….We are no longer living on charity, say people with disabilities

Residents of Ekiti state including the People With Disabilities (PWD) have rallied support for Governor Biodun Oyebanji, ahead of the June 20 governorship election in the state, citing improved infrastructural development as reason for their support.

They spoke during the tour of some completed projects across the 16 local government areas by journalists covering the state.

During the tour, the team visited
the Ekiti cargo Airport, 1.2km Okeyinmi-Ijigbo flyover bridge, BOVAS-Spotless Road, Ajebamidele-Omisanjana Road, Ikere-Igbara Odo Road, Ido-Ipere Road, Ise-Agbado Road, Igbemo Ikole Road and Ikole-Isinbode Road among others.

Other major projects visited included the Skill Acquisition Centre for Persons With Disabilities, the Adire Hub, the Broiler Hub Technical Centre, 18km Ring Road Phase 1, Omisanjana-Ben Folarin-Aso Road and the 80-beded hospital complex located inside the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital.

They also visited the newly revamped general hospitals in Ilupeju, Ayede, Iye, Ifaki, and Okemesi, as well as Ikogosi Warm Springs, a globally recognized tourist site.

Speaking to newsmen during the three-day tour, the residents commended the governor for his giant strides in infrastructures, social investment, healthcare, agriculture, and education.

Mr Bayo Olanipekun, a farmer said that Governor Oyebanji-led administration reconstructed Ise-Agbado road that was abandoned for a long time leaving farmers and other people in the area totally cut off from their neighboring communities.

Ojo Adeleye, a taxi driver said that the network of intra state roads have reduced traveling hours by motorists, urging the people to repay the governor with votes so that he could continue his good work.

Mr Sunday Afolabi, said that though he is not a member of any political party, noting that contrary to claims that Oyebanji was underperforming, the state has witnessed transformation through the implementation of people-centric policies and execution of tangible and developmental projects across the state.

Others residents pointed to various initiatives of the government that have improved their standards of living in their various communities.

During a visit to the Skill Acquisition Center for Persons With Disabilities, the PWDs said that prior to the present administration most of them live on charity due to unemployment.

Alhaja Folasade Ademola and Olorufemi Ogunsakin who spoke on behalf of the PWDs explained that “the governor said he doesn’t want people with disabilities to be seen as beggers whereby they only just give us rice, give us beans, give us wheat. After the food, what would we fall back on? He said we must be taught how to catch fish.

“That’s the essence of this training. And so far in the last two years, we’ve trained 130 persons with disabilities in five vocational trades, like high society, like tailoring, catering and hotel management, shoe making, hairdressing, and cosmetology.

“And while we are training here, the government of Governor Biodun Oyebanji is paying us a stipend every month, more or less like a salary, 25,000 Naira stipend for coming for training.”

“So, we really want to thank the governor for this initiative and to assure him of the support of the persons with disabilities towards achieving his goal of coming back for second term in office.”

Meanwhile, the 1.2km Okeyinmi-Ijigbo flyover bridge is to be ready for commission this month, while
the 80-beded hospital complex located inside the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital, would be ready for commission in July this year.