Ekiti has witnessed massive Devt, says Oyebanji, as minority leader dumps SDP for APC

…Names New School After Late Former Speaker Afuye

By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti — Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, connected Thursday declared that the authorities has recorded important improvement since his presumption of bureau connected October 16, 2022.

Oyebanji said the state’s system has flourished with awesome maturation crossed cardinal sectors, positioning Ekiti arsenic a exemplary for different states successful Nigeria.

The politician made the remarks portion presenting the State of the State Address earlier the Ekiti State House of Assembly during a peculiar plenary marking the 3rd day of his administration.

He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the national government’s support, which, helium noted, has helped his medication amended the payment of Ekiti people.

Governor Oyebanji besides announced that the recently built Ikere-Ekiti Model College volition beryllium named aft the precocious erstwhile Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, who passed distant connected October 19, 2022.

During the plenary, presided implicit by Speaker Rt. Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, the Minority Leader, Hon. Oladele Ogunsakin, formally resigned from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), giving the ruling enactment afloat power of each 26 seats successful the Assembly.

The State of the State Address provided the politician an accidental to render his relationship of stewardship to lawmakers and citizens, highlighting strides successful governance, infrastructure, economical growth, and societal welfare.

Oyebanji outlined his administration’s advancement crossed the six-pillar agenda, noting that Ekiti’s system has grown remarkably.

“A caller NBS study shows that Ekiti’s GDP grew from ₦2.4 trillion successful 2019 to ₦4.6 trillion successful 2023 — a 90% increase,” helium said. “This has moved Ekiti from the 33rd largest system to the 28th. Our publication to the nationalist GDP has besides risen from 1.3% to 1.6%.”

He explained that commercialized and agriculture stay the backbone of Ekiti’s economy, contributing a combined 60% to the state’s GDP, and emphasized that authorities attraction is focused connected areas of comparative vantage specified arsenic agriculture, investment, and knowledge-based industries.

“We person secured an $80 cardinal installation from the African Development Bank to enactment the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, a cardinal constituent of our aboriginal economy,” Oyebanji disclosed.

The politician highlighted his administration’s achievements successful agriculture, including the clearing of 5,000 hectares of onshore for clump and cooperative farming to beforehand younker engagement successful agriculture.

He added that the state’s Agricultural Processing Zone has attracted large investors, including a public-private concern with YSJ Limited to found a Soya Oil Bottling, Rice, and Shea Butter processing works successful Ikere-Ekiti.

On fiscal performance, Oyebanji revealed that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has risen from betwixt ₦650 cardinal and ₦700 cardinal monthly successful 2022 to implicit ₦2 cardinal monthly. He attributed this to reforms successful taxation administration, digitalization, enlargement of the taxation net, and the autonomy granted to the Ekiti State Internal Revenue Service (EKIRS).

Reaffirming his committedness to the “shared prosperity” agenda, Oyebanji said his medication is determined to accelerate economical improvement and amended citizens’ payment contempt prevailing economical challenges.

In his remarks, Speaker Adeoye Aribasoye commended the politician for his developmental strides, noting that Ekiti has witnessed disposable advancement successful infrastructure, education, health, agriculture, and quality superior development.

Aribasoye said the governor’s yearly code aligns with Section 108(1) of the 1999 Constitution and the State of the State Law enacted by the Sixth Assembly.

He described the synergy betwixt the Executive and Legislature arsenic instrumental to the state’s achievements and lauded Oyebanji’s long-standing committedness to Ekiti’s maturation since his aboriginal days arsenic 1 of those who championed the state’s creation.

Also successful attendance were the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye; Wife of the Governor, Dr. Olayemi Oyebanji; Chief Judge, Justice Lekan Ogunmoye; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Habitat Adubiaro; Head of Service, Dr. (Mrs.) Folakemi Olomojobi; Chief of Staff, Mr. Niyi Adebayo; members of the State Executi...