The Ekiti government has initiated plans to avert possible food shortage that may arise after the Covid-19 pandemic, the Commissioner for Information and Value Orientation, Chief Muyiwa Olumilua, has said.
Olumilua said this on Thursday in Ado Ekiti at the end of the second virtual meeting of the State Executive Council.
The virtual meeting was conceived following the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the state.
The commissioner said in a statement that the issue of food shortage in the state after the COVID-19- pandemic was a major topic of discussion during the meeting.
“Gov. Kayode Fayemi wishes to allay the fears of the people that steps are being taken toward boosting agriculture in the state, and has promised to do more to support the farmers with inputs and necessary access to agricultural loans,’’ he said.
Olumilua also said that the government was working to attract private sector players into the agricultural sector of the state.
The commissioner said further that the Executive Council approved the transmission of the draft bill seeking to amend the Ekiti State College of Agriculture and Technology Isan-Ekiti Law (Amendment) Bill, 2020 to the House of Assembly.
According to him, after passage of the bill the institution will be known as Ekiti State College of Agriculture and Technology Isan-Ekiti.
Olumilua explained that the essence of the bill was to clarify the status of the school in the state.
” Also approved for transmission to the Ekiti State House of Assembly, was the memorandum seeking to repeal the Ekiti State Public Private Partnership Law of 2011, and re-enact the Ekiti State Public Private Partnership (Reenactment) Law 2020.
” The need for this is due to the fact that the current law is outdated and does not conform to the current realities required for the effectiveness of the law.
” The Executive Council also considered and approved the memorandum on the Ekiti State Mortgages and Foreclosure Bill 2020, to establish the State Mortgage Board, regulate mortgage creation, and the foreclosure and enforcement of mortgages in property and connected purposes.
” This is to ensure that low income earners can access mortgages to build their own homes,” he said.
The Executive Council commended the efforts of the governor, his wife, Bisi, and other members of the Ekiti State COVID-19 Taskforce, including health workers, among others, for their efforts in combating the COVID-19 scourge.
The Council also commended the efforts of the taskforce and individuals who had been donating palliatives to cushion the effects of the restriction on movement.
