Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji, has expressed strong dissatisfaction with the Benin-Owena River Basin Development Authority (BORBDA) for neglecting the state in its development initiatives despite numerous collaboration attempts.

The governor voiced his concerns on Monday during a meeting with the authority's new management team led by Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Olufemi Adekanmbi, at his office in Ado Ekiti.

"I need to refresh our memories about our experience with Benin-Owena. They have not been fair to us. We have gained nothing from them," Oyebanji stated, highlighting the frustration that has led his administration to exclude the agency from the state's strategic development plans.

The governor pointed out that despite Ekiti's massive investments in agriculture, the authority has made no contribution to the sector's development in the state. He emphasized that previous attempts to collaborate with BORBDA had been consistently frustrated.

"We have crafted our development strategy without you in our plan because every attempt to collaborate with you has been frustrated. We are investing massively in agriculture in the state and Benin-Owena has no contribution to it," he added.

While acknowledging the new management's expressed commitment to change, Oyebanji remained cautious, noting that previous promises had not translated into concrete actions. "I have read your speech; it shows that you want to do things differently. But we have listened to beautiful speeches that didn't translate to action," he remarked.

Despite his criticisms, the governor expressed willingness to collaborate with the authority if there is a visible shift in their operations and engagement with the state. He indicated readiness to support the implementation of projects already budgeted for Ekiti State.

"For those projects that are already in the budget concerning Ekiti State, whatever we can do to ensure that we fast-track development, I am ready to do that," Oyebanji assured.

The governor emphasized the importance of synergy between government agencies and stakeholders in driving sustainable development, urging the new leadership to ensure their renewed commitment translates to meaningful actions and tangible development outcomes in Ekiti State.