Obaseki: Fayemi’s Transformation Strides in Water Sector Outstanding

Obaseki: Fayemi’s Transformation Strides in Water Sector Outstanding

Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commended his Ekiti State counterpart, Governor Kayode Fayemi’s transformation agenda in the state(Ekiti), saying the state is lucky to have a resourceful and innovative chief executive that can turn things around with lean resources.

Obaseki stated this in Ado Ekiti yesterday while inaugurating a multi-million naira Water Corporation headquarters built by the state government in partnership with the World Bank.

Also, at the occasion, Fayemi said the World Bank-assisted project was part of the projects executed under the $50million grant to the state by the bank.

Having an holistic appraisal of the projects executed by Fayemi, Obaseki said he was stunned by the quantum of projects executed in the water and other sectors despite the COVID-19 challenge and the lean allocation accruing to Ekiti State internally and from the federation accounts.

The Edo State governor said: “Ekiti State is lucky to have this kind of governor God has given you. Ekiti is not a big state. You are not even rich, but you have the greatest resource any nation can have, which is human resource.

“Governor Fayemi is not only leading the Ekiti people well, he is also leading all the governors well as the chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF).

“In my state (Edo), we were reviewing COVID-19 issues recently and we realised that Ekiti State has the highest number of vaccinated persons in Nigeria, and this gave us an insight into what is happening in the health sector in the state.

“Coming here to see what you (Fayemi) are doing in the water sector makes me happy. Water is a social services; it is an economic good that someone would have to pay for. We have no other choice, water is life, and we have to give our people water in a sustainable and affordable way.

“Nobody will give this kind of money, I mean $50 million, without transparency. I listened to achievements reeled out by your commissioner in the water sector, the biggest achievement I see is that of the people you trained in the water sector. Those you sent to Zambia Water Corporation for training.

“I congratulate the governor and the good people of the state at this auspicious time.”

Speaking further on the priority placed on water supply to Ekiti households, Fayemi warned that the agency would cut off debtors from water source if they don’t pay all the requisite bills.

According to him, “I enjoin those who are already enjoying the pipe borne water to pay their bills. You know that this water has a meter in every home, and if you fail to pay your bills, your water source will be cut off. So, make sure you pay.”

The governor said the state was able to access the $50million World Bank fund upon payment of N1 billion counterparts funding to ensure the transformation of the sector.

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