The Alliance for Democracy (AD) Governorship Candidate in Ondo State,
Chief Olusola Oke, has said that the state is worst hit by the present
economic recession due to lack of deliberate efforts by the government to
lead in industrial drive.
Oke said the effect of the present economic recession was worsened in Ondo
State with refusal of the state government to save for the rainy day by
frittering away all revenues that had accrued to it in the last seven and
half years.
According to him, the present administration squandered the resources of
the state and the funds it borrowed from the capital market and other
sources in addition to killing all avenues to generate money and left the
state and its people in abject poverty.
The AD candidate, speaking during a meeting with a youth group, Concerned
Ondo State Youths, in Akure, the state capital, said the youths were worst
hit as a vast majority of them remained unemployed and victims of social
vices.
He said: “Any state where there is no production and commerce is at low
ebb as Ondo State suffers poverty hence the large scale unemployment, huge
indebtedness of the state government and inability to pay workers’
salaries for an upward of six months”.
The AD flagbearer, who said: “Ondo State has no business with joblessness
and poverty in view of its endowment, listed moribund and abandoned
agro-allied industries and life-transforming projects in the state to
include Olokola project; Cocoa Processing Company, Ile Oluji; Cassava
Processing, Ikoya; Fisheries, Akure; and Alfa 3D, Ikare Akoko.
He charged the younger generation not to shirk in their responsibility to
ensure good governance through voting in the candidate that could change
the fortunes of the state positively at the polls.
Oke, who described himself as God-sent to save Ondo state from collapse,
lamented that life is hard for people of the state at present owing to the
deliberate policies of the state government to kill industrialisation and
that of the Federal Government which resulted in hike in the prices of
good and commodities.
“The leadership has been tyrannical because there is no one to challenge
those in positions. The leadership is lacking in vision and direction,
hence the inability to harness the vast resources of the state for the
benefit of the people. But I see light at the end of the tunnel. Ondo
State will sing a new song again.
“I will transform the state from its present mono eco-economy to
multi-economy through diversification into agro-business, employment
generation and industrialisation through provision of necessary conducive
environment to attract investors and capacity-building-driven education,”
Oke said.