Adebayo Adenrele
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State has made a pledge to prioritise the welfare and wellness of Ekiti elders as plans are underway to hand over the Elderly People’s Resort Centre to them.
Oyebanji gave the assurance on Wednesday when he hosted members of the Council led by its President, Professor Joseph Oluwasanmi and Vice, Chief Deji Fasuan.
The Governor commended the elders for the remarkable and impressive roles they played during the struggle for the creation of Ekiti state, adding that the only payback for them is to ensure their welfare.
The Governor promised to sustain the good relationship he had with Ekiti elders by performing above board, prioritizing their welfare and making sure they see Ekiti of their dreams in terms of development and growth.
In his words, “At this stage of your life, my concern is your welfare and your wellness and if you have any programme, we can come there and meet you there. We will put a lot of things there to make you comfortable because you have worked relentlessly and this is the time for you to relax. You don’t have to lobby me for that, it is a responsibility of a son to his parents.
“We campaigned on a mantra of shared prosperity, continuity of programme, continuity of projects, continuity of policies and the facility is something Governor Kayode Fayemi is so interested in. I have discussed this facility with you in the past, so everything you’ve written here, I am aware of it.
“My first plan is to establish the status of the facility. The Federal Government built it for you, but they need to transfer it to us officially. But all the same, we wait for that before we start equipping the place.
“But, one thing we need to really agree on is the management of the facility for sustainability and maintenance. We will put a structure in place that will give you independence while government takes charge of its management.” The Governor said.
Governor Oyebanji also reiterated his administration’s commitment to ensuring uninterrupted power supply in the state as he disclosed plans to commission the state Independent Power Project (IPP) in few weeks’ time, which he also said would provide uninterrupted power supply to the elderly people’s resort.
Earlier, the President of Ekiti Council of Elders, Prof. Joseph Oluwasanmi noted that the body parades best brains and assets on all fields of endeavours who are interested and willing to give their experiences and substances to their communities.
The elder statesman stated the cardinal objectives of the council to include inculcating a sense of identity with Ekiti people by promoting its values, language, culture and philosophy as well as maintain a non-sectarian body to which all the people of Ekiti may belong, irrespective of personal preferences, religious differences or local prejudices for the sole purpose of promoting unity and healthy social order.
He also hailed Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his developmental strides in the state within his first year in office and promised to continue to drum support for him in all spheres of endeavours.
Also at the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Chief Monisade Afuye; Secretary to the State Government, Dr Habibat Adubiaro and other top government officials.
