Ondo state which is popularly known as the Sunshine State is located in the South-western part of Nigeria. According to the National population commission and the National Bureau of Statistics the population for Ondo state is 4.7million. Ondo state is a middle income state or what most people would call a civil service state.

Under the Oluwarotimi Akeredolu led administration, Ondo state is developing into a mixed economy and an emerging market, with various definitive expansions in manufacturing, communication technology, entertainment, human capital development, health care sector development, road infrastructure construction and rehabilitation, education, agriculture etc.
According to the national Bureau of Statistics, Ondo state is recorded as the state with the fastest Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) growth amongst the 36 states of the federation. Ondo state recorded 24.8billion Naira in 2018 which is a 126.83% increase from the previous year of 2017.

In the past decade the growth of Ondo state was hindered by economic reforms, mismanagement, and recession, but Governor Akeredolu coming into office in 2017, gave a new face to the state as he worked enormously to put Ondo state back on track towards achieving its full potentials. According to Akeredolu “Our focus is to ensure rapid growth, development and sustainability of the economy. When you are responsible for a people, it is important to be straightforward. Your political office, the people and the economy are a reflection of yourself.

These words from this visionary leader are evident in the recently released Domestic debt figures for the first quarter of 2019 by the Debt Management Office (DMO) in Nigeria. In this report, the Debt Management Office (DMO) ranks Ondo State as the state with the lowest debt in the southwest.

According to the domestic debt data for the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory by Debt Management office (DMO) for the first quarter of 2019, this is how the states in southwest Nigeria stands:

1. Lagos state 542,231,174,761.82
2. Osun state 147,702,865,382.96
3. Ekiti state 118,011,414,814.34
4. Ogun state 97, 090, 119, 32.73
5. Oyo state 94,140,261,739.96
6. Ondo state 56,959,970,712.20

ONDO STATE RANKS 8TH AMONGST THE STATES WITH THE LOWEST DOMESTIC DEBT FIGURES IN NIGERIA
1. Yobe state 26,990,637,417.62
2. Anambra state 33,490,668,536.72
3. Sokoto state 36,571,742,397.44
4. Jigawa state 38,227,157,463.84
5. Niger state 43,414,653,538.03
6. Ebonyi state 55,597,352,310.28
7. Enugu state 55,882,997,585.01
8. Ondo state 56,959,970,712.20

This report from the Debt Management Office (DMO) is a reliable indicator of the performance of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu towards improving and uplifting the economy of Ondo state. Akeredolu came into office when Ondo state was almost helpless without hand-outs from the Federal Government and a dwindling monthly allocation.

Within this short period in office Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has proven by his performance that he is the right person chosen at the right time to turn Ondo state around.
Akeredolu said “We have a responsibility to the people of the state and the civil servants; we will try and balance it. We are determined to see what we can do”.

Taking a look at all the achievements of the Akeredolu led administration such as prompt payment of salaries and pensions, road constructions and rehabilitations, improvement and development of the health sector, improvements in education and agricultural development, human capital developmental programs, innovations and information technology and security. It is no doubt that the AKETI VISION for Ondo state is the way forward for the sunshine state.
Good leaders are not afraid of being challenged. Their confidence inspires.

WRITTEN BY: PRINCESS EIGBOKHAN ORIH
FOR: TCC