DIPLOMAN TIMES

Ondo State Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has ordered an immediate statewide ban on unverified sachet and bottled alcoholic drinks following thirty reported deaths in Odigbo LGA, alongside approving cabinet realignments and free vocational skills certification.

Addressing an emergency executive press conference in Akure, Information Commissioner Hon. Idowu Ajanaku announced an immediate statewide ban on the distribution, sale, and consumption of unverified sachet and bottled alcoholic spirits. The executive order follows preliminary toxicological investigations into a public health emergency in Odigbo Local Government Area, where thirty fatalities were linked to the consumption of illicitly compounded alcohol. State health enforcement task forces and NAFDAC officers have been deployed across market centers to confiscate unregistered brands and prosecute non-compliant distributors.

Parallel to public health interventions, Governor Aiyedatiwa approved targeted cabinet realignments and statutory board appointments to enhance executive service delivery. Under the new administrative structure, Mr. Femi Fadairo assumed office as Special Adviser on Special Duties and Strategy, while Hon. Gani Mohammed was redeployed to direct the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources. reconstituted leadership boards were also inaugurated for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the Local Government Service Commission, Muslim and Christian Welfare Boards, and the Consumer Protection Agency.

To accelerate youth empowerment and labor market integration, the state government launched registration portals for the Free Trade Test Certification and Vocational Skills Training Initiative. Executed by the Board for Adult, Technical and Vocational Education (BATVE) in technical partnership with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment and GIZ, the program offers fully funded professional instruction in renewable energy installation, modern mechanized agriculture, automotive engineering, and industrial trades.

BATVE Information Officer Debbie Funmilayo confirmed that the online registration portal will remain active until September 18, 2026, enabling thousands of young residents to secure accredited trade licenses. The vocational training curriculum has been calibrated to meet national occupational standards, facilitating direct placement into commercial industries or enabling self-directed micro-enterprise creation across Ondo State.

The state government reiterated that combining rigorous public health regulations with administrative restructuring and human capacity building directly advances Governor Aiyedatiwa's 'OUR EASE' development blueprint. The administration pledged sustained monitoring across commercial centers to protect consumer safety while expanding economic empowerment programs for residents.