Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has reiterated the commitment of his administration to sustain its regular engagement with the people at the grassroots on policies, activities, and projects of the government.
Speaking at the last edition of the year of ‘Se e ti gbo,’ a community engagement programme of the government, organised for informal sector in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, Dr Fayemi said that the people at the grassroots deserved to be informed of and carried along on government policies, activities, projects, as well as opportunities available to them in their various towns and local government areas.
Describing the idea of regular meetings with different strata of the Ekiti populace as part of his drive to enhance transparency, accountability, participation, and inclusiveness in governance, Fayemi, speaking through his Deputy, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, emphasized that constant engagement was key to enabling people at the grassroots participate in governance and benefit from the dividends of democracy available to them.
Explaining the rationale behind the “Se e ti gbo” programme, Fayemi said that it was not only adopted to serve as a community communication platform for propagating government projects and programmes, but also to enlighten people at the grassroots on how to access and participate in government programmes designed to benefit their locality.
He added that the programme had complemented government feedback mechanism on the impact of good governance on the people.
Enumerating some of the road executed in some towns, the governor added that a lot of plans would soon be unveiled to boost the economic status of the state and reduce unemployment to the barest minimum.
He said, “The essence of this programme is to let people know what we are doing and what we are going to do. We have completed some and we are working on some.
“The people at Are/Afao who have never been to Ado-Iyin newly dualized road, if we don’t tell them, how will they know? If we don’t tell people who have never been to Ire/Igbemo/Ijan roads, Aramoko/Erinjinyan road, Oye/Ikun/Otun road, these are new roads, if people who are in their homes, who have never been to these places and they are not told, how will they know? That is the essence of “se e ti gbo;” we understand that communication is very important in everything.
“We expect people to support us, if you note the achievements we have enumerated in the brochure here, you will know Fayemi has done a lot and he’s still doing a lot to make our people happy.”
Special Adviser to the governor on Communications and Strategy, Mrs Olusola Salako-Ajulo, in her address, disclosed that the programme, with the support of the office of the Wife of the Governor had interacted with not less than 4,000 women across the 177 wards of the state in the last five months.
Disclosing that the programme had also exposed over 10,000 participants, including over 85 artisan associations, to various financial opportunities available to them in the state including the micro credit loans provided by Ecobank Plc, who partnered the programme to drive financial inclusion to the communities in Ekiti State, Mrs Salako-Ajulo revealed that the programme, which had been rotated around the 16 local governments in Ekiti State, also served as a feedback mechanism on the policies and programmes of government to enhance performance in delivering the dividends of democracy to people at the grassroots.
At the event, Ecobank presented participation certificates and loan approval letters to 20 women who qualified under the EFEI loans scheme through ‘S’etigbo?,’ promising to also provide N2 5million to Ado Ekiti Local Government as soft loans of between 100,000 to 600,000 each to up to 50 market women on the recommendation of the Chairperson.
Present at the event were the Commissioners for Information, Regional Integration, and Health, Mr Akin Omole; Alhaji Ayodele Jinadu, and Dr. Oyebanji Filani; Special Assistant, Governor’s Office, Mr Foluso Daramola; Senior Adviser on Economic Matters, Alhaji Afolabi Ogunlayi, Special Adviser/DG Bureau of Special Projects, Arch. Tope Ogunleye.
Others include the Chairperson Ado Local Government, Mrs Omotunde Fajuyi; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Affairs, Chief Niyi Ojo, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Sensitization, Mrs Tosin Ajisafe, Special Assistant on Informal Sector, Mr Aladeloye Adedeji and the Special Assistants on Mobilization for the North, South and Central Senatorial districts, Mr Arigbede, Mr Ijidale and Mr Sesan Adewunmi respectively.
