Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi yesterday, laid the foundation for five “legacy projects”? as activities marking his second year anniversary kicked off in different parts of the state.
The five projects include a new Government House;? Governor’s office;? an Ultramodern State Pavilion,? Samsung Engineering Academy and a Civic Centre. The new projects are to be completed? by the end of 2013.
According to a statement issued by the chief press secretary to the governor, Olayinka Oyebode, four of the projects will be funded through the N20 billion bond obtained by the state from the bond market earlier in the year.
Speaking at the flagoff of construction work in Ado Ekiti, the governor said his administration was committed to transforming the state so that it could become a choice destination for all and sundry.
Dr. Fayemi stated that this become imperative for the administration since everyone “wants to work and play in a decent environment.”
While justifying the decision for a new governor’s office, the governor asserted that the present governor’s office was originally designed by the Adebayo-led administration to be a hotel but was converted by the successive administration.
He stated that many of the projects whose foundations were laid were envisioned to be “timeless” and serve all successive administration and people.
?On the 7000 sq metre wide Civic centre and museum, Fayemi said the choice of the old Ado Ekiti prison as the location of the museum and civic centre was not unconnected to the fact that the government wanted to preserve the remains of the old prison which was demolished in April for historical and aesthetic purposes.
According to Fayemi, the civic centre will not only attract international communities to the state but also generate employment opportunities for its teeming unemployed populace.
At Government Technical College Ado where the Foundation of a Samsung Engineering Acaademy was laid, the Governor noted that the gesture was a fruit of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the State Government and Samsung in Seoul, South Korea.
He disclosed that the academy which would be wholly funded by Samsung is an effort at promoting e-learning in schools and would focus on repair and maintenance of computers.
Also speaking at the event, the Managing Director of Samsung West Africa, Mr Brovo Kim commended the achievements of the Fayemi-led administration especially in the area of education.
Kim added that the establishment of the Academy will foster cooperation between the State and the company; adding that this will further drive the vision of both parties in creating job opportunities and empower youths.