The Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has urged residents of the state to pay their taxes and levies for sustenance of developmental drive and improved Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Fayemi, who stated this during the commissioning of the new multi-million naira ultra-modern central market, popularly called “Oja Oba Market,” in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday, said his government conceptualised the project as part of the urban regeneration programme for the state capital in his first term.

MEANWHILE, the wife of the governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, has reiterated the Governor Kayode Fayemi-led administration’s commitment to continue putting in place legal and policy framework that would end Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and other Gender-Based Violence (GBV) practices in the state.

The governor’s wife stated this during an advocacy meeting with the state’s GBV management committee in Ado-Ekiti, yesterday. The meeting was organised by Care for Population and Reproductive Health (CPRH), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) working with Ekiti State Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) survivors.

Mrs. Fayemi said Ekiti had all it takes to fight GBV, stressing that the state has in place laws to curb gender based violence. These, according to her, include the Comprehensive GBV law, which is the first of such policy in the country, as well as the whistle-blower policy for FGM.

She said that Obinrin Kete women empowerment programme would be launched soon to provide a platform where women would be empowered to do some businesses to support themselves.

Director of CPRH, Prof. Oladosu Ogengbede, in his goodwill message, said: “Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) can be prevented through the hardwork of the committee to save the generation unborn. Let us see how we can impact positively.”

He promised to partner with the governor’s wife and the state Ministry of Women Affairs to end GBV/FGM in the state.