Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says he is seeking re-election for a second term in office to ensure a sustainable development of the state.
Makinde said his desire to run again followed an accelerated development of the state by his administration in the last three and half years.
The governor made this assertion during a live interview session on a Radio programme, Political Circuit, saying that his performance as the state governor within the period, had justified his re-election bid.
According to him, I deserved to be elected again by the people of the state, with the achievements recorded by my administration across the four service point areas of education, security, health, and economic expansion through agribusiness and infrastructure.
“If re-elected in 2023, I will go on to deliver ‘Omituntun 2.0’, which centres on delivering sustainable development to the people.
“When I was campaigning for election in 2018, I brought out a roadmap and promised the people that it was meant for accelerated development of Oyo State.
“Now, based on what we have experienced, we have brought another roadmap. But this time round, it is for sustainable development 2023-2027,”
Makinde said.
He said that his administration had been able to deliver infrastructure that targeted economic expansion programme as this government’s idea of infrastructure development has seen over 500 kilometres of roads, either completed or being constructed.
“In line with my administration’s determination to boost the economy of the state, this government embarked on an effort to link all five zones of the state with quality road infrastructure.
“All these zones have their uniqueness and what they are bringing to the table for the overall development of the state.
“So far, we have succeeded in linking Ibadan to Iseyin. We are linking Ogbomoso to Iseyin and we are linking Oke-Ogun to Igbo-Ora to Eruwa; we are also linking Eruwa to Ibadan,” Makinde said.
The governor said that, when his performance was placed side by side with the records of the previous administrations, his government had performed well.
He said that his government’s infrastructure initiatives included the 65-kilometres Moniya-Iseyin Road, while “works are ongoing on Ogbomoso-Iseyin, Oyo-Iseyin, Beere-Ona-Ara, Ajia-Airport Road with a spur to Amuloko, Bembo-Apata Roads and the dualization of the Ibadan Airport Road, among others”.
Makinde further explained that his administration had worked assiduously to expand the economy of the state by equipping the Ibadan Airport with the building of a 500,000-litre Aviation Storage and Dispensing Facility.
The governor said that the administration had been able to improve the economy of the state through agribusiness.
He said, through several policy initiatives and encouragement of a business environment that is agribusiness-friendly, the state had been able to attract massive investments.
These, Makinde said, included the designation of the state as one of the Agro-Processing Zones by the African Development Bank (ADB) and the building of the second largest Sorbitol Plant in the world by Psaltery Ltd.
He also said that part of his administration’s success stories in the agriculture sector wa the fact that the state had the lowest food inflation in the country last year.
According to him, my government has distributed improved seedlings to 10,000 farmers in the state.
“You must have also heard about youths we sent to Nasarawa State to learn about modern ways of doing agriculture. We have also collaborated with IITA on the STEM Programme.
“In terms of physical development, we have converted the Fasola Farm Settlement to a Farm Estate. Eruwa Farm Settlement is on the line as well.
“You see, gone are the days when the government will own businesses, but we can create an enabling environment.
“By November 2019, what we did was to link the Oke-Ogun Area to Ibadan. We have fresh produce there and people can easily move from the production area onward to city centers.
“We are also fixing Oyo-Iseyin Road. Though it is a Federal road, because it hit at the heart of our agriculture, we are fixing it.
“How else can you provide an enabling environment other than creating such infrastructure?” he said.
On the environment and waste management system, Makinde said the government has continued to search for a sustainable solution to the age-long problems associated with the environment.
“We have not scored 100 per cent concerning waste management. It is an issue that has been with us, we will do the needful, but it requires time.
“For us, if this administration tells you something is solved, it means it is solved. We have the template. We are mobilising.
“We have employed 300 environmental officers that will engage the people so that they can have the right mindset.
“The people need to change their attitude and when we meet in the middle, our problems will be less,” he said.
Makinde promised that his government would find a lasting solution to the menace of street beggars by moving them permanently to one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps in the state.
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