By Maria Famakinwa
|
Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu upon assumption of office two years ago promised to hit the ground running by embarking on different developmental projects across the state to improve peoples’ living standard and also reposition the state to re-gain its lost glory.

To achieve the set goals, Governor Akeredolu introduced five – points agenda tagged “JMPPR” which stands for Job creation through agriculture, entrepreneurship and industrialisation, massive infrastructural development and maintenance, provision of functional education and technological growth, provision of accessible and qualitative healthcare and social service delivery, rural development and community extension services. Two years down the line, the people of the state cannot wish for anything better as they said that the Governor according to his earlier promised as made the Sunshine State cynosure of all eyes and described him as a good man with good heart.

The Hope spoke with some residents of Akure, the state capital on their views as Governor Akeredolu’s administration clocked two years in office. They mentioned some of the projects embarked upon by the present administration to includes construction of 1.2km Abusoro road at Ijoka, construction of Ilara-Mokin /Ikota road also known as Gulf C road Ilara, construction of Internal and access roads within the Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH) Okitipupa, ongoing dualisation of NEPA road among others.

Governor Akeredolu was also said to have signed into law a contributory health insurance scheme which would afford all classes of people in the state access to affordable health care services, facilitatated the presentation of 40 imaging medical items to the State Medical Village by People’s Republic of China.

The Governor according to findings had also improve the State in the area of agriculture by re-activating the afforestation projects in the State thus providing 10,000 hectares of the state afforestation projects sited at Omotoso in Okitipupa local government. The project they revealed is a Public  Private Partnership with Weewood, a China company worth #20billion and employing over 1,000 youths.

An artisan who reside in Ijoka, Mr Ayodeji Abolade praise the present administration in the State and thanked Governor Akeredolu for constructing Ijoka road which he added brought relief to residents of the area compared to the terrible experience of the past. “Before, Abusoro road was bad that many residents cannot access it especially when it rained. Some could not even go out with their cars as they lamented the effects of the  bad road on their cars.

“Commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada capitalised on the bad road to exploit people in the area who had no choice due to the limited number of Okada riders who managed to ply the Abusoro road but now, the story is different because the road had been fixed. It is now motorable,  trekabble and the living standard of people in the area now better. We appreciate Governor Akeredolu for this great effort.”

Sharing similar sentiment, a trader living in Ilara-Mokin, a suburb of Akure,Mrs Anike Akinlabi  commended the State Governor for fulfilling his campaign promise to fix Ilara-Mokin/Ikota road which has been neglected by previous administration. “We are very happy that Mr Governor fix Ilara-Mokin/Ikota road as he promised during his campaign. It is a big relief to us because the road was in a bad shape before the intervention of the State Governor. Many accidents had been recorded due to the state of the road which also taken its toll on our healths but since the road was fixed, we hardly record any accident. This gave us peace and happiness.”

A civil servant who simply gave his name as Mr Opeyemi said that Governor Akeredolu deserves commendation for what he has done so far just two years in office. “Aside prompt payment of workers’ salaries since he took over as number one citizen in the state, he has equally settled six months out of the seven months salaries areas he inherited from the last administration. This has truly made workers in the State to love him. He understood the step to woo workers and he is utilising it well. To be successful in governance, you must not joke with workers’ salaries. So we really commend the Governor for paying salaries as and when due.

“I also want to appreciate Governor Akeredolu’s wife for her efforts at improving women standard of living in the state through her various skill acquisitions and empowerment programmes. She believes that women can do more if given the opportunity and financial assistance. Our girls across the state are not left out of this benefits as many of them had been trained on different developmental skills like Information Communication and Technology, how to build Solar panel, shoe and bags making, beads making and other house needs. The First Lady really compliments his husband because the knowledge acquired will enable the beneficiaries in the state to be self sufficient.”

A farmer, Mr Abiodun Saka, thanked Governor Akeredolu for re-activated the afforestation projects sited at Omotoso in Okitipupa Local Government where over 1000 youths are being employed. “We are very grateful for this development and we are also appealing to the Governor to resuscitate other moribon industries in the state like Ifon Ceramic, Oluwa Glass among others to create more jobs for the jobless. We also want the Governor to prioritise farmers interest in order to encourage youths to take to farming because that is the only hope for the country now.”

In the submission of a commercial driver, Mr Eric Meduoye described Arakunrin Akeredolu as a working Governor determined to re-position the State according to his campaign promises. “We can see things for ourselves that the present administration in the state is not living anything to chance at developing the state. Many roads that were hitherto described as death trap are being fixed. The road that needs to be dualized like NEPA road is getting prompt attention, dilapidated primary schools across the state that were abandoned by previous administrations are being renovated to make learning conducive for learners. We can only commend our working Governor for achieving much in just two years in office which is a signal to the fact that he has a lot to offer the people of the state with our support, that is what democracy is all about.”