Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has assured that his government will do more for the people of the state in 2025 and ease their economic burdens.
He said his administration would embark on decisive actions that would increase the spending powers of the residents of the state and ease the economic strains they are facing.
The governor stated this in his New Year Message, aired on the state-owned Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), on Wednesday.
Makinde said he would remain focused and ensure that residents of the state get value for the mandate given to him.
He listed the upgrading of the Ibadan Airport, Alakia to an international status, the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road and further education and enlightenment of residents as some of the projects the government would embark upon in the New Year.
He added that his administration would enforce the rule of law across different sectors, noting that more stringent measures would be taken against traffic offences in the state.
Governor Makinde maintained that 2024 tested the resilience of Oyo State residents to the limit, as the state and its people faced so many difficult situations, including economic hardship and tragedies in Ibadan.
He said the country struggled with economic challenges throughout 2024, with inflation rates reducing the people’s spending power and dragging more people into poverty.
The challenges, he said, were despite his administration working hard to lift people out of poverty through different policies and programmes.
Governor Makinde, however, noted that, in spite of all, the people of the state still had everything to be thankful to God for.
He declared that, as a result of the economic difficulties, his government took further actions to move people from poverty to prosperity by investing in making the state an economic hub and making the environment more ideal for the private sector to thrive.
Through these initiatives, the governor said, the state attracted huge investors such as Africorp Consortium and Shell Nigeria Gas, completed and commissioned the first phase of its Independent Power Project and flagged off the second agribusiness industrial hub construction in Eruwa.
He added that the tragedies –the Bodija Explosion and the Islamic High School stampede deaths -also made the administration to become more proactive and to take a second look at its strategies, policies and programmes.
“What a year 2024 was! Our resilience as a people has been tested almost to the limit. We have faced economic challenges and social tragedies that have been a direct or indirect result of these challenges.
“We were shocked by the 16 January, 2024 Bodija Incident. We reacted by signing Executive Order 001, 2024 on the Safe Handling and Storage of Harmful Substances Within Oyo State.
“We also took steps to give support to those who were primarily affected by this incident. We will give them even more support this 2025.
“In December 2024, disaster again struck in our dear state as we lost 35 children to a stampede at Islamic High School Basorun. We are still mourning this great loss.
“Throughout the year, we struggled with economic challenges as a nation. Inflation rates reduced our spending power and dragged more people into poverty than we were able to help escape poverty.
“Our hearts are heavy. Still, we are thankful. These tragedies have forced us as a government to go back to the drawing board and take a second look at our strategies, policies and programmes.
“For example, following the Bodija Incident, we took actions that further secured the lives of our people. We are more determined to put further measures in place to ensure that incidents like these never occur again.
“The economic difficulties also spurred us to take further actions to pull our people out of poverty. We invested in making Oyo State an economic hub, making our environment more ideal for the private sector to thrive.
“We welcomed Africorp Consortium and Shell Nigeria Gas into Oyo State, completed and commissioned the first phase of our Independent Power Project, a public-private partnership with Elektron Energy and flagged off the second agribusiness industrial hub construction at Eruwa.
“Indeed, despite the pain we feel regarding the tragedies that befell us last year, we are thankful,” Governor Makinde stated.
He also used the opportunity to assure residents of the state that there would be a positive turnaround in the New Year, calling on the people to continue to support his administration.
“So, with this confidence we look forward to a 2025 that will be a turnaround for us personally and as a people.
“As an administration, we look forward to doing more for our people. We are determined to take actions that will increase your spending power and ease the economic strain you are currently facing.
“We commit to being less reactive and more proactive. That is why we have mandated appropriate agencies to sensitise our people more about their duties and responsibilities that will lower the possibility of these avoidable disasters.
“OYMASED is supposed to educate our people. If we have any policies, programmes, the agency has its job cut out for it and we will keep educating our people. We will also use technology.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to see the New Year. I wish you a happy New Year and a very prosperous 2025,” he added.
