It’s spurious claim to cover failure – Ex-Governor
| Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi , on Thursday said the debtprofile of Ekiti State as at October 16, 2018 when he took over mantle o leadership from his predecessor, Mr Ayo Fayose stood at N155,791 million. Fayose has however swiftly reacted to the governor’s claims, describing them as frivolous and evasive. The former governor’s media aide, Lere Olayinka said in a counter reaction in Ado Ekiti on behalf of his Principal, that the “spurious” claims by Fayemi was a clever way by the governor to cover-up an alleged failure by his government to actually embark on any meaningful project as well as inability to meet with his electioneering promises in the last 100 days in office. Fayemi made the revelation, as he signed into Law, the N129.9 state budget estimate he earlier presented some weeks ago to the State House of Assembly, and passed only last week. The governor said at a public forum where he gave account of stewardship of his administration, to mark his 100 days in office, that the debt profile included local loans and other debt profile as at October 16, 2018. He gave the breakdown of the debts as; Loans, N57.694bb, Unpaid Salary Arrears, 16.777b, Outstanding Leave Bonus to workers, N4.402b, Pension and Gratuity Allowance,39.775b, Outstanding Corpers’ Allowance, N28.883m. Others are Outstanding Subventiins to institutions, N4.770b, Outstanding Contractors’ Claims, N28.575b, Outstanding Furniture Allowance, 470.2m, Outstanding Severance Allowance, N586.144m, Monetized Vehicle Arrears, N101.243m, Outstanding Warrants, N386.777m, Outstanding FIRS Obligation, N184.2m, Traditional Rulers Arrears, N150.214m, Judgment Debts, N95.214m and Other Outstandibg Liabilities, N1.792b. Fayemi said that as a government, his administration inherited a state that was in total chaos and a people severely disoriented under a “suppressive government which had raised and promoted deceit into a statecraft”. According to him, “the last 100 days have clearly shown to us, in a very practical manner, that with clarity of vision, the resolve to push through and the unflinching support of the people, there are endless possibilities in our capacities to steer our state on the path of progress” “Despite the meager resources at our disposal, we are meticulously delivering on our promises to the people through our various short medium and long term socio-economic intervention programmes. “We must examine our tortuous path with a view to charting a new course for a prosperous destination, not only for us, but also for our unborn children.” The governor who condemned borrowing to finance what he called ” white elephant project” by the past administration, described such practice as unproductive, and self-serving projects and grossly unpatriotic”. He explained that the many success stories recorded by his administration within a spate of 100 days in office were made possible as a result of his genuine resolve to serve the people diligently and passionately. He called on all Ekiti people for support and cooperation for the administration to build on the gains of the past three months. He said: “All hands must be on the deck to move Ekiti forward economically, socially and politically. “I also enjoin you all to keep supporting us, especially in the areas of tax payment and selfless suggestions on how to jointly move Ekiti State forward” Fayemi had earlier signed into law the 2019 appropriation bill into Law, promising that the state would experience progress and development in few years ahead. The four- in -one, 100 days in office celebration, witnessed the flagging-off of the abandoned 41-year old New Iyin road road construction by Fayemi and the training and empowerment of a total of 6,300 women and youths in Ekiti State. In his speech at one of the programmes, the Director General of the National Directorate of Employment, NDE, Dr. Nasir Ladan, described the activities of Fayemi’s 100 days in office as impressive. He called on women and youths in the state who had been shortlisted for training in various skills by the NDE/ State Government collaboration, to commit themselves to the exercise. |
