By Francis Akinnodi
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Ondo State Government has said for any nation to experience progress and development, there must be a clear, strategic and sustainable trajectory, which provides the compass that would guide and direct efforts and resources.
“The future we all desire, depends on the vision we have, strength of the foundation we lay, and the efforts we make today.”
Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan stated this while speaking with newsmen on the crafting of a 30-year Ondo State long term development-plan-Ondo 2054.
“It is therefore against this realisation that the present administration, in compliance with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Law 2017; commenced the process of charting a clear path that would not only address our present day challenges, but provide the high way for accelerated development for the next thirty years.”
Igbasan said the core objective of this exercise is to galvanize all citizens and friends of the sate to collectively set the policy direction that would optimize the government efforts, harness our potentials, define the future we want and channel them to catalyse socio- economic activities that would guarantee a shared prosperity for all, irrespective of the party in power.
“These signposts another landmark in our journey to prosperity which commenced with the help of our Development and Technical Partner – UNDP, who assisted us in conducting the needs assessment throughout the eighteen Local Government areas and trained our technical staff on system dynamics approach.
“We are grateful to UNDP and we know they would be available for us, all through the journey of crafting this plan.
“Ondo State which is ranked the 7th biggest economy in Nigeria, possesses a tremendous potential to be the giant of Nigeria, as the highest producer of cocoa, largest deposit of bitumen, equally has vast arable and fertile land with various vegetation ranging from the savannah at the northern part, to the rain forest at the central part, which is suitable for all arable.
“The State is blessed with abundant mineral resources, such as gold, oil and gas, granite silica sand, ceramics etc., but most essentially it is populated with about six million intelligent, honest and industrious people.
“We therefore call on all and sundry to join hand with us as we collectively decide on the best way to harmonize our development strides, direct our focus and concentrate our efforts now and in the future to achieve our desire for a great Ondo State.”
On behalf of the Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, the commissioner said the plan marks a major milestone in our avowed commitment to birth a long term sustainable development blueprint for a new, productive and prosperous Ondo State.
“As a people, we must define a clear path for our progress. The plan would outlive the tenure of the present administration in the state.
It would be legislated as our development template for 30-year; no matter the political party in power.”
Igbasan explained that the architectural design of the plan is proposed to rest on four pillars namely prosperous economy, human capital development, environment and infrastructure and administration.
