Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State says his administration has recorded significant achievements in key sectors of the economy, reducing the state’s domestic debt profile by 82.6 per cent in its first 18 months in office.

The chief press secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, made this known during a quarterly media briefing on the governor’s activities held at the NUJ Press Centre in Akure.

Mr Adeniyan stated that the administration’s governance agenda, tagged “OUR EASE,” focuses on ease of governance across infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, security, and the public service.

According to him, prudent financial management led to the record 82.6 per cent debt reduction, “which represents the highest percentage reduction in the country.”

He added that the state had cleared all inherited salary arrears owed to civil servants and former political office holders, as well as gratuities owed to retirees.

On the health sector, Mr Adeniyan revealed that the state recruited over 2,000 health professionals and was the first in the South-West to implement enhanced CONMESS and CONHESS allowances, supported by a N1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund.

On education, he noted that the government recruited 1,010 secondary school teachers and 1,100 primary school teachers, revived the free school shuttle buses and boats, paid WAEC fees for public school students, and cleared salary backlogs at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo.

Mr Adeniyan also highlighted recent interventions, including a 60 per cent increase in monthly subventions to state tertiary institutions, the approval of the FG-ASUU salary agreement, and the commitment of over N1 billion to the new Senate Building at the University of Medical Sciences, Ondo.

He added that the administration had installed 5,000 solar streetlights, initiated the Akure Water Supply and Sanitation Project, revived the Owena Dam project, and constructed concrete jetties in riverine areas.

He further disclosed that over N10 billion had been committed to agriculture, empowering more than 500 youths in modern farming, opening up farmlands, and promoting EU-compliant cocoa production for export.

Mr Adeniyan reaffirmed the governor’s commitment to placing the people first, sustaining fiscal discipline, and expanding economic opportunities across the state’s 18 local government areas. 

(NAN)