From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Former chairman of the old Ilaje Ese-Odo local government area of Ondo State, Olusola Ebiseni, has promised to maximize available natural resources to transform the state if elected governor.
Ebiseni, made the promise shortly after collecting his expression of interest and nomination forms at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP headquarters in Abuja.
The governorship hopeful expressed regrets that the status of Ondo as an oil producing state, has not in anyway reflected in the economy of the state.
“Let me say this, that governance is a continuum. And therefore like every aspect of our social existence, we will make our contributions.
“What would I do differently? I told you i have served as commissioner three times, I have served as chairman of local government, but I have not been the captain of the ship. What I will do differently is to move the state economically from a civil service state, in terms of economic status.
“Not withstanding the fact that we are an oil-producing state, that does not reflect in the economy of the state.
“How then do we intend to take advantage of our God-given natural resources? We must enlarge the economy and diversify opportunities for our people,” he promised.
Ebiseni added that” in the South-West, there are certain things we take for granted. We take free education for granted, we take free health services for granted, we take some social welfare program for granted.
“We can not afford to commercialize education in our state. We cannot afford to consign women to a death sentence because they want to deliver babies.
“What this administration inherited was a mother and child care. When a woman walks into the hospital, even with caesarean operation, she would deliver freely, without paying a dime.
“All of these have been commercialized and our women are now made to patronized quacks with unnecessary fatalities.”