ONDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko at the weekend stated that the State remains the most progressive in the South West contrary to what the opposition parties want to make the people of other States believe in their vain attempt at wresting political power.
This was just as he lauded the vision of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo for bringing unprecedented development to the defunct Western Region with his innovative projects, urging upcoming politicians to emulate him so that they too could be remembered by generations un-born.
Mimiko who spoke in Idanre, headquarters of Idanre local government area of the State during his campaign tour of the local government stated that in the last three and a half years, the rapid developments that his administration had put in place had made Ondo State to tower above its peers in the region.
He itemized some of these life-changing projects to include the innovative health care system for which accolades had been received from both the World Bank and World Health Organisation, urban development and human settlement for which he received the United Nations Habitat (UN-HABITAT) Award two weeks ago, in education, in
agriculture amongst others.
“In our education sector, we are proud to say that no State in the South West compares to us, indeed, while students pay as much as two hundred and fifty thousand (N250, 000) and above in tertiary institutions in all the South West states, most of our students in Ondo State tertiary institutions pay less that Twenty Five Thousand (N25, 000) yet, members of a particular political party say they are progressive and boast that they will capture us.
“In Nigeria today, our workers collect the highest Minimum Wage of N22, 000 while most of the workers in the South West are still agitating for the N18,000 Minimum Wage yet they claim they are the progressives. Initially, they came to ask for the blueprint of our projects, we gave them, and now they copy them outright, yet they
could not even imitate us well. And they said they want to capture us as if we are rats and grass-cutters,” Mimiko said adding that they would fail in their unbridled ambition.
Mr Mimiko who also lauded the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo for his visionary and life changing projects which made the Western Region the best administrated regiona and the most advanced in the fledging nation opined that the legacy he left behind should remain a challenge for up-coming politicians who must always think of what legacy they
would leave behind for posterity to judge.
Mimiko made this observation at the Onisere-Ofosu Farm Settlement, a border community with Edo State, while commissioning a block of sixclassrooms at St. Peter’s Primary School in the community. He blamed past governments in the state for the neglect suffered by the community since it was founded in 1959 by the late Awolowo.
While commending the vision of late Premier of the Region for setting up the Farm Settlement for the promotion of farming and boosting of food production, the Governor, however regretted that past administrations in the state would have improved on the lives of thepeople if developmental projects had been executed in the community.
The Governor however assured that his administration decided to construct the classrooms to replace the over fifty years old dilapidated school accommodating over 50 pupils who used to sit on the floor to receive lessons.
According to the Governor who was welcome to the community with joy, the challenges of his administration was how to improve on the lives of the people adding that no fewer than six hundred communities all over the state have benefited from the transformational and developmental projects of his administration in the last three and a half years.
He also promised to use his second term in office to consolidate on the achievements recorded by the Labour Party administration in the state, adding that his administration would re-develop the Farm Settlement to meet the vision of its founder late Chief Obafemi Awolowo by providing it with social infrastructure.
The construction of the school, he said, was part of the demonstration of the Labour Party led administration to revive education and create conducive learning environment for over two hundred and fifty pupils from the community who had hitherto been using the over 50 years old dilapidating building.
Mimiko also promised to construct a health centre in the community to take care of the people who travelled several kilometres for medical attention.
Addressing a rally a Ofosu, Governor Mimiko promised that the electricity project of the town would receive prompt attention during his second term in office, while other social infrastructure would also be provided to make life meaningful to the people.
He, therefore, solicited for the votes of the people which he said should be used to bring continuity for the developmental programme of the Labour Party in the state.
The Governor and his entourage had earlier visited Erindo-Ofosu where he gave the
people of the community a cheque of N10million to complete communal project embarked upon by the people, one of which is a health centre with a warning that the money should not be misused. He also promised that he would equip the health centre, provide it with staff and drugs when completed.
Mimiko who visited Ala-Elefosan where he commissioned series of projects including a Secondary school building built by his government, Ala, Ala Goke, Aponmu Lona, Owena, Atosin, Alade and Ipinle-rere where he also commissioned a Primary School, reiterated the resolved of the people not to serve any godfathers.
He warned those boasting that they would capture the State by hook or crook of heavy trouncing on October 20. According to him Ondo people are free born who take exceptions to the slur that that somebody wants to capture them and are determined to make a resounding statement for freedom as opposed to neo-colonialism, democracy as against oligarchy and rule of an emperor.
“We assure them that they would meet their waterloo in Ondo State on October 20 as our people are resolved to remain free, they have chosen democracy as against oligarchy and the rule of an emperor,” he said.
On October 20, it will be one man, one vote; never will be railroad and stampeded by aliens, those who were never part of us but are mercantile in their posturing and out to fleece our God-given wealth”.