Ondo Govt. Executes 345 Rural Development Projects.

In pursuit of its rural development programme, the Ondo State Government has embarked on the execution of 345 rural development projects at a cost of about N3 billion.

The state Commissioner for Community Development and Co-operatives, Mr Clement Faboyede, said that 260 of the projects had been completed and delivered to the communities.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Akure on Tuesday that the government was committed to rural transformation of the state.

Faboyede, who said other projects were at various stages of completion, pointed out that the projects tagged “Quick Win” were executed to the tastes of the communities.

He said that the government did not just execute them, but with the consent of each community and what they required after due negotiation and consultations with the people.

The commissioner said that the ministry had just completed another round of a need assessment survey for quick win projects in another 40 communities in preparation for award of the contracts.

Faboyede said that all the projects embarked upon in the quick win project would be completed before the end of the first tenure of Gov. Olusegun Mimiko's administration.

``By the Grace of God, when we return for the second term we can continue with our community development programme for total transformation and better life for our rural dwellers,’’ Faboyede said.

He also said that the government had set aside some fund to assist communities that embarked on self-help projects and solicited the people’s support for the return of Mimiko. 

According to him, some of the projects are basic health centres, UNICEF-standard classrooms, town halls, market stalls, solar-powered bore holes, among others. (NAN)

Why Ondo govt is working —Mimiko

The Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has given reasons his government has been able to record remarkable achievements in the state, especially in the area of project delivery even though most of the government’s earnings are spent on wages.

Speaking in the state capital, Akure, Governor Mimiko said the people of the state were able to key into his vision, hence it was easy for his administration to record the tremendous success that had made the state a benchmark for the African continent.

He stated that the synergy between the government and the governed in the state had made the success recorded in the various sectors where tremendous success had been recorded possible.

As a result of the synergy, Dr Mimiko said “we have intervened to address the issue of fallen standard of education, accessibility and democratisation of quality education, especially for the ‘downtrodden,’ while also remarking that these were everyday concerns which the government had addressed through its Quality Education Assurance agency.

“We have recreated the old time-honoured Inspectorate Division, and the inspection and education measurement tools” the governor mentioned, adding that “We have started creating new-generation infrastructure we call mega schools. We have put together an ‘incentivisation’ package for the teaching staff. Apart from the relativity allowance which we have paid, we have also paid a 27.5 per cent increment to teachers.”

Ondo sends civil servants to training

As part of its effort to further improve and strengthen its workforce for quality service delivery, the Ondo State Government has organized a five-day seminar for its newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and Tutors-General at the Lagos Business School.

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko while declaring open the seminar in Lagos on Monday, said that it was part of a deliberately planned and sustained manpower development programmes instituted to support good governance.

Mimiko who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Rotimi Adelola, stated that the positive impact of the school on productivity of previous participants from Ondo State, gave birth to ‘COMSERVE’, an acronym for Commitment to Excellence Service.

He said ‘COMSERVE’ had captured the expectation of his government in the re-orientation, repositioning and effectiveness of the State Civil Service.

Mimiko, who said that the state government would continue to give priority to the training of its workforce, disclosed that more than 90% of civil servants had attended relevant trainings since 2009, just as this had enabled government to have a pool of intellectually and emotionally mobile workforce that could compete globally.

The Governor, while thanking the Lagos Business School for its support at all times, urged the participants to take full advantage of the seminar.

The Ondo State Head of Service, Mr. Ajose Kudehinbu, in his remarks said that the participants were the third batch of top civil servants that would be attending the Lagos Business School for training.

He said that the training would stand as a starting point for the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries and Tutors-General, adding that it was a step in a right direction.

Mr. Dare Aragbaye who spoke on behalf of other participants, thanked the state government for organizing the programme. He assured of their dedication to duties at all times in order to justify the confidence reposed in them.

Government Alleges Plot to Cause Violence in Ondo State

Ondo State Government on Sunday raised the alarm over alleged plans by the opposition political parties in the state on innocento sponsor violent attackst residents. 

In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the state government alleged that the opposition’s destabilisation plot included the use of hoodlums from neighbouring states to wreak havoc in the state.

Akinmade’s statement added that one of the opposition parties had already taken delivery of vests bearing the inscriptions of the Labour Party to be used by the hired thugs. He further alleged that the state government had unravelled plans by opposition parties in the state to step up its media attacks against the ruling party, using an Akure-based radio station and a national newspaper. The statement reads in part, “One of the opposition parties plans to continue to incite the public against the government by reeling out falsehood about it and its activities.

“One of the opposition parties in its desperation, had taken delivery of vests with the inscription of the Labour Party on them. “The vests would be worn by sponsored hoodlums whenever they are unleashing mayhem on the state so as to give the impression of a violent Labour Party.

 “One of the opposition parties has also concluded the recruitment of young men it intends to bring on air at random to attack the person of Governor Olusegun Mimiko and his government, using its radio station. “One of the opposition parties had also compiled fake documents with which it intends to launch an attack of calumny against the ruling government and incite the people against it.

“One of the opposition parties had gone on air recently alleging that the bus shelters which were constructed by the government were done for ₦75m each whereas each costs less than ₦6m.”

The statement also recalled that one of the series in the false information dissemination was a recent report by the party’s ‘megaphones’ claiming the arrest of some officials of the state by anti-graft bodies.

The Commissioner further noted that the alarm was recently raised concerning the falsehood published by the party regarding the defection of imaginary Labour Party members. He said, “They claimed that members of the LP have been joining their party, but the truth came out last week when aspirants of the party who are already at each other’s neck accused one for false defection claims.

“This is the tradition in the party which they still intend to intensify as the October 20 election date draws near.”

Ondo students to get free ride -as Mimiko inaugurates 290 vehicles

Students in Ondo State are to enjoy free shuttle to and from schools. The State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko gave the cheering news while inaugurating 290 buses and taxis procured by the state government in Akure on Wednesday.

Mimiko, who stated that every school students in uniform will be entitled to free bus ride to and from school, said that the initiative will start in Akure the state capital as a pilot scheme.

He also stated that his administration is partnering with the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ondo State Chapter to give out the 200 intra-city taxis and 90 inter-city buses at subsidized rates in order to control the cost of transportation in the state.

He said: “these vehicles will be provided at a subsidized rate so that the cost of transportation can be controlled. This is one of the steps that we are taking to ameliorate the harsh effect of subsidy removal on our people.

“Like I have promised our people that this government will work for them, we will continue to explore ways to ensure that this government attends to their everyday concern. We shall continue to take steps to ensure that poverty becomes a thing of the past in Ondo state, our commitment is equivocal and it is total.” Mimiko stated.

Ondo: Akungba-Ikare road contractor gets 2-week ultimatum

Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has read the riot act to the contractor handling the Akungba-Ikare rehabilitation road project even as he threatened to revoke the road contract should the contractor fail to record appreciable  progress within two weeks.

Governor Mimiko spoke  during an on-the-spot assessment of road projects in the area, yesterday. Registering his displeasure at the slow pace of work on the road, the governor wondered why the contractor, who had promised to deliver the job by March, was still grappling with it two months after.

He said: “I am surprised at the slow pace of work here. I don’t know why this work should still remain at this stage because the contractor promised to complete work on this road by March, and we are now in May. I am not encouraged at all with what I am seeing here.

“The contractor has no excuse whatsoever to still be at this level with the road work because he was fully mobilised. That is why I am still at a loss regarding why the work should still be at this disappointing stage.”

While insisting that the contractor meet the two-week deadline given to him to complete the Akungba-Ikare road, the governor also admonished the contractor not to make himself a clog in the wheel of progress in the state.

Nigeria: Market Women Endorse Mimiko's Second Term Bid

Akure — The national and Ondo State leadership of Traders and Markets Leaders of Nigeria have declared their support for the second term bid of Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

The endorsement is coming barely two days after the entire workforce of the state openly threw their weight behind the second-term bid.

The national leadership of the association led by its founder and President, Alhaja Adetutu Odunsi, accompanied by the state president of market women, Chief (Mrs) Julianah Ogunsusi and the market leaders in 26 states of the federation paid a solidarity visit to the governor at his Alagbaka Office in Akure to declare their support and readiness to ensure his victory in the October 20 poll.