Ekiti State - SPEECH: Distribution Of Cheques To The 82 Benefitting Communities

[EkitiState]

His Excellency Dr. Kayode FAYEMI

Governor, Ekiti State, Nigeria

On the Occasion of the Distribution of Cheques to the 82 Benefitting Communities in the First Phase of the Grants In-Aid to the Communities on Self Help Projects

held at

St Augustines Comprehensive High School, Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

Thursday, July 4, 2013

 

Protocols

 I am highly delighted to be in your midst today, on the occasion of the distribution of cheques to the 82 communities benefiting from the first phase of the grants in-aid to communities on self-help projects across the 16 Local Government Areas in Ekiti State.

It would be recalled that during our campaign period and also at different fora during the struggle to reclaim the mandate given by the people of Ekiti State to our great party, I continually emphasized my resolve to develop and transform Ekiti State to a modern state comparable to any state in Nigeria and indeed, in the world. I always made the point then that our government will only do development with the people and not for them. This was borne out of our belief that development is more enduring when the people take full ownership of what is done by government by not only suggesting what they consider most valuable to them, but also participate actively in its implementation and monitoring. Since the inception of this administration, that has been the philosophy undergirding our budget making process at the state level through our regular pre-budget town hall meetings.

In line with this commitment and my covenant with Ekiti people, I held a meeting with the Chairmen and Secretaries of Community Development Associations of every community in Ekiti State at Isan-Ekiti on Saturday, December 1, 2012 in line with the 8 point Agenda of the present administration.  We brainstormed together and parts of the resolutions reached are as follows:-

-    Continual brainstorming for budget process, implementation and feedback by all stakeholders.

-    Creation of the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment to bring development to all the nooks and crannies of the state.

-    Grants in-aid to communities for self-help projects.

-    Revitalisation of Cooperative Development in Ekiti State.

Ladies and Gentlemen here present, I am happy to inform you that what is happening today is a direct result of the resolutions reached during the stakeholders meeting held at Isan-Ekiti.  I am equally delighted to inform you that what is happening today is also a clear indication that we have lived up to expectation and that our word is our bond.  As part of the efforts of the present administration to bring development to the rural communities where over 75% of the populace resides, the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment was created in January, 2013.  Unlike the previous administration, all the stakeholders in the state were fully involved in the preparation of the year 2013 budget, and we have adopted the zero budgeting method as is currently being practised all over the world.  The opinions of all the various strata/segments of the people in the state were sought before the 2013 budget was prepared using a dynamic bottom-up approach.

In the same vein, the various communities submitted their priority self-help projects for Grants assistance. The state government in responding to the yearnings of the people approved a sum of N300million as grants in-aid for the first phase of the self-help projects for the 82 communities in the State. The cheques are today being distributed and released directly to the benefiting communities for the completion of various on-going, abandoned and uncompleted self-help projects as well as provision of boreholes, access culverts among others in the benefiting communities.

Every community in the state, no matter the population, will benefit from the grants in-aid programme of the present administration.  By the grace of God, before the end of this year, most of the communities in the state would have benefitted from the programme.

My good people of Ekiti State, as a preparatory step to ensure the success of the current grants-in-aid initiative for self-help projects, the Ministry of Rural Development and Community Empowerment organised a two day capacity building workshop for Community Development Stakeholders on Monday 27^th and Tuesday 28^th May, 2013 at Midas Hotel Iworoko Road, Ado-Ekiti.  The workshop was attended by the 16 LGAs Caretaker Chairmen in the State, Executive members of Ekiti State Community Development Council (CDC), Heads of Community Departments in the 16 Local Government Areas as well as all other relevant Stakeholders in Community Development in the State.

Also, a one-day interactive workshop on project management for stakeholders in community Development was held on Thursday 13^th June 2013 at Ikogosi Warm Spring Resorts, to ensure that the projects are well managed and sustained.  The workshop was attended by the Chairmen, Secretaries of Community Development Associations, recommended contractors as well as the Traditional Rulers of the benefiting communities.

I want to use this medium to appreciate the efforts of our Traditional Rulers and other participants at the workshop for their prompt attendance and useful contributions during the workshop.  I believe the knowledge gained in the workshop would assist the various communities in contributing their quota to the developmental strides in their respective domains.  I wish to implore each benefitting community to ensure that they implement and supervise the projects optimally in line with the communal ownership concept which the present administration is preaching.

This is a good opportunity to reiterate my administration's deep respect for the traditional institution and our revered monarchs, our Royal Majesties, the traditional rulers across the length and breadth of the land of honour, Ekiti State, Nigeria. We are extremely proud of the pedigree of our sovereigns and their contributions to the sustainable development of our state. We shall remain committed to the health and vibrancy of our traditional institutions as a key stakeholder group in the state, and by extension the health of the custodians of these institutions, our dear kabiyesis.

May I use this opportunity to announce that this administration would soon embark on the extension of our Free Health Mission to the traditional rulers in Ekiti. We have realised that during the implementation of our free health mission which has benefitted over 400,000 (Four Hundred Thousand) people to date, our respected monarchs in their altruistic nature are in the practice of putting the people first to be treated and thus excluding themselves. This time around, we are extending the free health mission through our Ilera La'afin initiative and would be providing free health care services including free eye glasses, dental care e.t.c. to our Kabiyesis, their chiefs and their households.

This initiative is also in recognition of the role that our crowned heads play in advocating for the health and wellness of our people by discouraging age-long practices that are inimical to individual and public health as well as driving communication to the grassroots on ways to avoid many of the common lifestyle diseases and live healthier lives. Our Royal Fathers are thus being enlisted as advocates of public health education and advocacy.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen here present, let me at this juncture explain to you that, the present administration is committed to, and will continue to harness the leadership potentials of Community Leaders in the State and at the same time improve on them.  The State Government is equally committed to the provision of basic infrastructure in every community in the state with a view to reducing rural – urban drift among our youth and in strict adherence to our optimum communities programme.

It should interest everyone here present today that apart from the grants-in-aids programme, the state government is undertaking several other rural development and community empowerment projects to the tune of N3.2billion spanning rural access roads to farm settlements, another round of 5km roads in each of our 16 local governments, ultra-modern markets, provision of hand dug wells and solar operated boreholes as well as construction of bridges and culverts.

Equally, the Government of Ekiti State, Nigeria is revitalizing cooperative development by entering into partnership with the Bank of Agriculture with a view to using the cooperative federalism model as an alternative vehicle for reaching grassroots communities and local socio-economic activities.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let me congratulate the 82 communities in the first phase of the grants-in-aid for self-help projects, and to equally appeal to our royal fathers, the Chairmen and Secretaries of Community Development Associations and indeed all the good people of Ekiti State to keenly, supervise, monitor and evaluate the projects in their various communities and report as appropriate to the relevant Government Officials who are expected to supervise and monitor the projects on regular basis.  I want all Ekiti sons and daughters to see these projects as their own projects and this is the concept of communal ownership the present administration is preaching. Our joint efforts with the World Bank supported EKCSDA already uses this model to great effect in several communities. We are therefore building on these efforts rather than re-inventing the wheel.

Before I conclude this address, let me thank all the Caretaker Chairmen, and Ekiti Kete, for demonstrating their support for this administration.  With your support, this administration has been able to record laudable achievements in the state and we are ready to go higher and continue to surprise the good people of Ekiti State who gave us the mandate to govern them.

Once again, I wish to sincerely thank our Royal fathers, our party leaders and all the people present at this occasion for finding time out of their busy schedule to attend this epoch making ceremony.  This demonstration clearly shows your genuine interest in the development of our communities and I will continue to count on your support for this administration.  On this note, in the name of God, the most beneficent, it is my honour to flag-off the distribution of the cheques to the benefitting communities in the first phase of the  of Ekiti State, Nigeria's grants-in-aid for self-help projects for the glory of God and the usefulness of mankind.

 

Ire to wolu a kaari o. Amin. Thank you and God bless.

 

Dr. Kayode Fayemi

Governor

Ekiti State, Nigeria, Thursday, July 4, 2013 

Via: Ekiti State Government - Official Press Release

[Folami David]

Well that already sounds like something that would definately work out fine so I'm fully in support of it big time. Dope!