Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayem, has launched a 50- year development plan that would guide the policy thrust of the government, saying the State would need a staggering sum of $50 billion to implement the economic masterplan.
Fayemi spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Friday, during the official launch and presentation of the Ekiti State Development Plan 2022-2050, admonishing the incoming government to implement it accordingly.
According to him, ” If this plan must succeed, it must not be seen as Ekiti government, Biodun Oyebanji or civil service plan, every segment of our population must take ownership of the plan, since they contributed to its development and run with the document.
“The people must insist on its implemention according to the timeline that has been provided in the document as well as the expectation articulated. Ekiti will need $50bn to be able to implement the economic master plan and this requires outside the box thinking to meet”.
Fayemi, who harped on the imperative of the incoming government wholesomely adopting the document said; “I believe the it will have the privilege of using the plan, which is a product of collective thinking to further propel Ekiti State to the much desired destination of irreversible prosperity, peace and progress.
“The success of this plan, therefore depends largely on discipline in implementation, discipline in finance, discipline in monitoring and evaluation. The successive governments must be committed to it and implement it accordingly as we all pray for a state where poverty is history”.
The governor added that the development plan was deliberately crafted to achieve various outcomes like mitigating current and anticipated future global threats as learned after Covid-19 pandemic.
“It also a new strategy for tackling unemployment and improving productivity toward prosperity, to achieve improved quality of life for the citizenry, enhance coordination of government activities, sectors planning, budgeting and performance review processing.
“And to provide state leadership and successive administration with a detailed direction of it’s productivity, competitiveness, vision and strategy required for implementing and economic and social investment”.
Also, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Hon Femi Ajayi ,said the development plan, which he described as all- inclusive will be easy to implement due to the involvement of critical stakeholders in its development.
The stakeholders according to Ajayi included, the Diaspora, State Executive Council, Legislature, the Judiciary, political parties representatives, organised private sector, Civil Society Organizations, Community Development Associations, Women, Youth, Academia, Traditional Rulers, Public service among others.
Fayemi said Medium Term National Development Plan Document, the Strategic Development Plan of the state, Iloko Declaration and others were reviewed during the preparation of the plan with the stakeholders examined and agreed where Ekiti should be in the next 30 years.
“To give effect to the sustainability plan as proposed in this docuthe Economic Development Council law has been amended, passed and signed into law by Mr. Governor as an umbrella for the implementation of