Afuye: Ekiti Governor’s Performance in 200 Days Remarkable, Stunning

Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Mrs Monisade Afuye, in this interview with Gbenga Sodeinde, gives kudos to her principal, Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his superlative performance in the first 200 days in office

he level of insecurity in Ekiti State has reduced drastically. How has Governor Oyebanji’s administration been able to achieve this?

Well, we have no other magic wand than believing in the powers of God and that of the people. We have always believed that the best way to ensure security of lives and property in a democratic setting is for the leader to ensure that he has the backing of the people. Getting their backing is not going to come naturally, you have to work for it and earn it by being inclusive in your leadership style.

You could all see that Governor Oyebanji has proved himself as a reliable man of the people. His government is anchored solely on the people and that is where he has been deriving his powers. So, the strong ties he has with the people remains the magic wand. The government has because of its acceptability getting enough information to act on how to get rid of crime perpetrators in our midst. You could remember that the rates of kidnapping and killings were high at a time, that should be about two years ago, even up to 2022.

But with proactive actions in collaboration with all security agencies, the situations had abated tremendously. Our traditional rulers have been of enormous help. They have helped in maintaining orderliness in their domains by settling some communal disputes that could constitute a clog in the wheel of progress, so also all the security agencies; they have been alive and proactive in the discharge of their duties.

The acceptability we command has made us to be getting the right and correct information to act accurately and timely on issues of security of lives and property.

Ekiti has one of the highest graduate unemployment in Nigeria. How have you been addressing this problem in the state?

Human capital development is a whole pillar in the policy thrust of Oyebanji-led government. You all know that education is the most thriving industry in Ekiti and that accounted for why every citizen is desirous of getting higher degrees.

Though, the problem of unemployment is not associated with Ekiti alone, it is a general problem in Nigeria. But this government has started the process to nip the situation in the bud. Currently, the government has begun the process for the recruitment of 1,000 primary school teachers to fill the existing vacancies. We conducted recruitment exercise for about 1,300 interested applicants out of which 1,000 would be absorbed into the system. The government had earlier employed 650 secondary school teachers through the Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission and similar employment will soon be done by the State Civil Service Commission.

There are vacancies the government will create to accommodate our youths and give them career progression. Though not all of them can be engaged in the public sector, we will also encourage a situation whereby our youths can be empowered to be job and wealth creators rather than job seekers.

This is the more reason why this administration is also working out its action plan to promote farming and make it fashionable to our youths.

We all know that no nation or state can grow beyond the productivity of its productive population, so we are taking cognisance of this and we are taking steps to wean our youths of criminal tendencies and the only way to achieve this is to ensure that they are gainfully employed.

What are your government’s plans to improve the face of education in Ekiti?

Just like I said the other time, education remains the most thriving industry in Ekiti. Since we gained prominence in the 1950s and 60s, Ekiti people have not rested in their believe that education holds the key to success.

The first thing this administration did upon assumption of office was to declare free eduaction at both primary and secondary cadres of education. Go and check your records, Ekiti State has one of the highest school enrolments in Nigeria and this policy really helped. Though, the last government of Dr. Kayode Fayemi started the programme, but Governor Oyebanji saw the need to sustain the policy and it is helping. Recruitment exercise to fill vacancies is also a priority, because education can’t flourish when you have shortfall of human resources in schools.

The goverment has also keyed into the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGGILE) programme introduced by the World Bank.

Only seven states have benefited with Ekiti being the only state in the Southwest. This programme will help to keep our adolescent girls in schools through provision of materials that can encourage their education and prevent cases like rape, and all forms of sexual harassments against them.

Under this initiative, there would also be funds for the provision of instructional materials and renovation of dilapidated structures to create comfort for both teachers and students.

Mr Governor is also helping by ensuring that salaries are paid promptly with deductions to various cooperatives, so that our teachers and other non-teaching staff can easily approach their cooperatives for loans. Just recently, Mr Governor approved the payment of arrears of subvention to Ekiti State University, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, so that arrears of salaries that are hanging can be paid and other ongoing projects can be completed to give our students the best and qualitative education they deserve.

What plans do the government have to make Ekiti State University world class in line with your promise?

Don’t forget that Mr. Governor is an alumnus of the university. He graduated there with a Bachelor degree in Political Science in 1989 and went back to the university to lecture for some years, so you should know that the institution will be of interest to him. He has started demonstrating his commitment in this regard by constituting the governing council of the university and brought a renowned Professor of Law, Akin Oyebode as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council.

Coincidentally, Professor Oyebode was at a time the Vice Chancellor of the same university; he understands the university in and out and where the problems lie.

The moment you can get the right people to operate the university, other things shall fall in place. The issue of funding is also another critical area the governor will address and that necessitated why he paid part of the subvention arrears of the institution.

It is our belief that once the university can get adequate support from government in terms of regular payment of subventions, then things will be easier.

Again, the government is also aware that Public-Private partnership remains the best way to fund any university; government can’t do it alone. The governor is also ready to reach out to corporate bodies, individuals, illustrious sons and daughters and the alumni association to make that university better and competitive.

Let me also make it abundantly clear that Governor Oyebanji is not planning to impose any fee that will make it difficult for the children of the poor to attend that institution.

What informed the idea of Mr. Governor spending his personal money to empower the poor?

Governor Oyebanji is an experienced leader who has been in government since 1999 holding various positions, so he understands how poor our people are.

He believes that making personal sacrifices to satisfy the people is part of governance and ingredient of democracy.

Apart from the fact that the governor approved and disbursed a sum of N28 million to poor Ekiti indigenes to seek medical treatments for various diseases afflicting them, he personally foot the bills of some indigent people as a mark of leadership.

Within the last six months, about three batches of people had received money running into millions of naira to help them seek medical treatments, so that they can continue with their lives. Like our people used to say, “ara lile loogun Oro”, meaning that: “Health is wealth”. It is only those that are in good health conditions that can be productive and contribute to the development of our dear state. And he will continue to do this until the expiration of his tenure.

The women folks were also full of praises to Mr Governor for presenting a brand new Keke Marwa to woman commercial tricycle rider in Ado Ekiti.

Let me tell you this, those of us who are his followers are also keying into this lofty idea.

I have paid the medical bills of some people to complement what my principal is doing personally to help our people, because Mr. governor can’t do it alone.

Our amiable First Lady, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, is also doing marvelously well in this regard, all in an attempt to put smiles on the faces of our people.

How is the governor keeping to his promise to take governance to the grassroots?

The governor has been walking his talk. Ekiti is a predominantly agrarian society with over 65 percent of our people living in the rural areas. Besides Ado Ekiti and Ikere, other 14 local council areas can be regarded to be fully local and agrarian and they needed to be factored into the development plan.

When Governor Oyebanji came on board, he made the promise to allow the local government to enjoy independence and that has been happening and that is why you see some local government chairmen flagging off and commissioning projects.

I have personally visited a few of the councils to commission or flag off projects. Recently, I went to Ajoni Local Council Development Area to commission the ultra modern market built at Ayebode and the new primary school built in partnership with a private sector. Ifedara LCDA also flagged off the construction of a new Chairman’s office at Igbemo, which will be completed soon.

If you visit some of these councils, you will notice aggressive grading of rural and township roads being done to boost agriculture and social life in our rural areas.

Your government will clock 200 days by May 12. How do you rate your performance?

It has been excellent. It has been 200 days of remarkable difference and achievements in all spheres and this has reflected in the popularity and acceptability rating of Mr. Governor.

Across Ado Ekiti and other towns, you will notice that Mr Governor is working hard to make all our roads motorable through aggressive road rehabilitation efforts. The Ado-Ilawe-Erinjiyan-Ikogosi, Ado-Ijan-Ikare road, Oke- Ila road, Oke- Oniyo, Iluomoba-Ijesa isu road, Ado-Ikere road, Ikere-Ise road, and many other road projects in the capital city are examples of what this administration is doing to make lives comfortable for our people.

Flooding has been a major problem of our dear state, but the governor has been wonderful in ensuring that no life is lost to this crisis by dredging Ureje and Elemi Rivers, which are two major areas susceptible to flooding and wreaking havocs on the property and lives of our people.

Other waterways found to be prone to flooding are being dredged as well in preparedness for the raining season.

Like I said earlier, this government is currently recruiting 1,000 teachers into primary schools while efforts are in top gear to employ more into the secondary schools, the Local Governments and the state civil service, so that our youths can be absorbed into the system to decongest the unemployment market. The Governor had through his connection in Abuja attracted the Free Trade Zone and Airforce Base to boost economy and security in our dear state.