Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Thursday, approved the reconstruction of Ijio- Idiko-Ile Road in Oke Ogun axis of the state.
The governor assured that the contractor will move to the construction site in the next two weeks, adding that, within the next two weeks, he will sign off on the road from Alaga-Otu-Ilero to Iwere-Ile.
Makinde, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Taiwo Adisa, stated these at a town hall meeting held at the Iseyin Town Hall, Oja-Oba, Iseyin, in continuation of his zonal consultative meetings.
The governor also assured that, within the next four years, his administration will make Iseyin one of the fastest growing cities in the country.
He explained that work is ongoing at the College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources, Iseyin Campus of the Ladoke Akintola University.
Makinde promised that when the project is completed, the biggest lecture theatre of the campus will be named after late Aseyin of Iseyin, Oba Abdul Ganiy Adekunle Salau.
He also approved the immediate upgrade of the Iseyin Township Hall, as he directed the chairman of Iseyin Local Government Area to look for a contractor from Iseyin that will do the project.
The governor explained that Oyo State has the least amount of food inflation in the entire country, adding that he will continue to ensure the situation remained the same by rendering assistance to farmers in the state.
“I appreciate you all and want to assure you that I will address some of the issues you have raised by incorporating them into the next programmes and policies we are designing for the next four years.
“Let me also appreciate the representatives of the Miyetti Allah, who have come here to address us. When we came into government, we used to record farmers and herders clashes almost every week.
“In November 2019, I banned open grazing in Oyo State. Later, we set up Amotekun. Everybody thought we created the outfit to send away Fulani herdsmen, but in Oyo State, the Fulanis and Yorubas have been living together. I can tell you that the farmers/herders clashes have reduced considerably.
“From the reports I have with me, there are clashes sometimes but Amotekun, Police, other security agencies and our traditional rulers have been able to manage and resolve some of those problems.
“We are on the right track and I can give you the assurance that it can only get better. I thank you all for your cooperation from all angles.
“For the artisans and Oke-Ogun farmers, you want us to empower you but the government cannot do everything you need.
“The best we can do is to create an enabling environment for your businesses to thrive, and the concept of what we are doing is to integrate the economy of Oyo State.
“We cannot concentrate all we have to do in Ibadan alone as we need to open up. So, the first task we embarked upon was to link Ibadan with Oke-Ogun to Ogbomoso to Oyo to Ibarapa, and I am happy to tell you that we are, at least, 70 per cent there.
“From my experience, when Oke-Ogun farmers requested tractors from the government, if the past government tried it before and could not sustain it, what it means is that we have to try a different method.
“Oyo State has a Tractor Hiring Unit. I asked the director and permanent secretaries to give me the data but could not add up.
“But I went to other countries, including Israel, to make enquiries on how theirs is being operated and I got to know that it has to do with cooperation because tractors cannot be owned by an individual. But if farmers come as a group or cooperative, they have the strength.
“So, we are well on the way to organising our farmers into cooperatives. I am happy that the person who spoke about the farmers confirmed fake and unverifiable data.
“As for us, we want to empower 10,000 farmers out there. And that was why we asked our youths to go to Nasarawa State for training on agribusiness. We will empower them and fill that gap.
“However, one good thing is that since we came into government, production from the farms have been consistently going up.
“Oyo State has the least amount of food inflation in the entire country. We will continue on that path and render assistance to you where needed.
“The era of spending government money without getting any value is over forever in Oyo State. So, we will empower you to add value to our economy and state.
“For the people living with disabilities, I insist that you must be incorporated into governance. That is why they have representatives in every local government in Oyo State.
“So, I can confirm to you that you have a masses-friendly government. We will always do what we need to do correctly. So, the second term we are campaigning for is for all of us.
“Since we came in, we have been paying workers’ salaries consistently. We inject N11bn into the state’s economy and the money is circulated around the state every four weeks.
“The N3,000 school pupils were paying, I cancelled it on the day of my inauguration and we have sustained it.
“On the expansion of our economy, we did Moniya/Iseyin Road; Oyo/Iseyin; Ogbomoso/Iseyin. Iseyin will link Saki despite the fact that it is a federal government road. We will fix all the bad portions of the road because it is our people who use it.
“Let me reveal this to you today; in another three to four years, Iseyin will be among the fastest-growing cities in Nigeria. So, don’t sell your lands as they will appreciate in value worth millions of naira,” Governor Makinde said.
Aside from the Ijio Road, the governor also said the Alaga-Otu-Ilero-Iwere-Ile will also be fixed.
Earlier, the Okere of Saki, Oba Khalid Olabisi and Onjo of Ekeho, Oba Rafiu Osuolale, commended the governor for his developmental projects at Oke-Ogun Zone of Oyo State, assuring that Oke-Ogun people will pay him back with their votes.
“We are happy that all these wonderful things are happening in our time, and I pray that they shall be sustained.
“Iseyin Zone 1, I congratulate all of you because the governor is our son. He is from Oke-Ogun and that is why he has been doing these good things for us.
“No governor has done something like this for us in the history of Oyo State. This is the first time there will be a university in Iseyin and I believe we all know what that means.
“We don’t see Governor Makinde as someone who exhibits eye-service. As an engineer, he has his master plan to turn the state around,” the Okere of Saki said.
Earlier before the town hall meeting, Governor Makinde led some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on a house-to-house political campaign.
Among places touched was Oja Oba Iseyin and the frontage of Iseyin Township Hall, where he personally distributed campaign leaflets to the people of the areas.
Governor Makinde also embarked on an inspection tour of the ongoing work on the College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Resources, Iseyin Campus of the Ladoke Akintola University and the 76.7km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road which was recently flagged off by his administration.
Some of the dignitaries on the governor’s entourage include his deputy, Barrister Bayo Lawal; Deputy National Chairman (South) of the PDP, Amb Taofeek Arapaja; state PDP chairman, Dayo Ogungbenro; a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; commissioners and other party stakeholders in the state.
