18 Months of Aiyedatiwa’s Transformational Governance

​The administration of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa in Ondo State has marked its first 18 months in office, anchoring its developmental trajectory on the “OUR EASE” agenda—a policy framework designed to foster ease of living, ease of doing business, and ease of governance. Reviewing the administration’s scorecard across various sectors reveals significant structural and socio-economic shifts driven by prudent financial management and strategic execution.

​At the core of the administration’s fiscal strategy is a reported 82.6% reduction in the state’s domestic debt profile, accompanied by the clearance of long-standing salary arrears for civil servants, former political office holders, and a ten-year backlog of gratuities for retirees. Salaries are now disbursed on or before the 25th of every month, bolstering public sector stability.

​Healthcare transformation has seen the recruitment of over 2,000 health professionals, the implementation of enhanced CONMESS and CONHESS allowances, and the approval of a ₦1 billion Hospital Intervention Fund. Facilities such as the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH) have been upgraded with advanced diagnostic equipment, including a 1.5 Tesla MRI machine and a 160-slice CT scanner. Concurrently, the Orange Health Insurance Scheme (ORANGHIS) has expanded coverage to vulnerable groups, retirees, and pensioners. These strides recently earned Governor Aiyedatiwa the “Best Governor in Health Transformation” award by BusinessTimes.

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​Infrastructure development remains visible across the state’s three senatorial districts, underscored by the completion of over 200 kilometres of roads, ongoing rural road construction via RAAMP, and simultaneous intercity dualisation projects—such as the Akungba–Ikare Akoko, Akure–Idanre, and Okitipupa–Igbokoda corridors. Urban renewal efforts in the capital and major towns feature the construction of the Akure Flyover Bridge along the Oyemekun-Oba Adesida Road, the installation of thousands of solar streetlights under the Light-Up Ondo project, and major revamps of water supply systems through the Akure Water Supply and Sanitation Project and the Owena Dam initiative.

​In the education sector, the government has engaged over 2,000 teachers for primary and secondary schools, increased subventions to state tertiary institutions by 60 percent, and revived the free school shuttle system. Tertiary students continue to benefit from regularized bursaries, scholarship disbursements, and the settlement of inherited wage liabilities at Rufus Giwa Polytechnic.

​Agricultural and industrial policies have focused on food security and economic diversification. Over ₦10亿元 has been channeled into agricultural initiatives, including the launch of the Ondo State Cocoa Revolution and Management Board and youth training schemes. Furthermore, the administration’s investment drive has attracted major commitments, notably the Dangote Group’s plans for a massive industrial zone, alongside multi-billion-dollar agreements for a deep sea port, refineries, and petrochemical projects in the Ilaje Free Trade Zone.

​Youth empowerment and job creation have seen over 6,000 direct recruitments into public service sectors alongside targeted vocational programs like the “O’Datiwa Skill-Up a Woman Initiative” and micro-lending schemes through the Ondo Ease Fund. Meanwhile, security architecture has been reinforced through the deployment of over 100 operational vehicles, the recruitment of 500 personnel into the Amotekun Corps, and the establishment of a state-of-the-art Command and Control Centre.

​As the administration looks toward the remainder of its tenure, the overarching focus remains on consolidating these gains to ensure sustainable growth and tangible dividends of democracy for all residents of the state.