Ekiti accuses govt of withholding ecological funds• EKITI State government Thursday accused the Federal Government of denying the state of ecological fund meant to address flooding and other ecological problems in parts of the state. The state Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr. Paul Omotoso, who disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing in Ado-Ekiti, said despite the fact that the state has a legitimate right to it, the state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi had on several occasions pursued the fund without any success. According to him, “Some of our communities are being ravaged by flooding and other ecological challenges but the state has been denied of the fund by the Federal Government despite the fact that it is our right. The federation account has never taken care of cognisance of the fact that we need ecological problems. Instead of the Federal Government to assist us, they are not doing anything. It is a legitimate right, we should not be begging for it. Omotoso disclosed that to confront ecological challenges that might arise from this year, the local councils had created a special project fund tagged “Community Development Fund.” He listed Efon, Gbonyin and Ado local councils as some of the local government areas in the state suffering ecological problems. The commissioner, who also said the government had concluded plans to construct a modern neighbourhood market in each of the 16 local council headquarters in the state, said that sites for the proposed markets have been located and inspected for suitability, adding that bids have also been received from prospective contractors. Assuring that the initiative would boost economic activities in the state; Omotoso said that the design of the markets would ensure security to lives and property with the provision of perimeter fence and gatehouse in each of the markets. He highlighted the features of each of the markets to include 28 lock-up shops, 60 open stores, 16 toilets and six urinals while the external pavement will have asphalt overlay or interlocking stones. Omotoso disclosed that the state government in conjunction with the local councils have set machinery in motion for the construction of another 96 kilometres of roads spread across the 16 local councils of the state under the second phase of the Fayemi administration’s five-kilometer road projects. He said the township roads development project would bring the total length of local government roads constructed under the Fayemi administration to 176 kilometers. »» DBJames. £
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:06:29 +0000
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