Minister of state for transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, has said a number of jobless youths in Ondo State had been penciled down for recruitment into various agencies of the federal government.
The minister disclosed this when he featured on Situation Room, a live interview programme on Fresh FM Radio in Akure, the state capital.
Adegoroye, who said one of his priorities when he assumed office was to get as many Ondo State indigenes recruited into federal civil service, said the first batch of beneficiaries had been shortlisted and would soon be issued letters.
Hinting that another batch is in progress, the minister said it was in continuation of his advocacy to correct the poor representation of Ondo State in the federal civil service, which had necessitated his visit to the head of service of the federation shortly after he assumed office in Abuja.
On the proposed Ondo Sea Port, the minister said the process of Port Declaration was in the final stage and it was his desire for President Muhammadu Buhari to approve the declaration of Ondo Sea Port before leaving office.
On the Akure-Ado Road dualisation, Adegoroye said the contract for the project had been re-awarded but the court action instituted by the former contractor had stalled the execution of the project.
“I know how our people are suffering on that road. My mother is from Ekiti and my father is from Akure. So, I know how crucial that road is to our people in Ondo and Ekiti States. We are not relenting in our efforts on the road.
“Two days ago, I met with the new governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji and we discussed this issue. We resolved to meet with the former contractor in January to see how the issue can be settled out of court so that the project can take off”, the minister added.
Reeling out the activities of his ministry in the last few months, Adegoroye expressed optimism that the ongoing railway network across the country would get to Ondo State, starting from Ore which is part of the ongoing eastern route.
Stressing that President Buhari has done a lot in the transportation sector, the minister added that approval had been given for the reintroduction of mass transit in the country by the president.
Commenting on the 2023 general elections, the minister expressed the readiness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct credible polls, saying that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “is miles ahead of other contenders and is the right person to take over from President Buhari.”
