The Ondo State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, on Wednesday disclosed that the immediate past administration of Dr Olusegun Mimiko left a debt burden of N220,588,125,731.00 saying the economic situation of the state was bad. However, he said, in spite of the economic condition, the administration had designed some ways to boost the Internally Generated Revenue of the state which would soon be yielding positive result.
The governor stated this at the swearing-in of the new commissioners and special advisers held at the International Event Centre in Akure, the Ondo State capital. Akeredolu declared that with the current state of the economy of the state, there would be no room for waste of resources in his administration, adding that he would not borrow to pay salaries of workers. He, however, added that if there was any need to borrow, he would borrow to execute capital projects that would benefit everyone in the state.
He said, “With a total inherited debt of over N220bn, it should not be difficult for anyone to know that government’s capacity for seeming elastic adjustment to cater for the people has been stretched to its limit. There is no gain asserting the obvious; our administration is not in any position for frivolities. All of us must gird our loins for the great task ahead. The picture is not good. Therefore, all acts with the potential of pushing us deeper into economic crisis must be jettisoned. We earnestly promise to provide the needed leadership.”
While swearing in the new commissioners, the governor said they (new commissioners) were capable hands who would assist him to move the state forward, admonishing them to shun all acts of corruption in office. The newly sworn in commissioners are: Mr. Toafiq Abdulsalam, Rasheed Badmus, Solagbade Amodeni, Adegboyega Adefarati, Saka Yusuf Ogunleye, and Mrs. Omowumi Olatunji-Edet, Others are Mr. Donald Ojogo, Yemi Olowolabi, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, Funso Esan, Wale Akinterinwa and Pastor Emmanuel Igbasan.
Also on the list are: Alhaji Olurimisi Ismaila, Femi Agagu, Prof. Bayonle Ademodi, Lola Fagbemi, Timilehin Adelegbe and Kola Olawoye. “With these eminent men and women chosen to serve the state at this level, I fervently hope that the state service delivery system will be reinvigorated upon these appointments. I habour no reservations concerning the capability of the appointees to discharge the mandate entrusted to them,” Akeredolu stated.
The Punch
