Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu,SAN, has vowed to continue to keep expanding the frontiers of his administration’s developmental efforts and sustain the delivery of dividends of good governance to the teeming population of the State.
Governor Akeredolu assured that his second term would not be for holiday but for more legacy projects, adding that, he will not to rest on his laurels.
The Governor spoke at the 1st Working Day Prayer meeting for the Year 2021, held at the premises of Governor’s Office, Akure on Monday, January 4, 2021.
At the prayer meeting, black arm band was worn by the people in honor of public officers who passed on in recent time, including the Chief of Protocol, Tosin Ogunbodede Esq.
Governor Akeredolu said despite the sad occurrence occasioned by the death of the CoP and the lure to suspend the annual first working day prayer meeting, it became imperative to ensure the program was held to show the devil that he will never win.
“Holding this prayer meeting was to tell the devil that he did not win. We will triumph. We are being tested, we will surmount this test. We will overcome. We shall overcome. We have lost five of us . I want us to observe two minutes silence for the repose of their soul.” Governor Akeredolu said.
He said in spite of the economic challenges, he is resolute in creating and expanding infrastructures across the nook and cranny of the State.
The Governor said his administration is also putting in place an industrial base which has been acknowledged nationally and also rejuvenating the educational and health institutions and empowering the vulnerables, among other efforts.
While highlighting the challenges experienced in 2020, especially the global COVID-19 Pandemic, the #EndSARS protests and all forms of security challenges, Arakunrin Akeredolu said the challenges could only have been tamed the way it was in the State by the good hands of God.
“In a similar vein, God also in His infinite mercies, led us peacefully through the conduct of the 2020 Gubernatorial Election in the State. Looking back, we have every cause to thank God.”
Governor Akeredolu who described the year 2021 as a significant year as his administration will commence its second term on 24th February, 2021 in actualization of its lofty programmes, said the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and insecurity are still around and in the midst of which all necessary sacrifices and precautions to keep thr State going must be bore.
He enjoined all public servants to continue to render their statutory services, diligently, stressing that the civil servants can bear witness that in the face of the obvious constraints occasioned by externalities, his administration has ensured prompt promotion and general workers’ welfare.
“Do not expect anything less! I must, however, reiterate that the dictates of the current realities call for sacrifice. As a people, we should be prepared to continually bear the sacrifices of our home-grown efforts to generate resources for the overall development of our dear State.
“We will continue to sustain our efforts at containing the new wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic and rise up to the prevailing security challenges, facing us.”