By Akintunde Jacobs, Akure
The National Vice Chairman (Southwest) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), also an aspirant in the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo state, Issac Kekemeke has promised to industrialize the state in order to provide jobs opportunity for the teeming unemployed youths, if elected as governor.
Kekemeke, who spoke at a press conference on Tuesday held at the Ondo NUJ Press Centre, Alagbaka, Akure said the reason why he joined the Ondo governorship race was to make government seeable, touchable and feelable, so much so that the pain of one will be the pain of all.
He said; “My administration will establish agro-allied industries where the products from the farms will be utilized as raw materials, cottage industries will be established in various parts of the state harness available natural resources.
“Some of the industries to be established include; yam and plantain flour, fish, gin distillery, palm wine bottling, gbanunu, cottage oil palm mills, chocolate, feed mill among others.”
“As a state, we can no longer afford to amuse ourselves with bare pettiness, low sentiments, and prejudices that have rudely arrested our growth and development. We need d leadership for the state, a leadership not only for a segment of the state but for the whole state.
“Ondo state needs a leadership that sufficiently understands the philosophy of the present Federal government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and its Renewed Hope Programme for effective partnership and collaboration; a leadership that will uphold the tenets and ideals of good governance bequeathed to us by Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Pa. Michael Adekunle Ajasin and others.
“I have received enquiries from far and near, from within and outside of Ondo state on my take in the Ondo 2024 governorship election. Others have pungently urged me to run I am grateful for these concerns and today I affirm my participation in the governorship primary election of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“I offer myself as a man tested and prepared to take on this onerous task of steering the affairs of our state as governor. My antecedents and pedigree recommend me. My services to our state in the past and even now is my testimonial. Evidently, as former Secretary to State Government (SSG), former Attorney General, former Commissioner, Works, Lands and Housing, Minority Leader in the State House of Assembly, National Examinations Council Board Chairman, pioneer APC State Chairman, and at present APC National Vice Chairman South-West, I have not let you down.
“Our codified programmes elaborately set out in our agenda for prosperity and peace which we unveil today will ensure an industrial take-off of Ondo State through prioritised investment in human and natural endowments in the state, change its current “Civil Service” status, grow the revenue base of the state with corresponding increase in government spending for the good of the people.
“We offer free and compulsory primary education, free secondary school education, highly subsidised tertiary education, quality health services for all including the establishment of a pharmaceutical company and the “Ibile” hospital. Our programme includes availability of food and employment opportunities through the civil farmer (agbe olowo osu) and the establishment of small scale agro-allied industries.
“Boosting tourism through the Idanre hilltop road, Fagunwa literary village, rehabilitation of Ebomi lake and transformation of our beautiful Araromi seaside will be undertaken. As can be gleaned from our programme, the protection and promotion of the interest of our women and youth through intentional programs of interest free loans and empowerment are a priority.
“The Ondo state of my dream is one where we make business and create jobs for our teeming youth out of every of our natural resource. The state of my dream is a state where no one needs to see or know the governor or anyone in government to feel the impact of the government.”