By Adegbaju Temitope
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has said his administration is pursuing major interventions across health, education, agriculture, power, infrastructure and other sectors as part of efforts to expand economic opportunities and improve the quality of life of residents.
Aiyedatiwa made the disclosure on Thursday at the Gani Fawehinmi Freedom Arcade, Akure, during the state’s celebration of Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary, where he also called on political leaders, party members and young people to reject violence and embrace issue-based engagement ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The governor described Nigeria’s 66 years of independence as a continuing responsibility to past, present and future generations, saying the country’s founding generation left succeeding generations not a finished nation but the responsibility to build, preserve and improve it.
“Independence, therefore, is more than the memory of a date; it is a continuing responsibility to the past, the present and the future,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa said the Nigeria of citizens’ dreams could not be built by government alone, stressing that its realisation required collective responsibility from citizens.
“The Nigeria we desire will not be built by government alone, but by the collective efforts of its citizens,” he said.
He consequently urged Nigerians to uphold peace, unity, patriotism and responsible citizenship, while appealing particularly to political actors to conduct their activities with maturity and restraint.
The governor said political differences were an essential feature of democracy but should not be allowed to destroy relationships among families, neighbours and citizens.
“I particularly appeal to our political leaders, party members and young people to eschew violence, embrace issue-based engagement and respect the right of every citizen to participate peacefully,” he said.
Reviewing the performance of his administration under its OUR EASE agenda, Aiyedatiwa said significant interventions had been made in the health sector, including the recruitment and deployment of about 3,323 health professionals across the state’s 18 local government areas.
He said diagnostic services had also been strengthened through the provision of a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine and a 160-slice CT scanner at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex.
According to him, fully funded health insurance coverage had also been extended to retirees and pensioners through the Ondo State Residents Health Insurance Scheme, ORANGHIS.
“In healthcare, we have continued to strengthen both human and technological capacity,” the governor said, adding that his administration would continue to focus on ensuring that the investments translated into accessible and quality healthcare.
In education, Aiyedatiwa said his administration had continued to recruit teachers into primary and secondary schools and would further strengthen the teaching workforce.
He also disclosed that subventions to state-owned tertiary institutions had been increased, while implementation of the Federal Government/union agreement had been approved alongside other measures intended to improve institutional stability and staff welfare.
Students, he said, had also continued to benefit from bursaries, scholarships and other forms of financial assistance.
The governor identified agriculture as another major area of intervention, saying the state had secured 26,000 hectares of agricultural land and distributed more than two million cocoa seedlings to support agricultural production.
He said interventions under the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project, L-PRES, were ongoing, while rural market development had been strengthened and work was advancing on the establishment of a modern Farmers’ Market in Akure.
Aiyedatiwa further disclosed that about 14,000 smallholder cocoa and oil-palm farmers had been profiled under an International/FAO-supported programme focusing on climate-smart agriculture, agroforestry, mapping and forest restoration.
He said the state was also pursuing measures towards compliance with international standards on deforestation-free cocoa while encouraging private-sector investment across agricultural value chains.
On electricity, the governor said his administration regarded reliable power supply as fundamental to economic development and was working to sustain improvements in the sector.
He said the Ondo State Power Sector Law had strengthened the legal and institutional framework for the sector through the establishment of the Ondo State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
According to him, efforts were ongoing towards private-sector participation in the 30MW Ore Independent Power Plant, alongside other opportunities for providing reliable and affordable electricity.
Aiyedatiwa also highlighted investment opportunities around the Olokola Industrial and Free Trade Zone and the proposed Ondo Deep Sea Port, as well as the proposed petrochemical and fertiliser plant.
“Our objective is to translate these opportunities into industries, jobs, stronger value chains and broader economic prosperity for our people,” he said.
On infrastructure and economic development, the governor acknowledged the Federal Government’s partnership with the state and its support for projects with potential to expand Ondo’s economic prospects, including the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and proposed Deep Sea Port.
He also said his administration had sustained regular payment of salaries and continued the progressive settlement of pension and gratuity obligations.
Regular promotion exercises, he added, had been maintained, while 32 Permanent Secretaries were recently appointed to strengthen the administrative leadership of the state’s civil service.
On security, Aiyedatiwa said the state would continue to strengthen its security architecture and support security agencies operating across Ondo.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide useful information to security authorities, stressing that farmers, businesses and rural communities needed a secure environment in which to operate.
The governor also pointed to steps taken to strengthen governance and grassroots engagement, including the appointment of commissioners, special advisers, senior special assistants and special assistants across the 203 political wards, as well as chairmen and members of boards and commissions.
“These appointments are intended to bring competence, expertise, fresh ideas and stronger grassroots engagement into government,” he said.
Aiyedatiwa expressed appreciation to the people of Ondo State for their support, patience and constructive feedback, assuring them that his administration would continue to listen, improve where necessary, attract investment and expand opportunities across communities.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Taiwo Fasoranti, called for renewed hope and collective responsibility in the task of building a stronger Nigeria and a more prosperous Ondo State.
Fasoranti said the October 1 ceremony was the third and final day of the state’s Independence anniversary programme, which began on September 25 with a Jumat service at the Akure Central Mosque and continued on September 27 with a Thanksgiving service at Agape Christian Church of God, Akure.
He described Nigeria’s journey since independence as one characterised by “seasons of promise and difficulty, moments of triumph and trial”, but said the country had remained standing and hopeful despite the challenges.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Governor, Dr Olayide Adelami; Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Olamide Oladiji; Chief Judge of the state, Justice Olusegun Odusola; APC State Chairman, Hon Kolawole Babatunde; Senator representing Ondo South, Prof Dayo Faduyile; Chief of Staff, Prince Segun Omojuwa; Head of Service, Chief Olusegun Odusanya; members of the State House of Assembly and State Executive Council, traditional rulers, religious and labour leaders, security chiefs, political appointees, civil society representatives and other dignitaries.
