In a continuation of his town-by-town campaign
visits to communities and towns across Ekiti State ahead of June 21st election,
the Labour Party’s governorship candidate and member representing Ado
Ekiti/Irepodun/Ifelodun Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives,
Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, has promised that he would not phase out members
of the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency, popularly known as Dagrin Corps.
Bamidele disclosed
this at the palace of Olu of Ajido Ekiti, HRH Oba Oluwafemi Eegunjobi, who
received in audience the candidate and other LP state leaders, led by the
Chairman, Akin Omole.The candidate promised that instead of sacking the Dagrin Corps created by Fayemi and reportedly numbering about 5,000, he would restructure it and make the scheme a pensionable job.
Bamidele condemned a situation whereby the current administration is paying a paltry N10,000 to the Dagrin Corps under the guise of youth empowerment.
He said: “When we get to office by the grace of God, we will not stop the Dagrin and Peace Corps created by Governor Fayemi as a means of youth empowerment.
“We will only restructure the scheme since most beneficiaries are youths from the state and it will not stop at giving them N10,000 per month.
“In a departure from what the APC government is currently doing, we will make beneficiaries of the scheme cut across political party lines and turn it into a pensionable job.”
Bamidele further promised to explore other avenues such as industrialisation, commercial farming, youth empowerment and artisan loan schemes as other approaches he would use to create more jobs for Ekiti State youths if elected.
While promising to sustain the N5,000 monthly stipend being paid by Fayemi government to old people in the state, Bamidele told the teeming crowd of the elderly at the event: “I will not stop ‘Owo Arugbo’ that some of you are already collecting under Fayemi, but we will make sure that it goes beyond members of APC alone.”
In his response, the monarch urged Bamidele to come to the rescue of the community, which, according to him, had existed for over 400 years.
The monarch also lamented the neglect of the 60 years old only primary school in the community by successive governments, with a call on Bamidele to address educational backwardness of the area if elected.
He also listed rural electrification of the community as another major concern of the people, adding that no community can progress without electricity.
The Labour Party Chairman in Ekiti West Local Government Area, Sola Ayeni, also disclosed that the mammoth crowd at the rally was an indication of Bamidele’s acceptance by the people of the area.
Ayeni also promised to deliver 90 per cent of their votes for LP.
Other towns visited by Bamidele campaign train included Oke Imesi, Erio Ekiti and Aramoko Ekiti.
