• Ondo govt to disburse $20m COVID-19 palliative to 80,734 beneficiaries
• Allays fears over insincerity, diversion of funds
Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), has commissioned some newly-completed projects at the Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa.
The newly-completed projects include the Vice Chancellor’s Lodge, Principal Officers’ Quarters and the privately-donated buildings.
Akeredolu, who reeled out his administration’s intervention at the institution, said the university was a museum of abandoned projects before his administration’s intervention.
Besides, he said that his administration, with the support of the ever-committed council and the management, was able to facilitate the donation of science equipment worth millions of naira from Seeding Laboratory, United States (U.S.).
The governor, who lauded the governing council for being able to save funds from the meagre internally-generated revenue of the university to complete the VC’s Lodge and four units of the Principal Officers’ Quarters that had been abandoned since 2009, acknowledged the contributions of well-meaning individuals to the development of the institution, including Dr. Olusegun Agagu’s family through Chief (Mrs.) Olufunke Agagu.
Earlier, the VC, Prof. Temi Ologunorisa, lauded the governor for the giant strides recorded in the institution. The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the institution, Prof. Akinbo Adesomoju, announced the naming of the Senate Building after Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.
MEANWHILE, the Ondo State government has disclosed how the Ondo State COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (ONDO-CARES) will tremendously mitigate the effect of COVID-19 and set the state on motion for quick social and economic recovery across the 18 local councils of the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Emmanuel Igbasan, stated this yesterday during a media chat with journalists in Akure, saying that 80,734 beneficiaries are to benefit from the $20 million grant.
Igbasan, who is also the Chairman of ONDO-CARES Steering Committee, said the palliative would assuage the effect of the pandemic on the poor and vulnerable people, stabilising micro and small enterprises affected by the global crisis.
