Akeredolu Lauds NBS, World Bank Transparency Report on Ondo

*Says his govt will sustain poverty eradication in sunshine state

Deji Elumoye in Abuja

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state has hailed the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) transparency report on the state.
He has therefore, stressed the determination of his administration to fight poverty and foster public welfare.
The governor in a statement issued yesterday, said the Sunshine state would sustain its leadership in fiscal transparency, accountability and poverty reduction, which has been affirmed by the NBS’ report, based on data from the World Bank.

The data highlighted the economic impact of the ‘REDEEMED’ agenda of the Akeredolu’s administration and measured adopted for poverty reduction.
Akeredolu said the low poverty incidence in Ondo State was a testament that targeted plans, matched to the sustainable development goals, are improving the economy of the and reducing poverty.

According to him, his government’s belief in free markets and the ingenuity of the people led to the creation of the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency (ONDEA) dedicated to fostering an inclusive and stimulated economic development agenda, particularly in the impactfulareas of funding, digitalisation, skills acquisition, education, value exchange and human capital development.

He said ONDEA has also prioritised the empowerment of micro and macro entrepreneurs, adding that the state has been reaping their fruits.
Akeredolu said: “In our efforts to transition the state to an industrial state, our initiatives like the Oil Palm, Red Gold initiative, has created over 5,000 jobs; Ondo-Linyi Industrial Park in Ore has created over 2,000 jobs, the afforestation revitalisation scheme has generated over 1, 000 jobs. There are also other private concerns in the state doing the same.”

He added: “We did not get our enviable position by accident. Our painstaking investment in teacher recruitment and massive recruitment into the Amotekun corps, contributed to this good rating.

“For us in Ondo State, it was double honors, as this good rating did not come to us in isolation. The World Bank gave an award of excellence to Ondo State for “Very Good” performance on the Fiscal Transparency and Accountability in their States Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Sustainability (SIFTAS) program.
“We were awarded for our dogged focus on strengthening the fiscal sustainability, transparency and accountability of our state’s finances.

“Our administration is committed to lifting people out of poverty, securing the lives and property of Ondo State residents and ensuring that we build a better economy for everyone in the state. We are aiming higher. We will not relent. God bless Ondo State.”

Among the 36 states of the federation, Ondo State has the lowest multi-dimensional poverty index in 2022, according to the report.

Multidimensional Poverty Index is often used by the World Bank to capture a more complete picture of poverty. The implication of the report is that Ondo State has the lowest percentage of households deprived along three dimensions of well-being-education, monetary poverty, and basic infrastructure services.