PDP candidate, Ajayi promises to turn around the economic fortune in Ondo

The Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate in Ondo governorship election in November, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, has pledged to turn around the economic fortune of the state, if he is elected.

Ajayi, a former deputy governor in the state, who assured his readiness to serve, said he would actualise his mission by harnessing the state’s human and material resources.

In a media briefing with reporters at the weekend, the opposition party’s candidate said he was vying for the office to rescue the state from maladministration, insecurity and economic misfortune.

Unveling his plans for the state, Ajayi, who was also a member of the House of Representative, revealed seven areas, which his manifesto covers.

According to him, government will focus on sustainable economic development, where modern infrastructure, efficient transportation, vibrant marine and blue economy, striving agriculture, robust industrialization, quality education and affordable health care would be delivered.

The candidate added that his programme will unveil comprehensive human development, adequate security, and other components of fundamental objectives and direct principles of state policy as captured in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

On security, Ajayi said: “My administration will enhance the capacity of law enforcement agencies particularly Amotekun, forest guards, vigilantes and traditional hunters through advance training and provision of appropriate equipment and required legislations.

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“We will incorporate and engage traditional rulers, religious leaders and other stakeholders in implementing community policing and neighborhood watch for the safety of our people.

“We will invest heavily in technology by deploying modern surveillance and intelligent gathering technologies to effectively monitor hotspots and vulnerable areas such as forest reserves and farmlands with a view to preventing and responding to crime appropriately.

Speaking on agriculture, Ajayi said: “This remains the main stay of the State’s economy.

“Our policy in this sector will be anchored on promoting self-sufficiency in food production so as to meet the United Nation Food Security mandate.’

He said he would achieve his goal by providing training and support for farmers to adopt modern farming techniques as well as provide incentives to investors to establish agro-processing industry so as to add value to agricultural products, reduce post-harvest loses, create jobs for the youth and thereby grow the economy of the state.

“We shall sustain agricultural practices for long time productivity by ensuring the availability of fertilizers and agricultural input at subsidized rate.

He also promised to provide tractors for farmers at subsidized rate, and establish procurement agency that will provide ready market for all the state’s agricultural produce.

Investors, he added, would be encouraged to participate in large scale farming, animal husbandry, poultry and aqua-culture by providing land and creating enabling environment.

On education, Ajayi said: ‘We will ensure quality education for economic development, social equity, technological advancement and cultural preservation for sustainable development.

“To achieve desirable workforce suitable for a knowledge-driven economy, the inputs from the primary and secondary schools must be well prepared.

“The quality of input from the tertiary institution will determine the quantity of their input.

“We will ensure that quality primary and secondary schools are built and well renovated with the provision for Information technology.

‘The recruitment of quality teachers and purchase of educational materials will be our priority.

“The tertiary education will be well funded through increase in budgetary allocation.

“We will encourage increase in IGR through sellable Research Entrepreneurship” adding that, .

Affordable tuition fees in the institutions will be negotiated with the stakeholders.

According to the candidate who promised to address the challenging trend in the sector, promised to site at least, one primary health centre in each of 203 wards in the state.

He also promised provision of essential drugs, hospital consumables and laboratory services to patients at affordable cost in all public medical facilities across the state will be our priority.

The erstwhile lawmaker said mother and child hospitals will be established in Ondo South and Ondo North Senatorial districts within the three years of his administration to complement the existing one at the Central Senatorial District.

While vowing to give the welfare of medical officers in state a preference, he adde that his government will establish pharmaceutical manufacturing industries in the state to produce drug for sale to government institutions and the general public.

On infrastructure and marine economy development, Àjàyí, who lamented huge deficit within that sector in the state, said: “We will pay attention to rehabilitation of roads, construction of waterways, provision of rural and urban electrification, enhancement and improvement in clean and pipe borne water delivery for the benefit of our people.

“We will ensure that the roads that need dualization in the three senatorial districts are vigorously pursued.

“We will ensure that the moribund companies in Ondo State are resuscitated and where this is impossible, we will encourage the establishment of new ones.

“All these will be pursued with the singular purpose of creating massive employment opportunities for the people of the state.”

Àjayi also promised to revive the rural development and environment by improving rural road network., Rural Housing Scheme among others.

He pledged a turn around for the Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and restore it to its core mandate to meet the expectations of oil producing communities in the state.

He said his administration will grant full autonomy to local government areas both in finance and governance as well as ensure the process of local government election was open to all.

Noting the place of youth and women in the scheme of things, Àjayi said he will devote special attention to that sector.

“The new PDP administration in the state will prioritise programmes that will ensure the accelerated development of youths and women.

“Our administration will pursue sports development, not just for entertainment, physical fitness and a unifying factor, but also as a veritable source of empowerment for youths and young adults within the state and offshore.

“Under our watch, great attention will be accorded to social development initiatives to the advantage of youths, women, the aged and vulnerable people in the state, just as government will ensure that civil servants and retirees in the state are honoured with the best of treatment in line with standard of global practices.”