From News Editor
In a bid to ramp up development and rev up the pedal of economic growth at the grassroots level in Ekiti State, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, has begun the construction of rural roads in Ekiti Central Senatorial District.
Bamidele expressed his unflagging commitment to coalesce actions and align project execution with Governor Biodun Oyebanji to expand the scope of development of the rural economy that can transform the lives of the populace.
The Senator gave the commitment in Igede Ekiti, headquarters of Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government, on Saturday, while inspecting the construction of a rural road in Aaye Quarters, as part of his constituency projects in Ekiti Central Senatorial District .
Senator Bamidele, represented by his Senior Legislative Assistant, Hon. Bummi Oguntuase, described rural development as a strong and pivotal pillar in the Governor Oyebanji’s policy thrust, saying keying into the programme will shore up provision of public utilities at the grassroots.
Senator Bamidele stressed the expediency of provision of basic amenities in the rural areas to tackle the perennial and spiralling cases of rural-urban drift, huge concentration burdens on Ado Ekiti metropolis and increasing poverty, due to impeded access to modernity.
The Senate Leader assured that all the five local governments in the district will benefit from the programme targeted at expanding the scope of economic potential of the rural dwellers.
“My focus is to partner Governor Biodun Oyebanji to open our rural areas. I know that RAAMP programme has helped in exposing our rural farms to better accessibility through aggressive grading of roads to our farms, so that farmers can easily transport their proceeds to the market centres.
“But there was an imperative of us making the rural towns also enjoy modern touches through access to basic public utilities like roads, water and electricity. We know that the state government can’t do it alone. There must be collaboration. This is exactly what Senator Bamidele is trying to achieve.
“Experience has shown that Ado Ekiti capital city is becoming excessively overpopulated because of over concentration of our productive population in that town. There is serious concentration burdens on our facilities.
“But if these basic facilities are provided in remote and rural towns, there is nothing wrong in someone working in Ado Ekiti and be resident in Igede , Aramoko, Ijero, Efon Alaaye, or anywhere in Ekiti Central Senatorial District”, the Senate Leader said.
Senator Bamidele appealed to the contractor handling the project to comply with specifications, do quality job and deliver within the time frame for the road to be completed, for the citizens to enjoy democracy dividends at the rural setting.
