By Folarin Oguntoyinbo
I congratulate Mr Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji (BAO), the new governor of Ekiti State and I’m happy to make the following suggestions to assist the government to achieve excellence:
1.The greatest challenges facing our people in Ekiti are poverty, ignorance, disease and insecurity.
2.These problems are products of lack of adequate planning, corruption and neglect that have resulted in a state of infrastructural comatose, deficiency and stunted growth which we now see in all sectors as well as resulted in very low quality of life.
3.The new government must critically identify methods to empower our people through creation of well-paying jobs. Policies that will support massive private sector job creation should be given adequate attention. The best option is to stimulate the formal sector that government can monitor, grow and collect taxes from. The global players in all sectors must be attracted to Ekiti, especially now that the airport is almost completed.
4.The government must have a plan for deployment of massive infrastructural development. There must be modernization and regeneration policy to support creation of ultra-modern shopping malls, estates, parks, water management system and electrification
5.Reduction of power poverty: Power drives the modern economy; the government can partner with the private sector to drive solar power generation for domestic and industrial power needs. Maximize the advantage of hydro and mountain potential in power generation. Invest in gas-power turbines, ABUAD power plant is an example. The government can learn from the experience of Nepal’s hydro-power revolution. There are Ekiti people that can help to have an excellent power and energy road mark for the state.
6.Job creation requires skills and entrepreneurial experience. At the moment, our school curriculum does not empower young people with skills to create wealth. Secondary school curriculum must give skills that empower them to create, innovate, produce, grow plants, handle animals, sell, save and establish businesses as early as possible. During my days in Christ’s School, Ado-Ekiti, I learned, agriculture, metal work, woodwork and technical drawing. These skills are currently benefiting me even as a Professor of Microbiology.
7.The university should stop wasting people’s time and resources. Many of the programmes that the government is funding in the universities are no longer relevant and necessary. Universities must make an impact on wealth creation and prosperity of Ekiti. The state agriculture, food processing, mining, tourism, road construction etc must be built on the knowledge generated from our universities. At the moment, our professors are just theory teachers, while the government pays them to do research and service that are not impactful. The government must sincerely pursue a knowledge-based economy centred around the universities and engage professors to be part of problem-solving in Ekiti.
8.Modern economy only thrives in a beautiful, clean, liveable, decent and organised environment. The following must be urgently done: Strict-building codes; Ado-Ekiti roads maintenance and communities connecting roads must be given adequate attention. The cheaper option of direct labour for road construction, material sourcing and sustainable technology can be used to quickly tar many roads. The Ebonyi State road construction using concrete paving is an example that can be adapted.
9.Working people should be encouraged to create additional wealth, through investment in property and Ekiti production network. The private sector-led modern estates and deliberate policies that can add value to Ekiti land must be encouraged.
10. Only a healthy population creates wealth. Adequate attention must focus on public health. Components of these are a. sanitation, b. availability of potable water c. healthy nutritional intake etc. Ekiti health insurance must be given adequate attention, sustainable and transparent school feeding programme for the children of the poor is important.
11.Our people must be engaged with sporting activities both in schools and communities. The events of sports create healthy population, jobs and prosperity. We already have competitive advantage in athletics, football and volleyball. I advise the government to maximize the advantage of sporting activities. Sport events and our tourism should be integrated and supported as business.
12.On security, adequate policing, empowerment of community policing, use of technology and youth employment/empowerment are important to reduce insecurity. The government must demonstrate leadership on values, reward systems and punishment of offences. These are important to have a just society where citizens will see themselves as part of the progress and development.
13.The government must constitute a very strong economic team that can critically develop competitive local and international finance programmes, funding, aggressive income generation system, investments and identification of business opportunities
14.Ekiti agricultural potential is enormous. Government should help farmers and project them as businessmen to create wealth and prosperity. Postharvest value addition and agro-business must take a centre stage in the government. The government should have a proper Ekiti economic branding in partnership with the private sector. Why can’t we have Ekiti chocolate, Ekiti beer, Ekiti granite, Ekiti fruit juice, Ekiti furniture just the way we have Gossy Water? Our economic fingerprint and brand must be very strong and projected globally.
15. There is an urgent need to develop standards for everything we do. All projects and plans must follow international standards. All artisan, labourers must be certified and their database developed. This is the only way to attract international people to the state. For example, our tourism potential can only be realised if we have standards for events, hotels, safety, security, sanitation, roads and traffic that must be of global standard. Ekiti cannot drive tourism if okada is the mode of transportation. Ado and Ekiti can easily and efficiently be transported by a few buses and cars under a standard regulation.
16.The government must have internal and external evaluation mechanisms to critically and truthfully appraise itself. Four years is a very short time.
17.Ekiti has one of the largest pool of diasporans. They must be passionately encouraged to visit home, support the tourism and entertainment industries. Government must have a mechanism to guarantee their safety, make sure they can enjoy their stay in Ekiti, supported to bring their network, investment and contribute to the progress of the state. Diaspora advantage is a good opportunity the government must passionately embrace and pursue. We can get Ekiti of our dreams. Everything stands and falls on leadership.
•Prof Oguntoyinbo is of the Department of Chemistry and Fermentation Sciences, Appalachian State University, Boone, North Carolina, United States.