I will revamp education in Ondo state and provide food and health security – Olayide Adelami
The former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly, Abuja, Chief Olayide Owolabi Adelami has said that the ravaging coronavirus pandemic should be an eye opener for both the leaders and the followers in Ondo state, nay Nigeria that our economy is very vulnerable. The Owo born APC stalwart made this known in an exclusive media chat with thepolity.net
Chief Adelami who spoke with our correspondent noted that it is clear now that we do not have food security, and absence of food security is a threat to both health and economic security anywhere.
Chief Adelami said the global economy is strained already because of the coronavirus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown , noting that because of the lockdown our economy is already in the red. ” Now we pray we get out of this COVID 19 pandemic , but if it continues or Godforbid that there is a spike, since government is trying to ease the lockdown, we may have reason to stay at home for much longer.
“Agreed we cannot stay indoor for ever; if we are not lockeddown and everybody goes out to start working and economic activities come alive again, the community spread of the contagion may soar! So, to stay at home or to go and start our every day economic activities is a choice between securing the health and well-being of the people and sustaining an already crumbling economy,” Adelami stressed.
Still speaking on the harsh effect of the lockdown on individual economy, Chief Olaide Adelami said people’s three square meals are no longer complete as hunger looms in the land. ” So many people have now resorted to jumping meals; those who eat twice a day now eat once a day and there is dearth of money in the land. So what do we really need to do after this pandemic?
” As the pandemic has opened our eyes to the real challenges we have on ground, it goes to motive that whoever wants to govern Ondo state must be resolute about investing heavily in agriculture,” the Owo born political juggernaut emphasised.
Adelami lamented that the previous government was silent on youth employment and even the incumbent is silent on it hence a lot of youth restiveness in the state. He said youth unemployment is on the rise in Ondo state and it’s more or less like we are sitting on a keg of gunpowder with these jobless youths roaming the streets aimlessly, adding that we might soon have on our hand a high crime rate if youth unemployment is not curbed. “Agriculture is one area that can solve youth unemployment . The agric invent template is what I am hoping to deploy in Ondo state when I become the Governor of Ondo state to help our youths out of joblessness,” Adelami maintained. He said this template is not about the planting of cash crops and one doesn’t need a very big farm land to do this.
The retired permanent secretary said young people are not going into agriculture because the enabling environment is not provided for them by the government. ” If government wants young people to go into agriculture, incentives have to be provided; government will have to build houses and provide basic amenities in a farm settlement. A serious government just have to revive the farm settlement idea and modernise it by providing access to Internet facility and electricity supply and watch if our youths will not stay and farm.”
Chief Olaide Adelami , who is not a stranger to the APC politics in the sunshine state said his government when he eventually emerges as the Governor of the state will see to the establishment of Health bank , noting that he is going to make the health of the good people of Ondo state a priority. ” Medical practitioners will have access to credit facilities and this will encourage medicopreneur across Ondo state.
“Beyond that, by the grace of God when I am elected as Ondo state Governor, I will introduce social and health insurance scheme that will capture the private sector and the informal sector . The Federal and state insurance scheme only cover workers in the formal sector .
“The one I am bringing will capture National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Retean, Accomoran, unions and registered associations,” Adelami enthused.
Chief Adelami is of the opinion that the education sector in the state is crumbling and the development is quite worrisome. He said one of the qualities that defined old Ondo state is quality education but what we have now is inadequate human resources in both primary and post primary structure of the education sector. Citing example, Adelami said his alma mater at Owo , Imade College, with a teaching strength of 151 teachers can only boast of a meagre fifty teaching personnel. ” There is an urgent need to revamp education in Ondo state and that is what I have in mind to do. I will revamp the education sector, recruit adequate personnel, embark on in service training for teachers across board and restore Ondo state to its pride of place in the educational rating in Nigeria.”
While advising the good people of Ondo state, first and foremost, Adelami noted that people should wear the face mask and avoid crowded area , noting that it is important to collectively prevent the community spread of coronavirus. Speaking on the forthcoming Guber poll in Ondo state, the former Deputy Clerk of the National Assembly said he has come to offer himself for service in his dear state. He said he feels the urge to press into service his experience as a top flight technocrat at the upper echelon of the National Assembly. ” Ondo state electorate should pray to God to give us a leader after his own heart who will put the people above self and who will work to enhance the time tested social contract between the government and the people.”
Adelami assured the good people of Ondo state that All Progressives Congress (APC) has good intentions for Ondo state.
