Fayemi Declares Free Education in Ekiti, Abolishes Tax in Schools

* Canvasses votes for Buhari ahead of 2019

By Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Wednesday abolished the education tax introduced by the government of Mr. Ayodele Fayose
in all primary and secondary schools.

Fayemi said education would henceforth be free in all public primary and secondary schools across the state, saying it was an aberration for school children to pay tax.

Fayose had in 2015 introduced payment of education tax in all private and public schools across the state, whereby children at primary and secondary cadres were mandated to pay N500 and N1,000 per term respectively.

The new governor has also appealed to Ekiti people to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, saying it is only the continuity of Buhari/Osinbajo government that could bring the realisation of all projects promised by the federal government for Ekiti.

Speaking during a thank you visit to Ekiti South and North senatorial district headquarters, Ido and Ikere Ekiti Wednesday, Fayemi said: “Education is now free up to the secondary cadre in Ekiti State. Our children would no longer pay tax in both public and private schools.

“When we were in government before 2010 and 2014, we ran free education until when the last administration came and said school children should pay tax.

“By the grace of God, by December this year, we are also going to introduce school feeding from primary to Junior Secondary 3 as part of the benefits we will get from the federal government.”

On the 2019 elections, Fayemi said the only way the promise made by President Buhari to extend rail line to Ekiti, dualise Ado-Akure road and do other projects is by allowing this government to continue beyond 2019.

“That is why I am begging our candidates to reach out to other contestants for the state and National Assembly contests and reconcile
with them. They should also meet all the leaders, because no governor can come from the government house and install all these candidates without the supports of the party people.

“We must not allow cracks in our party, we must be united. Whoever thinks he could fight the leaders and other contestants and still win election is wasting his time, he had already heard the result of the election.

“Don’t let us de-market our party, All Progressives Congress (APC), by our comments. We must be united the way we were for the July 14
election. I want you to learn from me, after the governorship primary, which I won, I immediately embarked on fence-mending mission to all aspirants, this is how it should be.

“President Buhari has promised Ekiti a lot of goodies and the only way Ekiti can benefit is for us to win Ekiti for him,” he advised.

He said he had been receiving a deluge of text messages from party members barely 24 hours after he assumed office, asking when appointments will be made.

“They have started pestering me for appointments. I have been receiving messages to this effect where party people were asking me when would the caretaker be set up in all the local governments. Our elderly people are also asking when will the N5,000 social security scheme start?

“I agree this was a right thing to ask, but we must think first of how to pay pension and salaries, because our government won’t owe salary and pensions. We must make our people happy with us first and when we do this, we will also review the state’s finances and very soon we shall start rolling out appointments and other goodies of our
government to the people,” Fayemi promised.