Ondo guber: I will run a development-oriented government – Olafeso

Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja

A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Ondo State, Eddy Olafeso, has promised to run a development oriented government if he is elected the governor of the state.

Olafeso made the promise after obtaining his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms for the Ondo PDP gubernatorial primary, at the party’s national secretariat, in Abuja, at the weekend.

The governorship hopeful, who is also the PDP National Vice chairman, South West, noted that as governor, he would not pay lip service to the development of the state. Olafeso stated rather he would identify areas of funding that will enable him embark on developmental projects, without overburdening the people through revenue drive.

According to him, “we are not going to pay lip service to these critical aspects of development as our collective existence rests on them. Our resolve is to identify areas of funding to enable us to give life back to our people through serious revenue drive that will not be a burden on our people but will yield responsible finances to the coffers of government through, mostly God-given resources; through tourism and other nature endowed resources.

“Our very fertile land and forest reserves will help in generating enormous resources for use for the state as we look inwards to better the lot of our people other than waiting for crumbs from the table of the Federal government. We will run an all-inclusive government to access ideas and contributions from within and without the immediate environment. We will partner international agencies of development to enhance the economy of Ondo State.”

He also lamented “education, which is the focal pillar on which the society rests, has gone comatose as students in tertiary institutions across the state are dropping out of school on daily basis due to government’s insensitivity in an astronomical increase in fees. This is not only limited to the higher institutions of learning as primary and secondary schools have their own share of the increase in fees making education an IGR point. ”