which is 25 percent. And for me that’s the model we need to replicate in other parts of the state.

“Government really is not in a very good position to run businesses. We should be enablers, we should be facilitators, we should not be implementing agents of business facilities of this kind. It speaks to the vision we have, we want Ekiti to be the destination, and a preferred place for those who are looking for a place to work, to live and to play without stress; this is the place to come.

“In the road projects I think we are doing very well, and I am convinced that by the end of this year, rain permitting many of the road projects would be delivered in the places we have visited, the Ijan-Ire-Ilupeju road, the Agbado-Ode-Isinbode-Omuo road, we noticed that most of the drainages have been completed on many of the roads, the earth work is finished what is left is asphalting.

“When it comes to Infrastructural projects, the roads, the schools, the airport, yes we are not in a position to say we have abundance of resources but these are regenerative projects that would also earn money at the end of the day. We are engaging institutions that are ready to partner with us for funding, we are also ensuring that the limited resources we have, after we have paid the most important thing to us which is the salaries, is deployed to these projects.”

•PHOTO: Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; General Manager, Ekiti State Water Cooperation, Engr. (Mrs). Toyin Agbeyo, and Project Manager, Eng. Lanre Adesemoye during the Governor’s inspection of water project at Ero Dam, Ado Ekiti . . . on Tuesday

Update news