MY GOOD PEOPLE OF ONDO STATE,
I ARRIVED BACK HOME INTO YOUR WARM AND WAITING ARMS AFTER FOUR WEEKS OUTSIDE OF OUR STATE ON A WORKING LEAVE. THE LEAVE AFFORDED ME THE OPPORTUNITY FOR A PERSONAL
REFLECTION AND ALSO MEDICAL REVIEW OF MY HEALTH ON THE ADVISE OF MY DOCTORS IN ORDER TO BE RENEWED FOR THE ALL-IMPORTANT TASK OF SERVING OUR STATE, BETTER THAN BEFORE.
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT IN THE LAST FOUR WEEKS, NEW GROUNDS WERE BROKEN FOR BIGGER AND WIDER OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP OUR LAND AND THE PEOPLE.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, A VERY SUCCESSFUL BILATERAL MEETING WAS HELD WITH OUR PARTNER, MEDICUS INTERNATIONAL, TO EXPAND THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM IN THE STATE. OUR JOINT OBJECTIVE IS TO BUILD A $1.1BILLION WORLD CLASS MEDICAL CITY IN AKURE, THE STATE CAPITAL.
OUR PROPOSED MEDICAL CITY WILL PROVIDE EXCELLENT HEALTHCARE FACILITY FOR OUR PEOPLE IN THE STATE AND NIGERIA IN GENERAL.
WE ALSO HELD FRUITFUL DISCUSSION WITH OUR TECHNICAL PARTNERS AND CONSULTANTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PORT ONDO, OUR STATE’S DREAM DEEP SEA PORT PROJECT. OUR JOINT COMMISSION IS EXPECTED TO VISIT THE PROPOSED SITE FOR THE PROJECT NEXT WEEK AS PART OF THE PROCESS TOWARDS COMMENCEMENT OF WORK.
I ALSO ATTENDED THE GOVERNOR’S FORUM MEETING WHERE ISSUES OF THE NEW MINIMUM WAGE FOR WORKERS AMONGST OTHER WAS DISCUSSED. ALL GOVERNORS WERE ENCOURAGED TO HARNESS AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STATES TO CONTINUE TO PUT THE WELFARE OF WORKERS ON THE FRONT BURNER.
WE WERE ALSO PRESENT AT THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COMMITTEE MEETING WHERE ISSUES OF DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL SECURITY AND GRASSROOTS ECONOMY WAS DISCUSSED. FOLLOWING ON THIS HEEL WAS ALSO OUR BILATERAL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORLD BANK TEAM LED BY ITS NEW COUNTRY DIRECTOR, TO ACCOMMODATE ONDO STATE IN ITS PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVATE EFFORTS TOWARD FULFILLING OUR CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO OUR PEOPLE.
IN ALL, THROUGHOUT MY STAY OUTSIDE THE STATE, WE ENSURED THAT THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE WAS THE TOPMOST AGENDA ON OUR MINDS AND THAT GOVERNANCE NEVER SUFFERED.
LET ME THEREFORE USE THIS AUSPICIOUS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE TO GOD ALMIGHTY FOR HIS INFINITE GRACE AND MERCY AND TO ALL THE PEOPLE OF THIS STATE FOR YOUR KIND WORDS AND BEST WISHES EXPRESSED TO ME WHILE REVIEWING MY HEALTH.
I THANK ALL OUR ROYAL FATHERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, THE MEDIA TEAM, CIVIL SERVANTS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, ARTISAN GROUPS, NURTW, RTEAN, OKADA RIDERS, WOMEN GROUPS AND MANY OTHERS TOO NUMEROUS TO MENTION.
I EQUALLY THANK THE SOUTHWEST GOVERNORS FORUM, THE LEADERSHIP OF OUR PARTY, THE APC, PARTICULARLY OUR NATIONAL WORKING COMMITTEE, AND THE NATIONAL LEADER, ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU AND AN ENTOURAGE OF ESTEEMED LEADERS AND OTHER FRIENDS OF THE STATE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE WHO PERSONALLY VISITED.
I THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL LED BY THE DEPUTY GOVERNOR FOR THEIR DILIGENCE AND SENSE OF LEADERSHIP.
I THANK THE LEADERS OF OUR PARTY AT THE STATE LEVEL UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF ENGR. ADE ADETIMEHIN, OUR BI-PARTISAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY CAUCUS AS WELL AS THE OPPOSITION PARTIES AND CRITICS FOR THEIR CANDOUR AND LOVE FOR THE PEACE AND PROGRESS OF OUR STATE.
MAY I ALSO I EXPRESS MY SINCERE APPRECIATION TO THE EVER CONSCIOUS, AND MATURE YOUTHS FOR YOUR DAILY OUTPOUR OF GREETINGS AND KIND WORDS TO ME THROUGH CALLS, MESSAGES AND PARTICULARLY YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA CONVERSATIONS WHICH I PERSONALLY READ AND NOTED.
I CAME BACK YESTERDAY, INTO YOUR OUTPOURING WARMTH, LOVE AND GENUINE AFFECTION. THE SIGHT OF THOUSANDS OF YOU, MY PEOPLE WHO STORMED THE AIRPORT, THE ROADSIDES AND EVERY CORNER OF THE STATE CAPITAL TILL DUSK WAS AWESOME AND A CLEAR COMMUNICATION OF TRUST, LOYALTY, DEDICATION, CONFIDENCE, APPRECIATION AND BEST CONSIDERATION.
I THEREFORE WISH TO RENEW MY VOW TO YOU THAT I WILL NOT RELENT BUT WILL CONTINUE TO USE ALL MY STRENGTH, ENERGY AND GOD GIVEN KNOWLEDGE AND TALENT TO SERVE OUR DEAR STATE.
THE TASK IS HEAVY, THE JOURNEY IS FAR, THE EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH WHILE THE OBJECTIVE IS CLEAR; TO DEVELOP THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE.
I BELIEVE THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT AND ALL MOUNTAINS ARE SURMOUNTABLE IF WE WORK TOGETHER. I THEREFORE WISH TO ENCOURAGE US TO WORK TOWARDS THIS GOAL BY DEMONSTRATING UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR OUR NEIGHBOURS, DILIGENCE, FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE.
MY GOOD PEOPLE OF ONDO STATE, MAY GOD ALMIGHTY BE WITH YOU, BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILIES.
I THANK YOU ALL