... Hails Tinubu infrastructure drive, economic agenda

… Reels out scorecard, unveils industrial vision

Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has appealed to the people of the state to approach the forthcoming electoral process in the country with maturity, tolerance and restraint, warning that political differences must never destroy the bonds that unite citizens as families, neighbours and fellow Nigerians.

The governor made the appeal on Thursday in Akure, the state capital, while delivering an address to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

Aiyedatiwa, who urged political leaders and youth to eschew violence, embrace issue-based engagement and respect the right of every citizen, also used the occasion to commend President Bola Tinubu for his continued support and partnership with the state.

While harping on the President’s efforts towards strengthening the economy, infrastructure and investment environment, the governor stressed the positive implications for the state, particularly initiatives such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and the proposed Deep-Sea Port, among others.

According to Aiyedatiwa, the independence was more than the memory of a date, describing it as a continuing responsibility to the past, the present and the future.

Presenting his administration’s scorecard, the governor disclosed that about 3,323 health professionals had been recruited and deployed across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state.

He added that diagnostic capacity had been enhanced with the provision of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine and a 160-slice CT scanner at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, stressing that fully funded health insurance coverage had been extended to retirees and pensioners.

In the education sector, Aiyedatiwa said the government had continued to recruit teachers into primary and secondary schools, with plans underway to further strengthen the teaching workforce.

At the tertiary level, he said subventions to state-owned institutions had been increased and the implementation of the Federal Government/union agreement approved, alongside other measures aimed at improving institutional stability and staff welfare, even as students continue to benefit from bursaries, scholarships and financial assistance.

In agriculture, he revealed that the state government had secured 26,000 hectares of agricultural land and distributed over two million cocoa seedlings to support production, with continued interventions under the L-PRES programme, strengthened rural market development and the advancement of a modern farmers’ market in Akure.

He also disclosed that about 14,000 smallholder cocoa and oil-palm farmers had been profiled under the FAO-supported programme, with attention to climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, mapping and forest restoration, while measures are being pursued towards compliance with international standards for deforestation-free cocoa.

He said, “Power remains fundamental to any state’s economic development. We are encouraged by the improved electricity supply across the state and are taking steps to sustain this progress.

“The Ondo State Power Sector Law has strengthened the legal and institutional framework for the sector through the establishment of the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Commission, while work continues towards private-sector participation in the 30 MW Ore Independent Power Plant and other opportunities for reliable and affordable energy.

“We are equally advancing strategic investment opportunities around the Olokola Industrial and Free Trade Zone and the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port, alongside other major projects, including the proposed petrochemical fertiliser plant. Our objective is to translate these opportunities into industries, jobs, stronger value chains and broader economic prosperity for our people.”