By John Odunayo
The opposition Peoples Democratic Party and Social Democratic Party in Ekiti State have differed over the state of infrastructures in the state following the increase in the monthly allocations to the state from the Federation Account.
While SDP State Chairman, Dr Bamidele Ekunola, says there is improvement in the infrastructures in the state following the increase, the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, says there is no marked difference between what obtained when there was no enough allocation and now.
The SDP Chairman, Ekunola, said, “There is significant improvement. On road projects, the governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has been trying. Of recent, he is the only governor that has tried apart from Segun Oni on the issue of road construction. I see progress in the ongoing construction of flyover bridge in Ado Ekiti, I was in the area some days ago, the project is moving.
“Again, the governor has extended road projects to some localities. After Christmas, he flagged off construction of Okemesi – Itawure Road rehabilitation project and some other areas. We had thought he would stop in Ado Ekiti, but he has pushed road projects to some other localities – this should be gain of the huge allocations he now collects.
“On education, I think the governor has tried too. I see some renovations here and there in some schools. Also, workshops and seminars are being organized for some teachers too”.
Ekunola hailed Oyebanji for completing projects initiated by his predecessors, saying, I give kudos to him because most of our governors have not been doing such. They would just abandon such projects and go to start theirs. He is completing those ones by former governors and at the same time working on his projects. There is significant improvement in infrastructures,” the SDP Chairman said.
But the PDP spokesperson, Adebayo, disagreed, saying, “The situation we have in Ekiti State is that there is no difference, there is nothing to show for any increase in allocation from Federation Account”.
Adebayo said, “If it’s true that governor’s are getting bigger allocations, then definitely, the money being given to Ekiti State is being squandered or being shared by those people in government because there is no significant development that can justify any huge allocation.
“It is the same thing that had been happening when there was no enough money that is still happening. For instance, the government still owes pensioners, salaries arrears and as well subvention. So, nothing has improved. It is also the same or even worse for infrastructures.
“Most of the road constructions are concentrated in Ado Ekiti as it used to be. Subsequent governments have been doing that. Look at water, even the World Bank-assisted water project that was launched during the immediate past administration has been bastardized and nothing is coming out.
“The Ero Dam where water used to come from had not been supplying water to any place again for the past over one year because they said the transformer there has collapsed and government is not doing anything about it.
“There is no improvement that can justify increased allocation to Ekiti State,” the PDP spokesperson said.
However, Oyebanji, who said he would continue to serve Ekiti with fear of God, said that the state had witnessed leap in growth and development, adding, “We are able to do what we are doing in Ekiti State because we have an increase in allocations at all levels.
“These allocations wouldn’t have been possible if the President, Bola Tinubu, had not removed fuel subsidy. These are painful decisions, but there is no country in the world that eats its yam sets and would not pay for it. What President Tinubu is telling us is that we should not eat our yam sets, that we should invest them”.
