The Oyo State Governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, has said that the state is prepared to use its vast landmass and population, as well as its contiguous location with the Northern and Southern part of the country to rejig its economy.
He spoke at the breakout session attended by Governors from the Southern part of the country during the 21st Nigerian Economic Summit organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Other governors at the session were Mr. Willie Obiano (Anambra State); Mr. Adams Oshiomhole (Edo); Mr. Rochas Okorocha (Imo State); Mr. Rauf Aregbesola (Osun State); Mr. Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun State); and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe.
The organisers said that the summit was aimed at facilitating stakeholders’ discussion and stimulate agreements on how best to achieve competitiveness and inclusive growth in a sustainable way, as well as to push for permanent structural changes that would stimulate inclusive growth.
To this end, Ajimobi said that Oyo State planned to shore up its dwindling revenue base by leveraging on its agriculture potential to achieve the objectives of the summit, which he said was well timed.
He said that the state was determined to explore and exploit the agricultural value chain to turn around the state’s fortunes as a way of liberating the state from economic stagnation instigated by the dwindling revenue allocation from the Federation Account.
Ajimobi used the opportunity to inform the audience that the state offers substantial discount to investors wishing to invest in agriculture, while such lands are acquired with relative ease.
He said, “The major advantage Oyo State has over other states today is its size. We are leveraging on our size and vast landmass to grow our economy. There are many industrial giants in Oyo State today who were attracted to the state by our business incentives.
“I’m using this opportunity to invite more investors to partner with the state government. Oyo State is five times the size of some states in the country. With such size and landmass, as well as the goodwill of the government, there is no business that will not thrive in Oyo State.
“We are also creating a logistic centre, which will have an industrial park, storage and other facilities. We are doing everything possible to ease logistics in and around the state.”
Ajimobi said that the state had also enacted a Public Private Partnership law to create a condusive environment for investors willing to partner the state.
As part of its regional integration agenda, the governor said that Oyo was partnering Lagos State on reforms that would significantly enhance its’ internally revenue generation.

The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has warned that non-adherence to party supremacy and discipline, as witnessed recently in the National Assembly, portends great danger for the polity.

The governor said this while delivering the distinguished personality lecture of the Department of Political Science and Diplomatic Studies of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State. He spoke on “Sustaining the wind of change.”
The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, was the chairman of the occasion, while the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Matthews Ojo, was the chief host.

Emphasising the need for caution on the part of the major players in the crisis that had pitted the leadership of the National Assembly against the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Ajimobi noted that no arm of the government could afford to play the ostrich.
The governor said, “For the new wave of change to be sustained, the legislature must not only be stable and predictable, but parliamentarians must learn how best to support party positions on important national issues.

“The recent event in the National Assembly, in which the time-test principles of party supremacy and discipline were rubbished, may not augur well for the polity.

“While not casting aspersions on anyone, more so that the Senate President (Senator Bukola Saraki) and the Speaker of House of Representatives (Hon. Yakubu Dogara) are eminently qualified to occupy those positions; the snag, however, is that the views of the APC, which was the platform that brought them to the parliament, was not sufficiently respected in matters of national interest.”

Since the APC felt strongly on the issue of Federal Character in the election or appointment of principal officers of the House, which Ajimobi described as a cardinal legal, moral and constitutional principle that should be respected by the party faithful, he said that the lawmakers ought to toe the party’s line.

Ajimobi blamed the financial insolvency stifling socio-economic development in most states on what he called the manifestation of brazen corruption that characterized the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party’s Federal Government.

He traced the country’s pervading precarious financial woes and insecurity to mediocre leadership at the federal level, which, he said, promoted administrative ineptitude, unwarranted aggrandizement-cum brazen corruption and lack of vision.

Refraining from what he called blanket condemnation, Ajimobi, nonetheless, acknowledged that few of the PDP governors provided effective leadership in their respective states, adding that none of the political parties was bereft of good materials.

Ajimobi said, “It is a common knowledge that two reasons are responsible for the drop in statutory allocations to the states; which are theft of over 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day and the fall in oil prices from over $100 to about $50 per barrel.

“While the fall in oil prices might have been beyond (former) President Jonathan’s control, it remains unclear why no single oil thief was caught or apprehended, beyond a few pipeline vandals.”

He adduced these and many other reasons for the decision of Nigerians to embrace the change slogan of the APC, which swept the PDP out of power after 16 years of the party’s firm grip on the country.

In order to sustain the change agenda of the Buhari administration, he called for total rebirth, moral rectitude and patriotism on the part of citizens, while calling on the government to liberalize the solid mineral sector and to diversify the economy from the oil sector.

Calling on the National Assembly to tinker with the law that places mining of solid mineral resources in the Exclusive List and make it Concurrent, he said a lot of revenue was daily being lost to illegal miners, who have capitalized on the inability of the FG to effectively control the sector.

Beyond these, he also advocated improvement on national security; adherence to professionalism by the mass media that dwells more on investigative journalism; robust legislation by the legislature, overhaul of the education sector and improvement on the country’s foreign policy.

In his welcome address, Aregbesola noted that the change electioneering slogan that brought Buhari to power was an idea whose time had come.
In spite of the encumbrances and spanners thrown by the opposition elements to truncate Buhari’s ambition, the Osun State helmsman said the President triumphed because Nigerians desired change.

Aregbesola said, “For those who care to know, the election of President Muhammadu Buhari was the culmination of the struggle by the progressives since independence. Hence, he won despite all the obstacles and odds.

“After the Ekiti electoral heist that saw to the emergence of a PDP government, the evil machinery was moved down to Osun State. There calculation was that if Osun could be seized, other South-West states will become low-hanging fruits for them.

“But, my victory foretold the eventual triumph of President Buhari. It was a strong statement that the APC had become unstoppable. The recent media attacks targeted against me was for no other reason than that I played a major role in stopping the PDP from holding on to power. But, I’m not worried.”

For the country to benefit fully from the change in guard at the federal level, he admonished citizens to change their attitude to work, and to critically assess the impact their activities is having on the society and the economy.

The VC of BOWEN commended Aregbesola for his contributions to the growth and development of the institution; while he applauded what he called Ajimobi’s relentless efforts at urban renewal, as well as social, industrial and infrastructural revolution in Oyo state.
Ojo saluted the doggedness of the two governors that saw to their winning election for second term in office, especially Ajimobi, whom he said broke the second term jinx in the state.

http://www.thinkoyo.com/ajimobi-aregbesola-advocate-sustenance-of-wind-of-change/

An Address By His Excellency, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi, The Executive Governor Of Oyo State On The Occasion Of The 55th Independence Day Anniversary To The Citizens Of Oyo State On 1st October, 2015

My Good Citizens of Oyo State,
On this occasion of Nigeria Independence Day Anniversary, it is with great joy that I welcome you to this annual celebration and remind you all of the history and antecedents of our great country Nigeria. Today, we Nigerians have every right to be proud of our nation, our history and the compatriots that rose up in unison against the retrogressive forces of the past who did all they could to deter our progress. Indeed their labour was not in vain.

2. Today, we celebrate not only the history of our country but also the leaders and citizens who have contributed to the fabric of this nation. Like every other country, we have had our fair share of problems and challenges to test our strength, resilience and love for one another, but we have surmounted various challenges and Nigeria is still standing as one united nation today.

3. The fight to conquer terrorism and insurgency in our country has been a long and hard one but we refuse to give in to terrorist and I implore everyone to keep the faith in the President and the Nigerian Army as they systematically rebuild a peaceful and safe Nigeria.

4. The backbone of any nation is an educated citizenry and the path to development can only be made smooth by education. That is why one of our foremost goals is to improve the education sector in Oyo State. Even as we move to reform our education sector, we ask that parents should be more engaged in helping Government to work out policies and implement same. For example, when Government decided to seek parental partnership in provision of fund for educational development, the Parents Association in the State played a prominent role by endorsing the sum of N3,000 per child per annum (N1,000 per child per term) in all Public Secondary Schools. The Body similarly made her voice loud when the decision was made by the Government to review some of the existing educational policies in the State. The level of patriotism was quite commendable. Our children are the future and it would be tragic if years from now we hand over the reins of Nigeria to leaders who are not equipped for true nation building.

5. Good people of Oyo State, it should be a thing of serious concern to all of us that the State is largely dependent on the Federal Government for our continued existence. The Internally Generated Revenue of the State has not improved. Many of the institutions and industries established in the State and even most citizens have not been performing their civic responsibilities particularly in respect of tax compliance. The statutory payment of property taxes and other commercial taxes have been cleverly evaded or underestimated. There is therefore the need to do something different to attain an improvement in the area of Internally Generated Revenue in Oyo State. This will definitely call for exploring and tapping new but veritable sources of revenue instead of clinging to familiar arrangements. Government will need the trust, cooperation and confidence of the people to make meaningful improvement in this regard.

6. To deal with these and other challenges, we need able and dedicated leaders in every sector. We need to encourage more synergy within the dynamics of Public Administration. On our part, we have in the past four and half years embraced and imbibed the doctrine of collective participation “Ajumose” with focus on positive attitudinal and ethical changes that would in turn promote good governance. We must learn to dearly uphold this new orientation and adapt to it. This is a challenge to us in Oyo State.

7. In going forward, we will continue to open up in a considered and progressive way. There are opportunities for us to interact with those in Government and express ourselves freely but responsibly. We need to see and help solve problems and build a new society where everyone can be what he desires to be. We may not always agree with one another, but we must stay cohesive and united in our common vision.

8. Let me seize this occasion of our National Day to commiserate with families, friends and associates of Nigerians who lost their lives in Saudi Arabia during this year’s Holy Pilgrimage to Mecca. May Almighty Allah grant the souls of the departed Aljanah Fridaus and accept their pilgrimage as an act of ibadah.

9. As a new year begins in the life of our country, let us remember to play our role as citizens and implore our friends and colleagues to do same. The fulfilment of our civic responsibilities is an essential ingredient for nation building. It is my responsibility to work for the good of Oyo State and be accountable to the people and it is your responsibility to obey the law. We must ensure that discipline and patriotism form major characteristics of the Nigerian spirit. Let us also uphold the dignity of labour and remain law abiding citizens. You have trusted me to lead you and I would do everything in my power to realize the Oyo State we all dream of. We will continue to bring positive change to this State so that we can leave it better than we met it.

10. Let me seize this opportunity to once again reiterate that the foundation for any meaningful social and economic development is maintenance of peace and security. Our Administration has consistently strived to sustain an environment of peace that aided us in our modest developmental efforts. Nothing would be allowed to disturb the peace.

11. As we celebrate the 55th National Day Anniversary, I implore you all to re-dedicate yourselves to the service of humanity and our fatherland and make Oyo State a place where you can all be the best you can be.

12. I wish you a happy 55th Independence Celebration.
God bless the people of Oyo State,
God bless Oyo State,
God bless Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Oyo State has said that the state government will clear the four months arrears of salaries owed to workers before Friday.
Olojede told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Monday that the issue of the arrears of salary was almost becoming a thing of the past.
He explained that on receipt of N26.6 billon as bailout fund by the state government from the Federal Government, the union held a meeting with the government on Sept. 21.
The NLC chairman said labour and government resolved that the amount should be used to clear the May, June July and August outstanding salary arrears of workers.
Olojede said that government started the payment of May salary on Sept. 22 while that of June was paid on Sept. 23, saying that a good numbers of workers have collected May and June salaries.
He said the Eid el-Kabir holiday affected the payment, and assured that the June salary would be paid to those who did not collect theirs before the festive period.
Olojede said that for those who had collected their salary up to June, the union was working with the office of the Accountant-General for the payment of July salary on Monday, while that of August would be on Tuesday.
“I am assuring the workers that their arrears would be paid before the end of this week based on the agreement of the union with the state government which has started materialising.
“The union decided that the salary be paid on monthly basis in quick succession so as to guide against any irregularities.
“If it was paid at once, it would bring about some irregularities in the payment by way of short payment and can also be prone to fraud,’’ Olojede said.
The NLC chairman said that the workers who complained of not receiving bank alert should check with their respective banks as the delay in the alert might be from the banks.
Olojede said the union had advised the Skye bank, through which the state government was paying the salaries, to ensure uniform distribution of the money to other workers’ banks to address the complaint of the workers.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State yesterday described as a misrepresentation, reports quoting him as having reached an agreement with the labour to cut workers’ salaries as a way out of the cash crunch.

The party, in a statement by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, said the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Waheed Olojede, must have either misconstrued the submission of Governor Abiola Ajimobi on the subject matter while the latter was featuring in an interview programme broadcast by an Ibadan-based radio station last weekend, or got briefed by the fifth columnists.
APC said: “Like many other members of the public who monitored the Saturday morning interview, we were taken aback when we read again that the NLC chairman quoted Mr. Governor to have mentioned an agreement with labour to bring about a downward review of workers’ pay in view of the present economic downturn. The truth of the matter is that the governor never said that.

“For the avoidance of doubt, it is on record that Senator Ajimobi, while reacting to a poser on salary payment palaver, said the government was meeting with relevant stakeholders, including the labour unions, on how to save the state from its economic problems and part of options being considered was salary review.

“The governor did submit that workers’ pay was a constitutional issue, which no government could decide without the input of relevant authorities. He hinged his position on the need to prevent a situation whereby workers would be owed arrears of salaries in future as it is being witnessed at the moment and for anyone to mislead the public over this will be most unfair.

“As a matter of fact, the APC administration will not do anything capable of undermining the efficiency of workers as we assure of continued friendly relationship between the government and its workforce, regardless of the numerous challenges. In a matter of days, the outstanding salaries and allowances owed public servants will be paid and the bones shall rise again.”

Oyo state Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi has reiterated the determination of his administration to suspend the sponsorship of pilgrims to the holy land until the economy of the state improves.

Governor Ajimobi stated this while receiving the Executive Secretary and other officials of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission at the Governor’s office, Agodi, Ibadan.

Governor Ajimobi explained that individuals who are interested in holy pilgrimage should endeavour to sponsor themselves since the purpose is for spiritual rejuvenation and not a compulsion.

He recalled that the Government maintained the same stand during the 2015 hajj exercise by sending only the medical staff to monitor the health of the pilgrims in Saudi Arabia.

He said the present state of economy in Oyo state called for a cut down in the financial spending of the state.

Earlier in his remark the executive Secretary of the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission Mr. John Kennedy said the purpose of the visit was to sensitize the Government and well to do members of the society on the need to support their brethren and finance their pilgrimage to holy land.

He said the Christian Pilgrim Commission had also introduced youth Pilgrimage and skills acquisition in Jerusalem which according to him would enable the youths to acquire some vocational trainings in the Holy land of Israel.

He explained that the Commission is also working in conjunction with the National Lottery Commission to ensure that all intending pilgrims obtained a lottery ticket with a view to sponsoring the lucky winner to the holy land with the proceed of the lottery.

In a bid to revamp the state’s education sector, the Oyo State government
has introduced some policies which are geared towards putting the students
in public secondary schools on their toes. Breakdown of these policies are
depicted with infographics.

Kindly, find it attached.

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has said that the administration would
target about N6.1billion Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) by the year
2019 to get out of the present financial mess.

Ajimobi said this after meeting with the state revenue agencies on the way
forward from the current economic malaise.

“Oyo State Government is currently generating an IGR of N1.2 billion and
we hope to increase it to N2.2 billion by 2016.

“Also, by 2017, the administration is targeting N3.6 billion IGR, which
represents 50 per cent increase and by 2019, we must have a revenue
generating ability of N6.1 billion.

“To put the state on a sound financial footing, Oyo State Government must
be generating an IGR of N7.6 billion,” he said.

Ajimobi said that there were two options in the restructuring effort of
the administration to either increase revenue or reduce cost.
“In reducing cost, one would have to retrench the workforce, but since we
are not downsizing, the only option is to increase revenue base of the
state,” he said.

The governor, who said that in realising this objective, the state
internal revenue board would be reconstituted by Sept.1 for effectiveness
and efficiency.

Ajimobi, while picking holes in the state’s current revenue drive, alleged
under-assessment, over-assessment and fraudulent practices by agents
collecting revenues for government.

He promised to also restructure the ministry, departments and agencies
involved in revenue drive.

The governor said if the government must meet the amount needed for salary
payment alone, all hands must be on deck to lift the state’s finances for
the better.

It would be recalled that recently, the governor got an approval from the
state House of Assembly to improve the state’s revenue profile.

Of all the humbling moments I have had in life, the most outstanding one was earlier this year upon being re-elected Governor by the good people of Oyo state.
It was all the validation I needed, as the people of this State are known for their political watchfulness. If I wasn’t doing something right – whether it was or wasn’t so in the eyes of political rabble-rousers – I would not be entrusted, for the second time, with the task of leading our State to further glory.
I have always been one to admit that Oyo State has a long way to go. It was one of the reasons I opted to serve the State in the first place. However, four years alone would’ve been an unrealistic timeline for the actualization of all the policies and roadmaps we created and which we have been implementing.
Governing a state and turning it around has not and will never be a magic show. It takes patience, research, hard work, insight, and surrounding oneself with the right people. Most of all, it takes an element out of the control of man – Time. During the first four years of serving the people of Oyo, my administration decided to pursue the tripod approach of restoration, transformation and repositioning of all sectors of the economy.
With great intensity, we focused on the education sector, because we know that the foundation that children get determines if they will be productive members of the society in decades to come. It is only quality education that can bring about the kind of manpower that will eventually contribute to the progress that we started in 2011 in Oyo State.
I have always taken to heart the words of the great Awolowo, when he said: “In order to attain to the goals of economic freedom and prosperity, Nigeria must do certain things as a matter of urgency and priority. It must provide free education.” That is why education at basic and secondary school levels was pronounced free; we wanted to encourage more people to educate themselves and their children. It is also why we reduced fees in tertiary institutions and established more of such institutions to cater for the increasing number of secondary school leavers who had, hitherto, been spending years waiting to fill the meagre admission slots available. And when they graduate from these institutions, our youth are being equipped with soft loans and entrepreneurial skills through our youth empowerment scheme, YES-O.
Truth be told, we had our test run by implementing these facets whilst using the old governing structures that were already in place. And despite our tentative steps towards curing the rot that plague our educational system, the saying: “you can’t put old wine in new skin”, rings true.
While some complain that the public school classes are overpopulated and the teachers are few, others remember that Government has a limit to its resources, regardless of its good intentions and policies. I thank the PTA in Oyo for the constant support that is being extended to our public schools. Just last week, we broke ground for the construction of two hundred new classrooms, as part of our efforts to improve the conditions under which our children learn. These new classrooms are being built in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
It is easy to forget that governance, especially a democratic one, is not the sole responsibility of the government in power but also the people it governs. ‘Ajumose’ should be the order of the day. We are already doing a lot; we intend to do a lot more. I ask that more Oyo residents recognise this and extend their hands of collaboration.
As policies are being implemented by the government, adjustments must constantly be made by the workforce and general citizenry and belts tightened. We have tried hard to plug the areas where there was excess spending of government funds by reducing the number of Ministries in the State, because it is the Oyo people’s money and it is in their best interest that we make necessary cuts and be fiscally responsible. Nevertheless, we are mindful of the need to put in place an environment that ensures our policies do not hurt the people we seek to protect – the people of Oyo. We are mindful of the contribution of Civil Servants to the State over the decades and their continued efforts, and so we are working to make their lives better.
To ensure that the State grows to the point where it can afford to better the lives of all residents, we are currently working towards enhancing the fiscal status of the state through internally generated revenue. To this end, we have partnered with sister States, especially Lagos, to adopt best practices.
In Oyo, we believe that an agricultural revolution is one of the failsafe ways of achieving that. Already, plans have been set in motion to revive and upgrade existing farm settlements, mechanized farm equipment are being procured to make the process easier and seedlings and loans are being handed out to old time farmers as well as new ones.
We are encouraging more people to take up farming either for subsistence or commercial value. Oyo has vast arable land and the cost of living here is affordable. We are on a drive to become the agriculture capital of Nigeria by making it easy for both local farmers and investors in agriculture to do business here. We will produce good food that will keep our people healthy, and we will sell to the world too.
Also importantly, in the area of health, we set up an all-inclusive health insurance scheme that will capture workers in the public and private sectors. Nobody prays to get sick but alas it is just one more part of life. The insurance scheme is our way of ensuring that whatever the financial circumstances of a resident, they have an easy way to pay for their health needs.
Provisions and purchases are also being made to see to it that our hospitals and health centres are equipped with state of the art apparatus and our health standards meet the requirements of international best practices. In all of this, we recognise the delicate nature of the work healthcare providers do and that is why our recent approval of the 100 percent implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale, (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure CONHESS. No longer will doctors in this state complain about being short-changed as this new structure will see to it that their earnings will be at par with the best paid in the service.
True progress must encompass all facets of life. That is why environmental modifications are also top on our list. We are opting for an integrated approach to solid waste management as we go into open ended partnerships with international agencies. We are adopting diverse methods of converting waste into energy in ways that will be sustainable in this clime. Only recently, we commenced the Waste to Wealth program that will see waste used to generate electricity, in partnership with Highland Energy Services Solutions Limited (HESSL).
We are building Oyo to become one of the top liveable cities in Africa, one that prioritises food, shelter and social security. We are restructuring our MDAs to ensure world-class service delivery to residents and investors.
Our ultimate goal is to make Oyo state as self-sufficient as possible. We cannot be distracted from the business of taking Oyo to the zenith. I do not believe in trying to use talk to convince naysayers who clearly have ulterior motives. The real business of governing is not about politics, it is about service to the people. And that is why I will run a knowledge-driven Government and, as it did during my first term, I will continue to let the progress of Oyo speak to the residents of the State and speak to investors in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
Senator Abiola Ajimobi
The Executive Governor of Oyo State
‎

2015 is almost here and I am quite sure you are bracing up for it. I am talking about you being ready to participate actively in the general elections of 2015. It is your civic right and responsibility to vote during elections but you also have a role to play to ensure it is a reality.

Not all those that are eligible to vote will be able to vote in 2015 simply because they disenfranchised themselves. INEC, in a bid to ensure free and fair elections have rolled out some guidelines.

In our characteristic way of keeping you abreast of latest developments in Oyo state, let us share them with you.

Collection of Permanent Voters Card (PVC):
For all those that registered during the last general elections (2011), they are expected to turn in their temporary voters card for the permanent one. The collection would be done between 15th – 17th August at the different polling centers in all the local governments across Oyo state. It is very important to do this because failure to do so mean the bearer of the temporary voters card won’t be able to vote in the 2015 general elections.

Registration of fresh voters: If you didn’t register during the last general elections because you were not of age (not yet 18), you have the chance to do so now if you have turned 18. Just visit the nearest polling station and register with the INEC officials. The fresh voters registration comes up between the 20th – 25th August.

You vote is your right, and your power to have a say in who governs you. But you must be a registered voter to do so.

The Oyo State Government on Thursday formally commenced the construction of two housing estates, with a total of 1,004 housing units to be constructed within the next one year.

The estates, with a total of 754 units of detached and semi-detached houses, with all necessary facilities and services, on a land area of approximately 20 hectares at Idi-Ishin tagged “Lakeside Residential Estate’’, 250 units are to be constructed at Elenusonso.

The two projects are to be executed under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement with HCP Architecture and Engineering Nigeria Limited.

Speaking at the turning of the sod for the two housing estates, Governor Abiola Ajimobi said that the projects were another milestone in the life of his administration.

In order to actualize the development of the housing units, he said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) had been signed by government with the developer, adding that a Certificate of Statutory Right of Occupancy had also been granted in favour of the developer.

“We had earlier commenced a similar project on a PPP basis with UPDC, a property developing arm of UAC. I am glad to inform you that works have reached a commendable level on the construction of those housing units which will bring smiles on the faces of our people,” he said.

According to him, the conception of the projects is in line with the mission and vision of his administration which is to restore, transform and reposition the landscape that it met about three years ago.

“This attempt to provide affordable housing units for the entire citizenry of Oyo State, both at home and in Diaspora, is in conformity with the agenda of responsible governments all over the world to do good to the greatest number of their people.

“It is indeed a fulfillment of one of our government’s electoral promises, as encapsulated in my electioneering campaign and this administration’s avowed commitment to provide housing units to the entire good people of Oyo State. It is also in realization of the fact that after food and clothing, shelter is ranked next in the hierarchy of human needs” the governor said.

http://www.thinkoyo.com/ajimobi-lays-foundation-for-1004-housing-units/

A temporary pedestrian bridge that would link Apete community to the rest of Ibadan city has been completed and opened for public use in line with Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s directives.

The state Commissioner for Works, Mr Bimbo Kolade, disclosed this while conducting newsmen round the newly-constructed pedestrian bridge.

Mr Kolade explained that the pedestrian bridge would be restricted to motor bike and vehicular movements to ensure the longevity of the bridge pending the completion of the main bridge.

The commissioner explained that though the bridge was solid enough for vehicular activities, it would be used by pedestrians to avoid being abused by members of the public and to give room for speedy completion of the main bridge.

Mr Kolade also assured the people of Apete community that a similar bridge would be constructed at the other side of the bridge where the collapsed wood bridge was located in the next two weeks.

According to him, the proposed second temporary bridge, on completion, would serve both pedestrians and commercial motorcyclists with the exception of motor vehicles pending the completion of the main bridge.

“The bridge is solid enough for vehicular activities but because of the need to continue work on the main bridge the pedestrian bridge will be restricted from vehicular activities for now, it will only be opened for pedestrian activities, we will not even allow okada riders to use it”.

http://www.thinkoyo.com/oyo-govt-completes-apete-pedestrian-bridge/