Ekiti State Government has approved the immediate purchase and
distribution of N331 million food items to the needy in the 16 Local
Government Areas (LGAs) and 22 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs)
in the State as part of Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s recently announced
economic relief programme.
The State Government also approved the payment of outstanding
furniture allowance of political office holders who served between
2022 and 2023 in recognition of their contribution to the development
of their LGAs and to also cushion the effect of hardship in the
country.
Benefiting political office holders include Vice Chairmen,
Secretaries, Councilors, Supervisors and Special Advisers.
The State Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Folorunso
Olabode who made this known in Ado Ekiti, explained that the
development was part of Government’s efforts to cushion the effect of
the prevailing global economic hardship and the consequence of the
removal of the fuel subsidy amongst others.
Stressing that each ward would receive 25 bags of rice, Mr. Olabode
assured that the distribution would be without bias to political
affiliation or influence, adding that the entire process would be
handled in collaboration with the Community Development Associations
(CDAs) in each local government area in order to have real impact on
the people.
He said that the move is also expected to curb the rising cost of food
and serve as palliative for the communities at the grassroots.
The Commissioner advised Local Governments to encourage people,
particularly the youths in their areas to engage in Agriculture,
emphasizing the need to take advantage provided by the State
Government through the Ministry of Agriculture to move farmers in the
State from subsistence farming to real agribusiness.
According to him, the Biodun Oyebanji administration has provided
farm equipment at highly subsidized prices to young farmers, adding
that Farm machinery such as ploughs, ridgers, tractors, cultivators,
are offered at extremely low prices to encourage young people to get
involved in agriculture and help avoid food shortage.
In another development, The State Commissioner for Local Government
Affairs, Mr. Folorunso Olabode unveiled a new set of the State
Executives Council of the State Chapter of the Association of Local
Government of Nigeria (ALGON).
The new Executive Council is made up of Hon. Olusegun Samuel Ojo
(Ekiti East LG Chairman) as Chairman, Hon Segun Ezekiel (Efon LG
Chairman) as the Vice Chairman, Hon Bukola Olowolaju (Igbaraodo/Ogotun
LCDA Chairman) as the Secretary and Hon Felicia Ibiloye (Ero LCDA
Chairman) as the PRO
Olabode stressed that the new Executive members were selected based on
merit using their experiences, past achievements and commitment as
yardstick.
Urging the new Exco to brace for the new responsibility, Olabode
prayed that God would give them wisdom and understanding to direct the
affairs successfully.
He assured of the Oyebanji administration’s continued commitment to
the welfare, wellbeing and wellness of the people at the grassroots
and the State generally.
In his acceptance speech, the new State ALGON Chairman, Hon. Olusegun
Ojo expressed gratitude to the Governor Oyebanji for the recognition
accorded him.
He therefore promised on behalf of other Exco members to live up to
expectation and justify the confidence reposed in them.