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From Priscilla Ediare, Ado Ekiti
Ekiti State Governor-elect Mr Biodun Oyebanji has laid out the focus areas of his incoming administration as he takes office from his predecessor, Dr Kayode Fayemi.
Identifying security, infrastructure development and providing solutions to the state’s unstable power supply, the incoming governor stated that focusing on these three areas will help boost investment that would create wealth and ignite human capital development through job provision and revenue earnings.
Oyebanji said that his administration will recruit “competent, committed, courageous, transparent, and God-fearing people”.
Oyebanji who gave the hint in Ado Ekiti, on Wednesday, during an interactive session with newsmen announcing his swearing-in, coming up on October 16, acknowledged that though Ekiti is confronted with a paucity of funds, still he doesn’t see this situation as affecting good leadership as his government is ready to sustain the strong partnerships the state has built with local and international development partners.
Oyebanji added that he has a template and roadmap he would deploy to increase the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) through an effective and affordable tax regime that won’t put pressure or burden on the citizens.
Oyebanji said: “My vision is to have a society where everyone will feel secure and prosper. If the state is not secure or does not have the right infrastructure, investors won’t come. We know that we can’t control or command the security forces as a state, but we can support them to deliver.
“The state presently enjoys just 20kws of electricity daily. But we will tap into the transmission line being built from Osogbo to Akure. So, power, security and access to Ekiti will be utmost on my priority list”.
On the calibre of people his administration will be working with, the incoming governor said”
I want to work with competent, committed, courageous, transparent and God-fearing people. My government will be all-inclusive. We are bringing those that will add value to our dear state and our party, APC.
“Whoever I will bring on board, we are going to monitor their activities and ensure that they relate with the locals, people at the grassroots. That is why I want to live in my village at Ikogosi to encourage other appointees to live in their localities.”
Maintaining that he was less worried by the paucity of funds currently experienced in the state, Oyebanji added: “I will learn from Governor Kayode Fayemi, who has sustained the partnerships and relationships with development partners to make more monies for our state.
“We will be transparent and work hard to build strong institutions, rather than strong men to help our people.
“We can do N1.2bn monthly IGR without necessarily putting pressure on our people. If those not captured or not paying taxes are convinced to pay or brought to the tax dragnet, our IGR will increase and we will spend it judiciously on areas of priorities”.
To develop youth potential, Oyebanji stated that he will create a separate and independent Ministry of Youth Development to spearhead his human capital development plan, by severing the Sports section from the Ministry and making it a commission.
Responding to how he will build the knowledge economy, in line with global and modern trends, Oyebanji, said he will work with the State House of Assembly to tinker with the curriculum and inject Robotics and Artificial Intelligence as a study.
“I will have to strike a balance between growth and development. Our development plan will be such that it will improve people’s living standards.
“You may build Infrastructures, yet the people will remain poor. We should all know that knowledge and talents development creates wealth, that was what Chief Obafemi Awolowo did in the old Western Region”
Oyebanji stated that he won’t pose as a leader with a monopoly of knowledge or having superior mental capacity and capability than anyone, saying he will always rub minds with all the strata of Ekiti to usher in development.
