Mimiko, Akeredolu, Oke harp on girl-child education

Jamiu Yisa

The governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Rotimi Akeredolu, that of the Labour Party, LP, Olusegun Mimiko  and People’s Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Olusola Oke, have identified girl child education and women empowerment as one of their major priorities if voted into office in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State.

The governorship candidates who said this during the live debate organised by the Nigeria Election Debate Group and aired on Africa Independent Television, AIT, Thursday, highlighted their different developmental programmes for the women folk.

Akeredolu, ACN  candidate in the election, said that the women have been highly impoverished in Ondo State by the LP government, adding that his administration would make them go into coorperative societies, provide them loans to engage in any kind of business they desire while the girl child will be educated to the highest level.

He said  his administration would not pay lip service to the issue of agriculture but do what is right by providing conducive environment for farmers, open up roads to the farms and purse programmes that will attract the youths into farming.“The issue of constructing a seaport in Ondo is not only do-able but imperative. This is what the present government has failed to do. What we have in this state is wealth untapped. All the money in OSOPADEC is frittered away by the government in power. All these I will do within four years.

“On health, this state is lagging behind. What we have is one single project, mother and child in Akure. There is no basic primary health care centre and enough manpower. What we need is a modern health care programme to take care of our health needs,” he said.

He said in his campaign, he has traversed the length and breadth of Ondo State and he has found out that a lot still needs to be done to improve a  lot of  things in the state.“We have also observed that what we need in this state is good road network, employment, water. It is important to improve the agricultural sector of the economy. What we have seen while traversing the length and breadth of the state is that it is begging for true development and my party, the ACN, is ready to provide all these,” he assured.He condemned Mimiko’s mega school initiative, adding that two higher institutions in the state, Rufus Giwa Polytechnic and Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba, have been closed down.

He said his administration would cultural festivals in different towns in the state to promote tourism and generate funds for the state.

PDP candidate, Olusola Oke said that his administration would expose the women folk to opportunities to excel in their different ventures while girl child education would be tremendously enhanced.“The mega school concept is a misnomer. The teachers are being short-changed in Ondo and what we have today in Ondo is tension because they are demoralised. My administration will not pay lip service to the issue of tourism. We will develop all the potentials available in this regard for the benefit of the good people of the state.“

“Ondo State has failed to explore its agricultural potentials. What we need do is to create an agricultural village, provide modern equipment and make mechanised farming attractive and dignifying to the people.

“Seaport is do-able and could have been done by the present government. We have short-listed four companies in this regard as soon as we get into government. It is important and imperative  to provide a conducive atmosphere for a seaport in Ondo State,” he said.

Mimiko, LP’s incumbent governor, said work is at an advanced stage by his administration to provide a seaport in Ondo State, adding that it will be delivered in the next four years.

He said that with the current health care programme put in place by his administration, pregnancy will never be a death sentence in the state.

He said his Abiye health programme is a home grown concept to tackle maternal mortality and it is well recognised both locally and internationally.

He said his government has been able to achieve unprecedented peace with the procurement of armoured personnel carriers, body armour for policemen as well as  joint patrol by security forces in all the senatorial districts in the state.