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President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday stated that the Federal Government had in the last three years, carried out many laudable projects and created numerous employment opportunities in Ekiti state.
The president spoke at a mega rally organised by the All Progressives Congress to drum support for Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the party’s candidate in the July 14 governorship election in the state.
According to Buhari, “the APC Government has executed 13 Federal Roads and Intervention Projects in Ekiti State. Some have already been completed and some are near completion.
“Those roads that have been completed at the cost of N766,739,968.37 are the construction of infrastructure, Roads Drainages and Asphalt Finishing at IKERE EKITI; the construction of infrastructure, Roads Drainages and Asphalt Finishing at NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME SITES; the completion of emergency Repairs of failed sections of IFAKI – IKOLE – OMUO road and the completion of emergency repairs of failed sections of IFAKI – IDO road”
He said that “the rehabilitation of EFON ALAAYE-ERINMO-IWARAJA road is 87% completed.”
The president listed “other road projects ongoing in the state are Rehabilitation of ADO-IFAKI-OTUN road; repairs of IJEBU-IJESHA ROAD; rehabilitation of ILA-ORANGUN-OKE ILA –ILALE-EKAN road; Rehabilitation and Asphalt Overlay/construction of Reinforced Concrete Drains and Kerbs of 1.33km internal roads in Federal University, Oye, amongst others.”
He said “these roads are being handled by 13 different contractors, providing more employment to the people of Ekiti state.”
The president told the crowd that the government has awarded the construction of a Federal Secretariat Complex in the state.
He continued: “In addition to these laudable projects and employment opportunities, the APC government has also extended the National Housing Programme to the people of Ekiti State.
“This National Housing Programme being handled by 16 contractors is not only beneficial in terms of accommodation, but also providing gainful employment. The suppliers of materials for this project are from Ekiti State, while the site work, electrical, plumbing, welding etc, are all carried out by the people of Ekiti State. This Administration desires to provide more employment opportunities to the people of Ekiti State and Nigeria at large.
“There has been an unprecedented number of Federal political appointments of Ekiti indigenes in the state. Ekiti State is also one of the Beneficiaries of our Social Investment Programmes, which include – N-Power, Homegrown School Feeding; Conditional Cash Transfer and Micro-credit finance for traders. We have also done several tranches of Bail-Out Funds and Paris Club Refunds.
“In spite of the fact that the current administrations in Ekiti State and the Federal Government belong to opposing political parties, we have always ensured the state got her fair share in the allocation of resources, the siting of federal projects, and the selection of beneficiaries of federal government programmes. We will never play politics with the welfare of the people of Ekiti or any other State regardless of the partisan affiliation of the government of the day.”
Promising to ensure a free and fair election, the President urged the people of Ekiti to vote for the APC candidate in the election coming up on Saturday.
He described Fayemi as a man with the required experience to move Ekiti forward having served as a one-time governor and as Minister or Mines and Steel Development”
The rally had in attendance many APC governors, ministers and legislators. Also in attendance were Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and the party’s national chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.