Ekiti suspends kingmakers

From Victor Akinkuolie, Ado-Ekiti

Ekiti State Government has ordered the suspension of four Kingmakers and appointed seven Warrant Chiefs, to perform the role of Kingmakers in the process of filling the vacant stool of the Onimesi of Imesi-Ekiti, in Gboyin Local Government Area of the state.

The government also approved the appointment of Prince Iluku Ojo Oluwadamilare Omobire as the new Olomu of Omu Ekiti and Prince Adekunle Adeagbo of the Adifagbade ruling house as the new Oore of Otun-Ekiti in Irepodun/Ifelodun and Moba local government areas respectively.

The appointments by the government followed nominations by the kingmakers of their respective towns.

In a statement on Sunday in Ado-Ekiti by the Commissioner for Information, Muyiwa Olumilua, the government took the action at its virtual State executive council meeting held in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.

According to the statement “This was based on the refusal of the Kingmakers to act on the list submitted to them by the Agunsoye Ruling House, thereby stalling the process to fill the stool which had become vacant since 2018. Their appointments take immediate effect “, the statement said.

The council approved the operation of an Independent Power Plant (IPP) to reduce costs being incurred by government by a sum of N276 million yearly and ensure 24 hours power supply to Ekiti State Government House, Governor’s Office, State Secretariat, Ekiti State Specialist Hospital, Ekiti State University and to power the street lights in the state capital. The power plant, according to the government, is expected to take off in nine months.

The council has also approved a draft supplementary for downward review of the 2020 budget from the initial N124. 5 billion to N91.128 billion, in tandem with the current economic reality caused by slump in the crude oil prices at the international market.

The state government said the decline in the global oil prices, has necessitated a fall in revenue accruing to Ekiti state from the Federation Account, which brought the reduction of the initial budgetary status by a sum of N33 billion

In the draft supplementary budget, according to the statement, the Personnel costs was to remain at 100 percent while the council approved reduction in overheads by 50 and grants to parastatals by 20 percents.

“The Supplementary Budget proposes an estimate of N91, 128,996,482.01, which is made up of Recurrent Expenditure of N56, 557,958,763.00, and a capital expenditure of N34, 571,037,719.01”.

The Ekiti state executive council also approved a memorandum on the N 2.5 billion credit support facility for the medical Sector in Ekiti State to be accessed via the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Credit Support Intervention for Health Care sector.

” N2 bn will be expended on financing the State’s Health Care facilities, and acquisition of medical equipment, while N 500million is for the purchase of medical consumables, drugs, and other expenditure of the state medical facilities”.

   The government approved the sum of N281, 928,000.00 for the procurement of laboratory equipment for the Ekiti State College of Agriculture and Technology, Isan-Ekiti, Ekiti State.