Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, the governor of Ekiti State, has stated that turning the state into an economically successful and self-sufficient powerhouse is still his top priority.
He promised to accomplish this by making the most of the potential and resources at hand in order to achieve both economic dependency and sustainable development.
The governor added that by focusing on welfare and giving residents access to the economy, his administration has been able to alter the perceptions of the state.
Oyebanji made these remarks at an engagement with Ekiti stakeholders in Abuja, according to a statement released on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Olayinka Oyebode.
Since he became the state’s governor, he said his administration has given over N14 billion to Ekiti public employees in the form of pensions, gratuities, auto loans, and housing loans.
The governor said that his emphasis has raised the level of living for the locals and enhanced the economic development initiatives of his predecessors.
He claimed that over the previous 18 months, he had steered the state with a strong sense of duty, guided by the concepts of accountability and transparency as well as a great fear of God.
He said, “Every money that comes into the state’s coffers has been spent transparently and prudently.
“We believe strongly that with our six-point agenda in the state today, we are intervening in infrastructure, we are revamping our healthcare services, we are doing education, free education, we give grants to schools, in the medical sectors, we are confronting the problem of infrastructure, drugs, and we are also combating the issues with staff.
“We are the second state in the country that has paid hazard allowance. We have paid over N14bn in pension, we are paying gratuities, we have committed N200m every month to gratuities, and we pay salaries as at when due. We do not owe workers’ salaries since we were sworn into office.
“We have paid arrears of pensions, given promotion arrears, we have paid contributions to our workers and you can call your people at home, we are very faithful when it comes to the issues of pensioners. We pay pensions with salaries and have not defaulted at all,” the governor said.
In separate presentations, Commissioner for Finance Mr. Akin Oyebode and Senior Advisor to the Governor on Economic Matters, Senator Olu Adetumbi, highlighted the state’s economic prospects and challenges and stressed that the government would be able to accomplish more in the field of sustainable development with increased support.
