Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has said his administration will collaborate with federal lawmakers to ensure that federal roads in the state are captured in the 2025 budget.
The governor also pledged that his administration will undertake aggressive works in agriculture, infrastructure, arts and culture, tourism, job creation, entertainment industry, security and payment of salaries to workers to expand the scope of shared prosperity plans in 2025.
Oyebanji stated these during a Citizens’ Engagement/Town Hall Meeting with stakeholders, held in Aramoko and Ilawe Ekiti for Ekiti Central and South Senatorial Districts respectively in preparation for the 2025 budget of Ekiti State.
He said the state government is desiring to reconstruct or undertake palliative work on some of the federal roads if such money would be refunded.
“I am assuring you that the Ado-Ijan Road had been captured in the 2024 budget; soon the contractor will be mobilised to site. But it remains that of Ado-Aramoko-Ita Ore Road. All these will be done, but the federal government can only do one federal road this year.
“We are going to create alternative roads by making sure that some state roads that can serve as better alternatives are made motorable. If you are going to Ibadan or Akure, we have provided alternative roads.
Let our people continue to use these roads until the situation improves,” Oyebanji said.
He said his administration has started providing alternative routes on state roads for motorists to ease inter-state transportation.
To resolve the bedlam associated with the deplorable federal roads in the state, Oyebanji declared that state roads identified as comfortable alternatives were being awarded for reconstruction while those yet to be touched will be captured in the 2025 budgetary provisions.
Underscoring the significance of the consultation, Oyebanji stressed the desire of his administration to be inclusive and participatory, so that the government can be strategic in the implementation of its development plans as contained on the citizens’ priority lists.
Governor Oyebanji said the fact that the demands made by communities last year were being accorded utmost attention by the government signalled that the stakeholders’ meeting is not a mere jamboree but a pragmatic approach to governance.
In his presentation, the commissioner for Budget and Economic Development, Mr Oyeniyi Adebayo, revealed that the consultation is an integral part of budget preparation and leeway to interact with communities and groups to deepen open governance policy that would benefit the grassroots and society.
