Fashola, Shettima harp on stewardship as Fayemi warns commissioners

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and a former governor of Borno State, Sen. Kashim Shettima

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola and a former governor of Borno State, Sen. Kashim Shettima, have appealed to Nigerian leaders to build their stewardship in the minds of the people so that they can earn their respect after their tenure.

The leaders made the remarks separately in Ado Ekiti, Thursday, during a high-level 2020 retreat organised by Governor Kayode Fayemi with the theme ‘Finishing well and sustaining progressive leadership in Ekiti State’.

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The programme was held in compliance with COVID-19 pandemic regulations as participants used face masks and many of the resource persons made their presentations virtually.

Delivering his speech on ‘Finishing well, winning against all odds’, Fashola said Fayemi and his team must focus attention on the cardinal objectives of his administration to earn the respect of Ekiti people.

He assured that President Muhammadu Buhari would complete the Federal Secretariat awarded by the federal government and other road projects being undertaken in Ekiti State, including Efon-Iwaraja, Ado-Aramoko- Itaore, and Ado-Ifaki- Otun roads.

“On the Akure-Ado-Ekiti road, the contract for the reconstruction and expansion had been awarded, it has to be dualised. The Kogi-Ekiti road will be taken up by Dangote Group as part of the public-private partnership of the Buhari-led government,” he added.

While speaking, the senator representing Borno Central, Kashim Shettima, appealed to Fayemi to resist the temptation of imposing a successor by allowing the system to produce a capable leader after him.

He said he laid a solid legacy in Borno State because he never allowed the challenge of Boko Haram insurgency to define his government or distract him.

He said he perceived it as part of the challenges of leadership.

He appealed to leaders in Nigeria to always place high premium on competence and capability in appointments against other primordial considerations.

On his part, Fayemi said the programme was conceptualised to appraise the gains and challenges in the second year of his tenure.

He urged members of the Ekiti State Executive Council not to allow the 2022 governorship struggle to truncate his vision but remain focused on the government’s developmental agenda.

The governor advised the commissioners and other cabinet members having their eyes on the governorship seat to resign in order not to derail the focus of the government.