Ekiti people have applauded Governor Kayode Fayemi administration for conducting citizens policy consultation exercise across the sixteen local government areas of the state to assess the needs of the grassroots populace.
The stakeholders comprising members of the communities, traditional councils, artisans, traders, farmers among others spoke with renew vision on the various needs of the people with the hope that all their desires would be implemented.
They stressed the need for government to create an enabling environment for the people to perform roles that will make government policies succeed at the grassroots.
The exercise, which was conducted by the state government in collaboration with DFID was being held in the sixteen local government areas starting with Oye, Ido-Osi, Ilejemeje, Moba and Ikole local council areas.
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, the areas of discussion are social investment; Agriculture and Rural development; infrastructure and industrial development; knowledge economy; Gender, Women and children; internally generated revenue and governance style aimed at reducing the gap between government and the people.
Oyebode said, “The citizens also have the right to tell us what they want in terms of education, in terms of health care delivery, in terms of social security. That is the purpose of this exercise and that is why you see it spread across the sixteen local government areas.”
He stressed the need for the people to speak with one voice concerning the urgent and important needs of their community.
A stakeholder representing Ayegbaju Ekiti in Oye local government area, Mr Olatunji Joseph spoke to journalists at Oye Ekiti that the step was in the right direction and enjoined government to ensure that they implement the outcome of the exercise to bring development to the grassrrots.
Olatunji said that the exercise would reduce the stress of government thinking about projects to implement in a particular community as well as minimise wastage of resources especially on projects that does not have direct impact on the people.
He commended Fayemi government for running an all inclusive and participatory administration.
Another participant, Mr Oluwasogo Ajibulu representing Ido-Ekiti in Ido-Osi local government area lauded the initiative of government to bring governance closer to the people and to ensure a participatory governance.
Ajibulu stressed that the exercise should not be the way it used to be in the past where the document is tucked away in government offices but urged government to ensure its immediate implementation.
In the same vain, the traditional council of Oye local government, who spoke through Olumojo of Imojo Ekiti, Oba Samuel Olatunji appealed to government to assist them by completing all palace projects that Fayemi commenced during his first term in office but abandoned by the last administration.
The traditional council said some of the road projects need to be revisited by this administration. The roads according to them include Oye Ekiti to Isan Ekiti; Itaji Ekiti to Ijelu Ekiti to Omu Ekiti and and Ijelu Ekiti to Osi Ekiti to Ire Ekiti.
They also used the opportunity to seek government intervention on security of the areas which had been prone to various attacks by hoodlums.
Last modified: November 12, 2018
