1. EKITI STATE GOVERNMENT APPROVES PAYMENT OF N300MILLION COMPENSATION FOR THE PROPOSED ATIKANKAN/IGBEYIN URBAN RENEWAL PROJECT.
The Ekiti State Executive Council has approved the payment of 300Million Naira as complete compensation on the proposed Urban Renewal project at Atikankan/Igbeyin area of Ado Ekiti.
The approval is to cover 130 claimants for permanent structures and 21 for temporary constructions.
The development was done in line with the urban renewal vision to transform Ado-Ekiti to a more economic viable State Capital.
The affected Atikankan area of Ado-Ekiti, behind Akodi-Sasere area falls within the Central Business District (CBD) of Ado-Ekiti, which had degenerated into a complex Urban Shanty Slum that is presently associated with serious urban; physical, social and environmental problems that require total clearance as the urban renewal resolution option for the area.
The State Government had earlier set up a committee under the Chairmanship of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akin Oyebode on the valuation and compensation to be paid to the claimants following a reconnaissance survey of the area conducted by the Office of the Surveyor General and Bureau of Land Services.
The compensation would be paid directly to the claimants by the Ministry of Physical planning and Urban Development.
2. EKITI STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL APPROVES N88.35MILLION FOR DREDGING IN ADO, IKERE, EKITI S/WEST LGAS
Ekiti State Executive Council also approved a sum of N88,351,351.35 to continue dredging exercise in Ado, Ikere and Ekiti South-West Local Government Areas to forestall incidence of flood and its attendant risk to lives and property.
The State Government had proactively commenced dredging of major river courses in Ado Ekiti in January, 2023 even before the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NIMET) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) issued flood alerts flagging the State capital as a high risk zone, prone to flooding in 2023 raining season.
The dredging project actually helped to immensely reduce the impact of flooding predicted by NIMET in the State but unfortunately, the funds released for the project became inadequate due to hyper-inflation, astronomical increase in prizes of diesel, petrol, Swamp Buggy spare parts, haulage/movement of swamp Buggy from one location to another and maintenance cost.
The aforementioned changes coupled with devaluation of Naira and sharp increase in the exchange rate of Dollar to Naira, distorted major variables & assumptions upon which the approval of Mr. Governor was granted.
The project to be implemented through direct labour is to be completed within three months.
3. EXCO APPROVES N264.3M COMPLETION OF AGRIC OLOPE, RENOVATION OF OJA OBA MARKETS
Ekiti State Government similarly approved the sum of N264,317,561.24 for the additional works on the completion of Agric Olope and renovation of Oja Oba markets.
The move is a demonstration of the commitment of the Biodun Oyebanji’s administration to enhance commercial activities at the markets and in alignment with the Six-Pillar Agenda of the present Administration.
Governor Oyebanji had earlier constituted a taskforce to ensure timely completion of the Agric Olope/Shasha and renovation Oja Oba. The Task-Force, after various monitoring and progress reports, indicated that there were some outstanding and additional works to be done at both Agric Olope and Oja Oba for the successful delivery of its mandate.
The scope of work for the Agric Olope market was extended to cover construction of car parks, construction of culverts at the back of the market’s fence and construction of four hundred and eighty four (484) spaces for Street Traders.
While the scope of work for Oja Oba covers renovation of some civil works, provision of Fire Marshal’s Office, procurement of firefighting equipment and provision/installation of solar energy as alternative source of power.
The project would be executed through direct Labour.
4. EXCO APPROVES AMENDMENT AND PRESENTATION OF PROCUREMENT LAW TO STATE ASSEMBLY
Ekiti State Government also approved recommendation for amendment of the State Procurement Law on the application of Direct Labour Method and the transmission of the said approval to the State House of Assembly for ratification and due amendment of the law.
After a holistic review of the Direct Labour method of procurement, the State Executive Council approved that in all cases where the Direct Labour method is used, magnitude and scope of the project shall be such that the MDA can manage efficiently while values were upwardly reviewed from N1Million to N20Million for goods and services and increased from N10Million to N200Million for Works.
Exco added that when values of project to be executed using Direct Labour method exceeds the recommended value, procurement must be reasonably justified and certified by the Bureau of Public Procurement for consideration and approval of the State Tenders Board.
A four-man committee under the Chairmanship of the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode had earlier been constituted by Governor Biodun Oyebanji following concerns raised by the State Executive Council on the use of the Direct labour method of procurement.
The Committee was to:
i. evaluate the position of the State’s Procurement Law (SPL) with respect to the application of direct labour method;
ii. review the situation report and current practice of MDAs using direct labour method and the effects on project implementation and management;
iii. review the threshold for different categories of projects in line with current economic realities; and
iv. come up with recommendations on the bearable level of risk allowed by the State
Exco stressed that under no condition shall the procuring entity implement Direct Labour by hiring external labour or use of a contractor. However in exceptional cases, a direct Labour Project may involve the hiring of casual labour provided the estimated cost of the casual labour is less than 5% of cost of project.
5. THE STATE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONSTITUTED A FIVE-MAN COMMITTEE ON PROJECT MONITORING IN THE STATE.
The State Executive Council similarly approved the constitution of a five-man committee to monitor execution of Government’s projects in the State.
The Committee is made up of the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akintunde Oyebode as Chairman. Other members are the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Oyebanji Filani, Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Ebenezer Boluwade, the Special Adviser, Office of Transformation and Service Delivery, Dr. Moyo Ekundayo, Special Adviser, Independent Project Monitoring Unit, Mr. Femi Ajayi and Special Adviser/DG, Bureau of Public Procurement, Mr. Babasola Folorunso. The Committee was directed to monitor and report to Council on Government’s projects in the State.
Signed
Rt. Hon. Taiwo Olatunbosun,
Hon. Commissioner for Information.
Last modified: April 16, 2024
