Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State says his administration would leave no stone unturned in its determination to eradicate poverty and improve the welfare of the people in the state.

Mr Akeredolu, who disclosed this in a statement in Lagos, said the state would sustain its leadership in fiscal transparency, accountability and poverty reduction, which the people had affirmed.

“Our administration is committed to lifting people out of poverty, securing the lives and property of Ondo state residents and ensuring that we build a better economy for everyone in the state,” Mr Akeredolu.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) report, based on data from the World Bank, recently highlighted the economic impact of the REDEEMED agenda of the Akeredolu administration and measures adopted for poverty reduction.

Among the 36 states of the federation, Ondo state has the lowest multidimensional poverty index in 2022.

According to Mr Akeredolu, the low poverty index in Ondo is a testament that target plans matched to the sustainable development goals are improving the state’s economy and reducing poverty.

He said his government’s belief in free markets and the people’s ingenuity led to the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA), which was dedicated to fostering an inclusive and stimulating economic development agenda.

He said such an agenda targeted funding, digitalisation, skills acquisition, education, value exchange and human capital development.

Mr Akeredolu said that ONDEA had also prioritised the empowerment of micro and macro entrepreneurs, adding that the state had been reaping their fruits.

“In our efforts to transition the state to an industrial state, our initiatives like the Oil Palm, Red Gold Initiative have created over 5,000 jobs.

“Ondo-Linyi Industrial Park in Ọrẹ has created over 2,000 jobs, the afforestation revitalisation scheme has generated over 1, 000 jobs. There are also other private concerns in the state doing the same.

“We did not get our enviable position by accident. Our painstaking investment in teacher recruitment and massive recruitment into the Amotekun Corps contributed to this good rating.

“For us in Ondo state, it was double honours, as this good rating did not come to us in isolation,” he said.

Mr Akeredolu’s REDEEMED agenda is the developmental policy thrust of his second term.

(NAN)