Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has counted many blessings that have resulted from the creation of the state 27 years ago.
The governor, in a broadcast to mark the creation of the state on October 1, 1996 and the 63rd Independence Anniversary of Nigeria, noted that there are abundant reasons to say that the creation of Ekiti State was justified.
According to him, one of the blessings is the acknowledgement of the state as an important factor in Nigeria.
Oyebanji noted that as a young university lecturer, he served as the Secretary of the Committee for the Creation of Ekiti State, a body that included prominent traditional rulers, statesmen, captains of industry, top bureaucrats, among others, that fought for the creation of the state before the dream was realized.
He expressed delight that 27 years after, the state has moved on progressively.
The governor congratulated all Ekiti people on the 27th anniversary of the state creation, saying, “As we are thankful to God for how long we have gone as a people, we also need to reflect on the unity of the past that gave us the State and the need to do even far more to achieve more.”
He expressed satisfaction that Ekiti has excelled in many aspects of Human Development Indices and has become a front-liner in education, life expectancy, access to quality healthcare services and physical infrastructure development, among others.
Oyebanji also expressed his commitment to the dreams of the Founding Fathers to utilize the abundant mineral resources for the state’s economic development.
He disclosed that his administration is already collaborating with appropriate Federal Government agencies that will invest in the exploration of the state’s mineral resources to create wealth and increase the internally generated revenue.
The governor used the occasion to appeal to the Organized Labour shelve its plan to go on strike.
Oyebanji said: “On our part, we have undertaken some interventions to cushion the impact of the subsidy removal on our people.
“Apart from the direct food distribution and cash transfer to the most vulnerable, Government has also made buses available to staff and students, especially in the state capital, to ameliorate the cost of transportation. We therefore appeal to our Local Governments to replicate this in their respective Local Government Areas.
“Beyond this however, is that, the Federal Government has promised that there will be a wage review across board soonest.
“The good news is that, even, for those not earning salaries directly from government, with more money available for workers as more disposable income and more money for government to undertake critical infrastructure development, more jobs will be available and the circular flow of money will ensure that the current monetary challenges will give way to the envisaged shared prosperity.
“I therefore want to appeal to the organized labour movement to exercise absolute patience and dialogue in resolving the current economic challenges. We cannot afford to compound the already tensed situation by shutting down this extremely fragile economy. It will be like cutting one’s nose to spite one’s own face.
“Whatever may be gained thereafter will be nothing but a temporary victory which would have done an incalculable damage to the economy and which may be difficult to reverse in the immediate.”
