A philanthropist and founder of the Opeyemi Falegan Foundation, Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan (ODF), has faulted the decision of the Ekiti state government to construct a second flyover in the state capital for a whopping sum of N16.9 billion.
Falegan, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Thursday, explained that the economic situation in the country does not support the kind of project in a state like Ekiti, which is struggling to boost its economy.
He suggested that rather than committing such an amount for the flyover project, the government should invest in mechanised farming for the development of the agriculture value chain and to ensure food security in the state.
According to him, the increasing hunger in society should be an eye-opener for every government at all levels to initiate policies and programmes towards making agriculture more attractive for the people, especially the youth.
He said, “Building a second flyover now is selfish, insincere, callous and deceptive. Pretending to love the people by embarking on a white elephant project that has no direct benefit to people’s welfare or the economic value of the state
” It shows that the Governor does not know the needs of the people. It is nothing but a selfish agenda and another conduit pipe to syphon the Ekiti people’s funds.
“The funds could be channelled towards sustainable agricultural mechanisation (mechanised arming), which will significantly contribute to the development of value chains and food systems in Ekiti State, and has the potential to render post-harvest, processing, and marketing activities within and even outside the state.
“It would reduce poverty, achieve food security while improving people’s livelihoods, and also create employment for our people.
“Agriculture should be made a priority of any well-focused government now that there is so much hunger in the land.”
Falegan noted that internal roads in the state are in bad shape, urging the government to begin construction and rehabilitation of the roads to boost the state’s agricultural value chain.
The governor stated last week, while flagging off the payment of compensation to property owners that will be affected by the flyover project between Ajilosun and Okeiyinmi, that part of the kernel objective and focus of his administration is to make the Ado-Ekiti metropolis an epicentre of flagship infrastructure that would buoy businesses, attract investors, and make it befitting of its status as a capital city.
The governor, represented by his deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, added that the project would decongest Ado-Ekiti of the traffic snarl being envisaged within the business district area in the future and ease the means of doing business in the metropolis.
He said, “One of the driving objectives of this administration is to make Ado-Ekiti, among the communities of states’ capitals in Nigeria, a smarter city with well-built infrastructure that will improve the socio-economic development of the state.
“Hence, the construction of the flyover is part of the commitment of my administration to provide solid infrastructure to ease the means of doing business in the State Capital.
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