Former Minister of Agriculture, General Alani Akinrinade (rtd), has urged the Ekiti State people to be thankful to the outgoing Governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for expending the state’s resources on its transformation, rather than diverting it for personal use.
The former minister, who gave the charge during the commissioning of the State College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture, Isan Ekiti and Fountpar Food Processing Company in Ayedun Ekiti on Tuesday, said the people should be thankful that Fayemi worked for them and did not pocket the funds.
Akinrinade, who was also a former Minister of Industries, stressed that Ekiti State people may not at present appreciate the various people-oriented projects of the outgoing government, the efforts of the outgoing administration would one day become a reference in the state.
While speaking on the cassava processing factory, the retired General said the contributions of Governors Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi have translated the much talk about theory of agriculture into practical by establishing the factory through a public private partnership arrangement.
He said: “”With the help of enlightened people, development all over the world in agriculture and industry and in economic development, from your Governors, Segun Oni and Dr. Fayemi, we start seeing the practical aspect of what we have been preaching in theory.
“Mr. Governor, I thank you for the many other things I am seeing in Ekiti.
“It shows the courageous and always ready to serve Ekiti spirit.
“I know your governor has done a lot in four years and this morning I asked him if these were products of four years.
“I am surprised.
“I am sure Ekiti people will also recognise that you have a governor who worked for you and not for his pocket.”
Akinrinade expressed optimism that other states can take a cue from Ekiti State as an example of what is possible in pulling the country out of poverty through the exploitation of agricultural resources.
He expressed joy that cassava farmers, who were once discouraged from cultivating more cassava, can now form a synergy that will translate their outputs into more useful end products.
Akinrinade, who commissioned the newly established College of Agriculture, said he was convinced that Fayemi had good plans for the state as manifested in the transformation brought to the agriculture sector.
In his remarks, Governor Fayemi said the cassava factory is a testimony to the development of the state through a PPP arrangement in order to create wealth and banish poverty from the state.
The governor said the commitment of his government to the sector is not unconnected to the fact that aside education, agriculture is the mainstay of the state’s economy.
Dr. Fayemi added that the project would move the state closer to actualising the vision of having many Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the state.
He disclosed that the Federal Government was planning to establish a rice processing factory in the State to boost rice production in the Ekiti.
Earlier, the statue of the late former Deputy Governor, Funmi Olayinka, was unveiled at the Funmi Olayinka Civic Centre named after her.
The civic centre, which is still under construction, was initiated as one of the legacy projects of the outgoing administration.
Unveiling the statue, the first daughter of the late Olayinka, Yeside Agboola, thanked the Fayemi-led government for the honour given her mother.
Agboola said the administration had indeed shown that it recognized the contributions of the late Deputy Governor.