THE Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has made tremendous change in the state and there is no doubt that he deserves to be given another chance to complete the good work that he has started. I believe his achievements in the last three and half years so far will make people re-elect him for another term. In the last few years, the governor has executed some invaluable projects which will linger in the mind of the people of Oyo State. Makinde has written his name in gold in the areas of security, infrastructure, education and economic expansion through agriculture.He also completed the projects started by previous governments in the state.
Without a doubt his administration had recorded remarkable achievements. Since he came on board, he has providing enough support for the Western Nigeria Security Network (WNSN) codenamed Amotekun, thereby maintaining peace in Oyo State. He expanded and upgraded the Security Control Room and City Watch facilities at the Oyo State Security Trust Fund Headquarters, Onireke, Jericho, Ibadan. He rovided CCTV cameras in strategic locations in the state which are linked to the Security Control Room and provided more communication equipment for the security agencies, including brand new operational vehicles (pick-up vans, Kia Rio cars, and dial auto pick-up vans) to the Nigeria Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), ‘Operation Burst’ and Amotekun. This way, the crime rate in the state had dropped by over 25 percent; farmers in rural areas returned to their farms.
In the health sector, the Seyi Makinde-led administration has completed the rehabilitation and equipping of 299 Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) out of the 351 across the wards in the state. This has touched over 2 million people through direct interventions. On his assumption of office in 2019, he made education free in the state through the cancellation of fees in public primary and secondary schools. This led to an increase in the enrollments of pupils / students in public schools. Makinde has invested massively in education. He achieved the successful return of 54,000 out-of-school children to school while prioritising the welfare of teachers and the Oyo State workforce in general.
His administration was also able to successfully achieve the full ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH). Makinde has paid over N181 billion so far as gratuities, as against the N81 billion paid throughout the eight years of the previous administration. While the Ibadan-Iseyin Road has been completed, there is progress on Oyo-Iseyin Road, Ogbomosho-Iseyin Road and Saki-Ogbooro Road. As regards agriculture, the Oyo State government sets up an Agribusiness Hub at Fasola in Oyo Town. Moreover, the government is determined to make the state the food basket of the nation by providing a conducive atmosphere to agriculture investors. Also among Makinde’s achievements is the construction of ultramodern bus terminals in Ibadan, two of which are located at Challenge and Ojoo. They have been inaugurated. The remaining two modern mega bus terminals at Iwo Road and New Ife Road will be completed before the end of his administration.
The ultramodern bus terminals which are also known as transport interchanges will not only address problems associated with transportations in Ibadan, the state capital, they will also address security issues. The world-class ultramodern bus terminals comprise galleries for Automated Teller Machines (ATM), restaurants and shops. These bus terminals, which are projected to handle up to 10,000 passengers, are meant to collapse the transport units, to beautify the skyline and to beef up security in the state. The administration completed the first phase of the remodeling of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba; the reconstruction of Olubadan Stadium, Ibadan; the upgrading of the of Durbar Stadium, Oyo; the Soun Stadium, Ogbomoso, and the Saki Township Stadium. The income generated by the facility has doubled, and it is projected to attract a 300 per cent increase in revenue when completed.
The Makinde administration also implemented women affairs and social inclusion policies, including the domestication of the international convention on violence against women and gender balance in all decision making positions. One his interventions is the provision of shelter for the vulnerable childrenin the state. Also, since he came on board, Ibadan has moved up to the top three cities in Nigeria. His administration has improved the standards of living of residents and eased peoples’s hardship. In the bid to bring more development to the state, the governor needs the support and prayers of Oyo people in the coming election .
- Dr. Akande writes in from Ibadan, Oyo State.
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