Akeredolu when he was elected Ondo State Governor

Some residents of Ondo State on Wednesday expressed mixed feelings at  the performance of the state governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in his first year in office.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gov. Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who emerged winner of the Nov. 26, 2016 governorship election, was sworn-in as the sixth executive governor of the state on Feb. 24. 2017.

While some residents who spoke with NAN in Okitipupa commended the Akeredolu’s government for bringing a new dawn to the state, others said the governor was falling short of his election promises.

Mr Bayonle Akinteru, a civil servant, commended Gov. Akeredolu for his swift action in paying  workers part of  the backlog of salaries owed by the previous administration.

“Out of the seven months salaries being owed by the past administration, Gov. Akeredolu has paid four months, and our salaries are coming in now, so I think he has performed well,” Akinteru said.

A resident, Chief Sunkanmi Akinrinola, said governor Akeredolu had brought a new dawn to governance.

He lauded him for renovating dilapidated roads, beginning new ones and commissioning the completed ones.

“Most of our roads have gone bad and our amiable governor is trying his best to renovate and tackle  infrastructure decay; it is a gradual process.

“I think he needs our support and cooperation to perform better,” he said.

Miss Morenike Kolapo, a student of Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), also commended the governor’s efforts at bringing  a new lease of life to the students in the state.

“Our institution had only one faculty, but now we have two new faculties of Engineering and Agriculture under his watch.

“He has also renovated the dilapidated road to our campus; I think he has performed,” Kolapo said.

A chieftain of the APC, Mr Wole Akeremale, said that the havoc wreaked on the state by past administrations was enormous, and the governor was doing his best.

“Gov. Akeredolu is a silent achiever trying to surmount the havoc wreaked on the state by past administrations; he needs our support to be successful,” Akeremale said.

But, another resident, Mr Surajudeen Aloma, said that Gov. Akeredolu  has  yet to start any meaningful work since his assumption of office.

He said that the government was just launching  projects which had yet to be completed.

“This government has not started any meaningful project; it is just flagging off projects, and until serious work begins, I cannot give him a pass mark,” he said.

A hairdresser, Mrs Arike Akande, said that the governor promised during his campaign that in the first year of his administration, there would be steady electricity in  Okitipupa and its environs.

“We have been in darkness for the past four years now and this is affecting our business because we rely on petrol.

“Gov. Akeredolu should fulfil his campaign promise to us,” she said.

A trader, Mrs Rose Nwachukwu,  said she had not felt the impact of the present government as nothing had actually changed from what  the past administration had done.

She urged the governor to brace up  along with his team  and do some serious work for residents of the state to enjoy the dividends of democracy.

Another resident, Mr Rufus Kaleed, also urged the Akeredolu-led government to prioritise youth empowerment.

Idle youths, he said, are a security threat to any society.

NAN reports that Gov. Akeredolu, as part of activities marking his one year in office, on Tuesday inaugurated the construction of  the first overhead bridge, a trailer park and a rice mill plant in Ore, among other projects.