By Genevieve Alozie
TCC News

If you referred to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, as a progressive and a visionary leader, you are not mistaking. Judging from his mode of governance and development he has brought in Ondo state, one would easily spot a leader who has the interest of the people at heart.

Within the space of three years, Akeredolu has maintained his avid vows, to build a new Ondo State through his five cardinal points, which includes; Job creation through Agricultural, Entrepreneurship and Industrialization. Massive Infrastructural Development and Maintenance. Provision of functional Education and Technological growth. Provision of Accessible and Qualitative Healthcare and Social Service delivery. Rural Development and Community Extension services. These agenda has left being a mere saying to become a reality in Ondo state today.

In 2017, Governor Akeredolu, promised to create 30,000 jobs to reduce if not eradicate unemployment in the state, he has rolled out employment to unemployed graduates in different sectors such as Health, Finance, Education sector etc.

Likewise, he has ensured that the welfare of the Public servants are properly taken care of, with his timely and steady salaries payment. The backlog salaries owed by the previous administration has been cleared by this present administration. He has also gone ahead to promote those deserving promotion even to the level of permanent secretaries.

In the bid to boost Agriculture in the state, In 2018, not less than 450, 000 cocoa and 25,000 cashew seedlings were distributed to farmers just to boost its production and generate revenue for the State. To encourage farmers and boost Agricultural productivity, this administration procured and distributed 1,000 metric tons of fertilizer to various farm service centres in the state. These measures yielded positive result with Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, showing a decline on the prices of food index in Ondo state while some other states across the nation battles with inflation in the prices of food.

Health sector is not left unattended as this government is determined to take healthcare delivery to the doorstep of its citizenry. The Governor, as an innovative Governor, introduced value based Ondo State Contributory healthcare Delivery Scheme that serves as a medium to ensure free maternal and U-5 children healthcare service delivery at any point in time. Governor Akeredolu also accessed $500,000 fund from World Bank which has been used to procure medical equipment to enhance the medical facilities to state -of -the -art across the 18 local government areas of the state. Both Specialist hospital in Akure and University of Medical Science, Ondo has been upgraded to a standard teaching Hospital to train more medical staff and render quality health delivery in Ondo state. Again the quest of Ondo State governor to provide first class healthcare facilities, led to the ongoing construction of The Ifon General Hospital with 300 bed space that would be equipped with medical facilities procured from United State Of America (USA). These are geared towards providing health needs of the citizens.

Needless to say that this administration understands the important of good road network, he embarked on providing adequate road network across the state including the federal roads. Some of these roads include; Owo road from Emure junction to A-U-D and Ministry of Works down to Iyere junction totaling a number of 7.135 kilometers Dual Carriageway, Lennon Jubilee-Solaco-Ugbe road, the dualization of Ikare Township road, construction of 3 Box Culverts and rehabilitation of failed portion of Owo- Ikare road, the Governor has also approved the construction of 7.35 Kilometers Orita Obele -Ire Akari - Oke Odu – Ipinsa, the rehabilitation of Maronu, Ondo Road and Atibiti roads, all in Akure South. Some selected township roads in Isarun, Ifedore Local Government Area totaling 3.1 kilometers has been constructed. All to attract industrialization and development. So far, 35 roads both completed and ongoing has been recorded on the administration’s road projects.

Due to Akeredolu’s industrialization and partnership drive, Ondo state since his inception has continuously witnessed a tremendous growth on its Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) as it frequently emerged on the top list of Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS). He has created investment friendly environment, which has attracted investors from different countries across the globe, especially investors from China. One of these company is Ondo-Liyin Industrial Park which is involved in manufacturing, and currently, it has lifted over 1,200 youths in Ondo state out of unemployment.

The governor has also gone out of the way to ensure water security in the state through the introduction of “KAMOMI AKETI”, a water project initiative that is designed to solve the need of portable water supply across the 18 local government areas in the State. Through “KAMOMI AKETI”, over 665, boreholes has been built across all the local government. Also 1,196 boreholes has been rehabilitated by this present government. Not only that over 1,411 hand pump borehole has been built for rural dwellers. With all these, Ondo State Citizenry now boost of adequate water security. Even, Akeredolu attracted the attention of the Federal government, who through PEWASH initiative, constructed not less than 489 boreholes in six different local government area of the state.

It is no surprising that Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu SAN, of Ondo State is found worthy to emerge on Vanguard’s list of the Governor of the Year Award with these giant strides and more. It is indeed a meritous and a well deserving award for a prudent leader.