Ekiti Lawmakers Explains Stomach Infrastructure
Newly elected members of Ekiti State House of Assembly have said the ideology of ‘stomach infrastructure’ propounded by
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti is targeted towards the individual development of the people and collective development of the state.
Speaking yesterday during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of The Sun Publishing Limited, in Lagos, the incoming members said contrary to the negative impression that the public has about the ideology of ‘stomach infrastructure’, it was not a means of squandering state money, but a means of ensuring the development of the state and the financial independence of the average Ekiti indigene. Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Kola Oluwawole said the ideology of stomach infrastructure was not about food, it was about ensuring the development of people.
He said: “When people become so independent that they can take care of themselves without begging, then such people in turn contribute to the overall development of the state, such is what we refer to as stomach infrastructure. When everyone is financially independent and does not need to go cap in hand to the Government House to beg for stipends, then that is stomach infrastructure. “This ideology is all about making the state very convenient for people to prosper. If good roads are built, it becomes easier for people to transport their goods from one place to the other; then that is stomach infrastructure.
“When you encourage farmers by giving them loans and good seedlings for their farms, then it is stomach infrastructure. Unfortunately, people have the impression that stomach infrastructure is about bribing voters with food or squandering the resources of the state. We want that misconception to change. We want people to be educated and know what this ideology is all about. We would be happy if the biased assessment given to Ekiti State would be stopped.” Also speaking on the crises rocking the state, he said the lawmakers wanted to correct the impression that Ekiti was a war zone. “We want to correct that impression and we want people to know that Ekiti State is not as volatile as people think it is.
“We believe that you (The Sun Newspapers) have done so much and on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we want to sustain the mutual relationship. We know we have issues, which are normal in politics, but we want to implore your organisation to continue to project Ekiti in a manner that is good.
There have been calls by many people for us to come down to Lagos and interact with you and we are glad because of the role that Sun Newspapers played before and after the elections. This is because they were unbiased in their reportage; therefore, partnering the organisation would make a lot of difference. “We want people to see Ekiti in a good light and for them to know that it is not as bad as some sections of the media have made it to be. Many times, some sections of the media publish stories without crosschecking the facts and the public usually believes whatever they read.
We want the world to know the real Ekiti and that is why we are partnering the media. We are here to chart a new course for Ekiti and to give the state a new name. If we do not engage the media, people would not know the facts.
“Governor Fayose has tried to bring peace between the warring parties in the state and this is because he has a lot to achieve in his economic agenda. Without peace, there would be no development. We are an agrarian state, but if the state does not have peace, nothing we do will be of benefit to anybody. Thankfully, with the wisdom of the governor, he has been able to resolve a lot of issues and the state has become stable.
“He is trying to bridge the gap between the elite and the poor and he is succeeding in doing that. He wants the elite in the state and the poor to have a common ground and that is what he is doing. In his first tenure, he was unjustly removed and that was why the downtrodden decided to pitch their tent with him. “Unfortunately, those who fought against former governor Segun Oni are the same people that have regrouped to fight Fayose. The governor is someone, who came from a humble background and family, and bulldozed his way into politics and made a name for himself. If he were the son of a prominent person, he probably may not have the type of opposition he is having, so what he is trying to do is to placate a section of the elite. PDP members, it would not change anything.
We would ensure checks and balances and will not be an appendage to the executive. A one party state Assembly is not new. In states of Osun and Lagos, their Houses of Assembly were 100 per cent All Progressives Congress (APC), so, we do not see that as a problem.” Responding, the Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Femi Adesina promised that the paper would remain unbiased in its reportage of events and expressed hope that peace would return to Ekiti State in no distant time. (TheSun)
Speaking yesterday during a courtesy visit to the corporate headquarters of The Sun Publishing Limited, in Lagos, the incoming members said contrary to the negative impression that the public has about the ideology of ‘stomach infrastructure’, it was not a means of squandering state money, but a means of ensuring the development of the state and the financial independence of the average Ekiti indigene. Speaking on behalf of the lawmakers, Kola Oluwawole said the ideology of stomach infrastructure was not about food, it was about ensuring the development of people.
He said: “When people become so independent that they can take care of themselves without begging, then such people in turn contribute to the overall development of the state, such is what we refer to as stomach infrastructure. When everyone is financially independent and does not need to go cap in hand to the Government House to beg for stipends, then that is stomach infrastructure. “This ideology is all about making the state very convenient for people to prosper. If good roads are built, it becomes easier for people to transport their goods from one place to the other; then that is stomach infrastructure.
“When you encourage farmers by giving them loans and good seedlings for their farms, then it is stomach infrastructure. Unfortunately, people have the impression that stomach infrastructure is about bribing voters with food or squandering the resources of the state. We want that misconception to change. We want people to be educated and know what this ideology is all about. We would be happy if the biased assessment given to Ekiti State would be stopped.” Also speaking on the crises rocking the state, he said the lawmakers wanted to correct the impression that Ekiti was a war zone. “We want to correct that impression and we want people to know that Ekiti State is not as volatile as people think it is.
“We believe that you (The Sun Newspapers) have done so much and on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), we want to sustain the mutual relationship. We know we have issues, which are normal in politics, but we want to implore your organisation to continue to project Ekiti in a manner that is good.
There have been calls by many people for us to come down to Lagos and interact with you and we are glad because of the role that Sun Newspapers played before and after the elections. This is because they were unbiased in their reportage; therefore, partnering the organisation would make a lot of difference. “We want people to see Ekiti in a good light and for them to know that it is not as bad as some sections of the media have made it to be. Many times, some sections of the media publish stories without crosschecking the facts and the public usually believes whatever they read.
We want the world to know the real Ekiti and that is why we are partnering the media. We are here to chart a new course for Ekiti and to give the state a new name. If we do not engage the media, people would not know the facts.
“Governor Fayose has tried to bring peace between the warring parties in the state and this is because he has a lot to achieve in his economic agenda. Without peace, there would be no development. We are an agrarian state, but if the state does not have peace, nothing we do will be of benefit to anybody. Thankfully, with the wisdom of the governor, he has been able to resolve a lot of issues and the state has become stable.
“He is trying to bridge the gap between the elite and the poor and he is succeeding in doing that. He wants the elite in the state and the poor to have a common ground and that is what he is doing. In his first tenure, he was unjustly removed and that was why the downtrodden decided to pitch their tent with him. “Unfortunately, those who fought against former governor Segun Oni are the same people that have regrouped to fight Fayose. The governor is someone, who came from a humble background and family, and bulldozed his way into politics and made a name for himself. If he were the son of a prominent person, he probably may not have the type of opposition he is having, so what he is trying to do is to placate a section of the elite. PDP members, it would not change anything.
We would ensure checks and balances and will not be an appendage to the executive. A one party state Assembly is not new. In states of Osun and Lagos, their Houses of Assembly were 100 per cent All Progressives Congress (APC), so, we do not see that as a problem.” Responding, the Managing Director of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr. Femi Adesina promised that the paper would remain unbiased in its reportage of events and expressed hope that peace would return to Ekiti State in no distant time. (TheSun)
No comments:
Post a Comment
WE LOVE COMMENTS, POST A COMMENT