Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, the immediate past governor of Ondo state, has said that one of the insurmountable challenges his administration faced in its eight years of administering the state, was its inability to pay salaries as at when due. At the last count, his administration owed workers seven months salaries.
Dr Mimiko in his farewell broadcast to the people of the state pleaded with them to extend their full support to ‘our incoming governor’, Arakunrin (Mr) Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
He said: “We have recorded successes and also have our own measure of insurmountable challenges among which is the inability to pay salaries as at when due.
“We have made friends and admirers, we have also attracted detractors.
‘’We have not targeted anybody or institution for witch-hunt but have been true to our determination of ensuring that the interest of the greatest number of people is the determinant of all the decisions and choices we made.
“My good people of Ondo State, to everything there is a season, so the holy book says. It is time now for me to go, having enjoyed the unique privilege of serving as your Governor these past eight years.
“I thank you for your support. I thank you for believing in me, and standing by me through thick and thin. I value your support and friendship at all times.
“By God’s own special grace, I will continue to repay the honour you did me by standing up in your support at all times. I pledge to remain a part of our communities even outside of government.
“What remains for me is to enjoin you, in the name of God, and for the good of our State, to extend your full support to our incoming Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.
“ It is imperative we do this so as to keep our State firmly on the path of peace and progress on which it has been for the past eight years.
“May I then commit you all, the entire citizenry of Ondo State, our Sunshine State, our Place of Pride, into the safe hands of the Almighty God, on whose shoulder the governance of our State has rested these past eight years.
“To the glory of God, we made Ondo State the most peaceful State not just in the Niger Delta and the South-West, but arguably across the entire nation.
“We enhanced the self-confidence of students in our higher institutions, which has propelled them to the top of their game, either in the Law School, or the debating halls across the country.
“Our women no longer cut the destitute image as they ply their trade having now modern, clean and inviting facilities and stalls built across the State for their use.
“Our traditional institutions have been accorded their rightful place in the scheme of things as key players in the administration of our communities.
“I cannot thank the royal fathers enough for the way they partnered with us these past eight years in the determination to make our State the safest in the nation.
“Ondo State has not only done well, it has indeed become a benchmark across the globe in several of our well-conceived and well-delivered programs.
“It is now time to go and turn over the baton of state to another governor.’’
Dr Mimiko recalled some of the programs that have in the past eight years has set the State apart.
They include: Intervention in infrastructure like mega schools,the Abiye Safe Motherhood program, urban renewal, agriculture, independent power project, the Agbebiye program and investment in the Oil and Gas exploitation.
Others according to him include the kick starting of the Ondo State Government’s exclusively owned Free Trade Zone; seeking a credible investor in developing a Deep Sea Port; securing of license for the exploitation of the state’s bitumen deposit and signing Memorandum of Understanding with notable bitumen exploration companies.
Dr Mimiko said the State Government recently secured a $57million facility from the French Development Agency for reticulation, transmission and distribution of potable water from Owena Dam.
