As the year 2020 close-out, Oyo state Governor, His Excellency, Engineer Oluseyi Makinde started the year with lots of program geared towards making life meaningful for the residents and the people of the state.
No doubt the purported beautiful plans were interrupted by an outbreak of Coronavirus which ravaged countries in the entire world.
The economic interruption occasioned by the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected thousands of small and medium-sized enterprises, SMEs, in Nigeria. The ravaging global pandemic, was driven by science, logic and data.
Governor Makinde remained the only dogged one who did not lockdown the state but set up testing centres and treatment centres in the state. However, testing was not enough, Oyo state was widely criticised for allowing people to go about their normal lives amidst COVID-19 as many residents of the state clearly refused to follow all the protocols by the Presidential Task Force and the guidelines by the state Emergency Operations Centre.
Schools in Oyo State were shut to prevent children from contracting the diseases but by the third quarter, Governor Makinde was the first Governor in the country to re-open schools and ensuring that classes were coordinated with strict adherence to Covid-19 protocols.
Earlier in the year, the governor had plans to move the state forward by creating polices that will make life meaningful for the populace.
In the educational sector, Governor Makinde at the beginning of year 2020 said his “goal is to make Oyo State the hub for education tourism in Nigeria, not just at the basic education level but at the tertiary level as well.”
Despite the reports that the state is regarded to have the highest number of out of school children in south west Nigeria, His Excellency decided to make education free for children in Public primary and secondary schools.
The state now has the biggest education spending allocation of 22.4% of the 2020 budget, topping the federal government record but last year the state increased education spending to 10% from the previous 4% and provided a N526 million grant to all primary and secondary schools to be disbursed term by term.
While the federal allocation still is the primary source of the state’s revenue, Oyo state government said that efforts are in place to make sure that the economy of Oyo State will no longer depend on federal allocation but would develop an economy that is driven by agriculture and agribusiness.
Makinde said in his January speech that the state was dedicating 25% of the 2020 budget to develop infrastructure that will aid economic growth, that Year 2020 presents opportunities for further expansion of the state’s economy with the new rail line, dry port and plans to revamp Ibadan Airport. This is the time to invest in our state to take advantage of these opportunities.
The Chief Press secretary to the Governor’s Taiwo Adisa, in an interview with GOAL POACHER NEWS correspondent, said despite the Coronavirus pandemic, Oyo state achieved 26 percent of in it’s Internally Generated Revenue going by the reports of the Nigeria Bureau of statistics .
Mr Adisa listed some outstanding achievements of the Seyi Makinde led-government within the year 2021, including projects embarked upon such as renovation and remodelling of Lekan Salami Stadium, renovation of Oyo State Agric Development Agency (OYSADA) headquarters at Saki, construction of bus terminals in Ibadan, Moniya, Iseyin, Saki to Ogboro road, Agric Centre in Awe, revitalisation of Akufo and Eruwa Farm Settlements, Airport Ajia road with spur to Amuloko road project, upgrade of hospitals and health centres, creation of new housing scheme at New Ajoda Town, remodelling of Agbowo Shopping Complex which had become moribund.
Dr. Olatubosun noted that most residents of Oyo State live on what they earn daily, hence the reason the present administration refused to embark on total lockdown which could have had adverse effects on the people.
He noted that peace and tranquility being enjoyed in the state has prompted lots of investors and influx of people into the state and the reason for the heavy traffic being experienced in the state capital.
The Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Taiwo Adisa and the Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism, Dr Wasiu Olatunbosun charged residents of the state on what to anticipate in the 2021. The duo said the present administration will consolidate on what they achieved in 2020.
Some residents in the state who spoke with our correspondent highlighted COVID-19 and ENDSARS Protest as the two major events that paralysed the state’s economy and how the state Governor was able to surmount the challenges. According to them, Governor Makinde actually set the pace for the Federal Government and other Governors in the country to emulate. They lauded him for his decision not to embark on total lockdown of the state which could have led to more economic woes for the residents.
A resident, Alhaja Suliyat Adetoro commended Makinde for being the only governor in Nigeria to publicly address the ENDAARS protesters and hoodlums who had hijacked the protest. She said no governor had the effrontery to do what Makinde did. She cited how the youths in Osun and Lagos molested their governors but different scenario played out in Oyo state.
They lauded him for spearheading the distribution of palliatives to poorest of the poor in the state which ensured that the palliatives got to those who needed it the most.
When asked if they could point out at the major infrastructural projects initiated by Makinde’s administration, a trader at Aleshinloye market, Mr Abraham Ogunsakin said he was impressed with the Moniya Iseyin road which was rewarded by the present administration. He pointed at the Ibadan Light up project, the reconstruction and renovation of Adamasingba Stadium, the Airport Ajia road with spur to Amuloko, expansion of Ibadan Airport to international standard. He noted that all these projects when completed, will have direct impacts on the masses and transformed the economy of the state.
However, some residents condemned the borrowing spree approach of Governor Makinde. A resident, Mrs Adetola lashed out at the Makinde alleging him of mortgaging the future of the next generation. He advised the Governor to look for other means of generating more more rather than borrowing money to finance road projects.
Another resident, Mr Adeogun chided the Governor for not honouring the agreement he had with ADC and ZLP.
He described Makinde a an inexperienced politician with the crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State and Southwest in general. He warned the Governor not to allow the crisis to fester noting that such could have adverse effects on his reelection in 2023.
According to the residents, It is however believed that in year 2021, life will be better for the people.
