Lifestyle

Ekiti Govt Recognises Olukere As Oba, Grants Autonomy To Odo Oja Community Of Ikere Ekiti

By Web News 1636

The Ekiti State Government has granted autonomy to Odo Oja Community in Ikere Ekiti and subsequently recognized its traditional head, the Olukere, as an Oba.

This was consequent upon the implementation of the White Paper of the Chieftaincy Review Commission led by Justice Babajide Aladejana which found merit in the application of the Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti as an autonomous town.

A statement by the Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Adegboyega Morakinyo, the Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti submitted a memorandum to the Commission which recommended it as an independent town and Olukere as its Oba.

“The Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti submitted a memorandum to the Commission including an application for recognition as an autonomous town and its traditional head as an Oba.

“The Commission found merit in the application and further affirmed the eligibility of the Odo Oja Community to be recognized as an autonomous town and its traditional head as Oba.

“In furtherance of the ongoing review of the implementation of the White Paper on the report of the Commission, Government has revisited the recommendation on the application of the Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti.

“Government accepts the recommendation of the Commission. The Odo Oja Community of Ikere Ekiti is accordingly granted autonomous status and its traditional head-Olukere is hereby recognized as an Oba.”

Oriola Afolabi

Economy

Ekiti Govt. Bans Roadside Trading, Relocates Traders

By Web News 520

Ekiti State Government has ordered roadside traders in Ado Ekiti, the State capital, to relocate to approved markets.

The State Commissioner for Information and Values Orientation, Mr. Akin Omole gave the order in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti.

He explained that the directive was for the safety of the people from avoidable accidents, improved hygiene in market places and to forestall preventable outbreak of diseases.

The commissioner highlighted the disadvantages of roadside trading to include avoidable accidents with attendant loss of lives, unhygienic market

environments with health hazards, unnecessary damage of roads,

needless traffic congestion, unkempt view and increase in crime rate.

Mr Omole stated that the order was given after due consultations and in

agreement with the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe.

He added that government officials and a committee set up by the Ewi had been going round to sensitize all stakeholders on the need to relocate to

new and existing markets within the state capital.

The commissioner noted that the directive did not affect traders in approved shops and stalls.

According to him, maize sellers currently on the roads around

Oja Bisi are to move to Awedele market and Agric Olope, Yam Sellers

along Irona to also move to Awedele and Agric Olope while fufu, (akpu) sellers along Okesa market should immediately move to Ajowa market.

Also, all wheelbarrow hawkers and used clothes sellers (okrika) are to move to Agric Olope, new shoes sellers to Awedele market, livestock

(chickens, goats, pigs) to Adere market, soup ingredients to Awedele

market, fruits sellers to Awedele and Agric Olope markets while new

clothes sellers along Ado Streets should relocate to Awedele

and Oja Agric Olope markets.

He however directed all occupiers of Atikankan to vacate the place and relocate to designated markets.

Mr Omole, who stressed the commitment of the Fayemi-led administration to the development of the state and the welfare of the people, however warned that the directive would be strictly enforced without fear or favour, saying that erring traders would be made to face the wrath of the law.

In his remarks, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Rufus Adejugbe said the decision to ban roadside trading was to forestall a repeat of the disaster that occured in nearby Iworoko community when the driver of a

loaded trailer lost control and ran into a market killing many people

and destroying properties worth millions of Naira few years ago.

Oba Adejugbe urged residents of Ado Ekiti to obey the directive in the

interest of all stakeholders.

Amos Ogunrinde

Health

COVID-19: Ekiti Govt. Directs Hospitals to Conduct Test on Patients with Cough, Catarrh

By Web News 663

Ekiti State Government has directed both the private and public hospitals to conduct COVID-19 test on all patients with fever, cough and catarrh starting from the 1st of February. 

The state’s Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani gave the directive in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti.

Dr. Oyebanji Filani explained that the move was part of efforts to curtail the spread of the virus in the State.

According to him, the symptoms of the second wave of Covid-19 is

similar to some other common diseases such as malaria and

respiratory tract infection, adding that it may also be asymptomatic.

The commissioner instructed all Health facilities in the state to contact their respective Local Government Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, LGDSNO for modalities to conduct the COVID-19 test on their patients.

He solicited the support of all stakeholders towards curbing the

virus, emphasizing the need for members of the public to cooperate with healthcare providers to achieve the desired goal.

Dr Filani also warned that the state government would not hesitate to sanction any hospital that fails to comply with government’s directive.

Niyi Alade

Education

Ekiti Govt. Recruits 600 Secondary School Teachers

By Web News 1762

The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi has charged teachers in the state to always display commitment to diligence, excellence and integrity in molding a total child both in academic and moral excellence.

Dr Fayemi gave the charge while flagging off a three- day induction programme for newly recruited secondary school teachers in the state held at saint Louis Grammar school,Ikere Ekiti.

Dr Fayemi, said the process of selecting applicants were transparent, competitive and merit- based regardless of background, gender, religion, political colouration and in some cases state of origin.

The Governor stressed that the quest to build not only best teachers but also produce best schools and best students in every subject can only be achieved with the cooperation and commitment of all stakeholders in the education sector.

He stated that the induction was the first of its kind in the last ten years in the State, adding that his administration was committed to the training and retraining of Ekiti workers.

Earlier, the Chairman, Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, Babatunde Abegunde disclosed that the number of the newly appointed teachers made a 9 percent increase in the current stock of teachers in the State and 3% of the total applicants for the teaching job.

He commended the Governor for not only raising quality and standard of teaching but for demonstrating strong quest to restoring education values in the state.

Some of the new teachers were of the view that the induction course would prepare them for the task ahead in the teaching profession.

The 600 newly recruited teachers were part of the 20,000 candidates that jostled for employment into the State teaching Service Commission as well as those who transferred their service from other cadres to the Commission.

The induction ceremony had in attendance the Head of Service, Mrs Peju Babafemi, Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Adebimpe Aderiye, Special Adviser on Basic and Secondary Education, Professor Francisca Aladejana, Tutor General for Ekiti South, Mrs Ojo Olufunke Rhoda and other top government functionaries.

Tope Bamidele

Crime

EndSARS: Ekiti Govt. Sympathizes with Victims

By Web News 825

Property worth over One Hundred Millions of Naira were looted and vandalized during the END SARS protests which lasted for about ten days on the streets of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital.

At the warehouse of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, in Adehun Ado-Ekiti, items looted included bags of Rice, Beans,  noodles, fridges, Televisions, mattresses, tables, chairs and other relief materials kept for the victims of natural disasters in the state, while office equipment and the building were set on fire by the hoodlums.

About ten buses and a car using for distribution of goods and services by marketers at the Oodua Investment,  Textile market, Awedele Ado-Ekiti were totally vandalized by suspected hoodlums during the hijacked protest against the SARS brutality in the state.

In an interview, the SEMA’s General Manager, Mr. Jide Borode explained that the unfortunate incident happened on Friday evening where the grains stored for planting were also carted away.

Mr. Borode who said that the Agency was not in charge of palliatives, expressed shock that the materials meant for victims of natural disasters were looted by suspected hoodlums.

The Sales and Facility Manager, Oodua Investment, Mr. Olu Ogunride said that the hoodlums made efforts to break into the warehouses in the area but their efforts proved abortive and angrily vandalized the vehicles parked at the premises of the place.

During his unscheduled inspection of the areas where the incident took place, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, expressed shock at the level of damages done and sympathised with the victims of the END SARS protests.

Otunba Egbeyemi advised traders whose property were looted or destroyed to list all the items vandalized in a letter to the government with a view to taking appropriate steps.

The Deputy Governor urged people of the state to always embrace peace and desist from actions that could breed disaffections in the society.

Afolabi Oriola

Education

Ekiti Govt. Distributes Covid-19 Prevention Materials to Public Schools

By Web News 746

Preparatory for next Monday’s resumption of schools in Ekiti, the state government has distributed COVID-19 materials worth millions of Naira to the 908 public primary schools.

Chairman, Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB),  Professor Femi Akinwumi, who supervised the distribution of the items in Ado-Ekiti, urged teachers in the state to utilize the materials to protect school children from COVID-19 virus.

He said apart from promoting hand washing and hygienic practices among pupils, teachers and head-teachers owed it a duty in ensuring that their schools were clean at all times.  

The SUBEB boss urged teachers to become advocates for disease prevention and control at home, in school and in their communities by talking to others about how to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

Professor Akinwumi commended Governor Fayemi for his efforts to make schools in state safe for resumption.

Responding after receiving the materials, the Education Secretary for Ado-Ekiti Local Government, Mr Omotosho and his counterpart in  Irepodun/Irepodun Council Area,  Mr Adebayo Falola pledged that education secretaries in the 16 local governments would ensure that the materials were effectively used and maintained.

 Items distributed were, 908 Infared thermometers ,908 Spray pumps , 5, 448 Veronica buckets ,10,800 bottles  of herbicides, 5, 448 bottles of liquid soap and 7, 280 packs of NAFDAC certified  alcohol based hand sanitizers.

Governor Kayode Fayemi had during his recent broadcast announced that students in SS 2, JSS 3 and Primary 6 would resume next week Monday. September 21.

Ogunrinde Amos