APC Tackles Fayose Over Imminent Liquidation Of Gossy Water

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has berated Governor Ayodele Fayose for failure to rescue Gossy Water from liquidation.

It also blamed the governor for allegedly creating unfriendly atmosphere for businesses, regretting that instead of building on the initiatives of his predecessors to sustain job creating businesses, the governor created conditions that hampered business operations with attendant job losses, allegedly preferring to spend money on projects awarded to his friends for personal gains.

It cited the imminent liquidation of Warm Spring Waters Limited producers of the popular Gossy Water, as an instance of Fayose’s “callous neglect of government’s enterprises that have potential to keep Ekiti people in jobs while spending on projects that benefit him and members of his immediate family”.

The board of Warm Spring Waters Limited had given liquidation notice to stakeholders, citing failure of the company to pay its debts and other challenges.

Reacting in a statement in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun said it is disheartening that instead of attracting investments to the state like his predecessors, Fayose had through his allegedly recklessness and hostile attitude to the initiatives of his predecessors for investments, been driving investors away from Ekiti while existing businesses are winding up.

Citing the closure of GTB, Ecobank and Cocacola over refusal to surrender their corporate social responsibility cash to Fayose, Olatunbosun said the latest on the list of the shut down businesses would be Gossy Water to be liquidated at the extra ordinary general meeting of the company on February 6th, 2018.

“One major reason for the winding up of the company is the unfavourable business environment such that there was no electricity supply to the company to run effectively for three years, including the non-patronage of the company’s product by Fayose’s administration because the company was the initiative of his predecessor.

“It is on record that the Fayemi administration provided electricity in many communities through rural electrification, distribution and repair of transformers while liaising with the power company to restore electricity in many towns.

“Ikogosi Warm Spring Company would not have been without electricity under such an administration as it is under the Fayose administration now, resulting in huge debts overhang, which has led to its liquidation.

“Fayose is known for abandoning revenue generating projects of his predecessors in office. This is the same way he has abandoned the foreign exchange earner Ikogosi Warm Springs Resorts that was developed to the world tourist standard by Dr Kayode Fayemi administration

“Gossy Water is one of the surviving income generating investments for the state government but it is unfortunate that Fayose has again killed it with his non-challant attitude to revenue generating investments of the state initiated by his predecessors,” he explained.

He added: “Gossy Water was established as a joint business venture between Ekiti State Government and the bluechip conglomerate United African Company (UAC) by Otunba Niyi Adebayo’s administration.

“The company’s product was known nationwide because Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi administrations that succeeded Adebayo fulfilled their obligations to the company, but the company is closing down under Fayose who has since ensured the liquidation of a sister investment in the same town, the Ikogosi Warm Springs and Resort, after mindless looting, leaving only its carcass.”

Olatunbosun noted that since Fayose assumed office in October 2014, it had been tale of woes for both government investments, including private businesses.

He said: “While he left money generating investments like the Ikogosi Warm Spring Waters, Warm Spring Resorts, Ire Burnt Bricks and the Pavillion to rot away, he deliberately, through his hostile and anti-business attitude borne out of greed, caused private businesses such as Coca-cola, Ecobank, GTB, ROMACO Igbemo and the billion naira Iluomoba Plywood Industry to close shops.

“Fayose is so insensitive and mean such that he doesn’t care a hoot about what happens to two major investments- Gossy Water and Warm Spring Resort, in Ikogosi community which launched the state to the world map.

“Fayose is like the biblical prodigal son who has frittered away Ekiti’s commonwealth which his predecessors worked hard to create from their visions and which they nurtured until Fayose came and destroyed all.

“This is a tragedy for Ekiti State, which needs such investments to shore up its Internally Generated Revenue and keep Ekiti people in their jobs because Gossy Water directly employed 500 indigenes and about 6,000 indirect labour force, including distributors all over the country, same with banks and other companies he drove away from the state.

“As we speak, nobody knows the IGR profile of the state except Fayose.

“We only hope the whole state would not go into liquidation before the dreadful and locust tenure of Fayose comes to an end in October,” he concluded.
Rt Hon Taiwo Olatunbosun