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COVID-19: ‘How to Perform Eid Prayers at Home by Sultan of Sokoto

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

The Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) has given step by step guidelines on how Muslims can perform Eid prayers at home as a result of the lockdown occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Secretary-General of JNI, Shaykh Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, in a statement, said following the mandate given to the JNI FATWA Committee regarding the year 2020 ‘Eid-el-Fitr Prayer by the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, the committee urged that Eid-el-Fitr Prayer be observed at home with family members or alone in case the person is alone.

According to the statement: “The Eid-el-Fitr Prayers are two RAKA’AT. Seven (7) TAKBIRAT to be pronounced in the first RAKA’AT, including the opening TAKBIR.

“Then SURATUL FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL A’ALA.

“While in the second RAKAH, five (5) TAKBIRAT be pronounced.

“Then SURATUL  FATIHA is read and any other SURAH, preferably SURATUL GHASHIYAH.

“In the case of praying at home, as it may be, the KHUTBAH(sermon) is suspended.

“All the above mentioned are based on the Hadith of Anas Bn Malik in Sahih al-Bukhari and Maliki School of law decisions, in MUKHTASAR, as explained by Al-Kharshi and Al-Munah al-Jalil

FG threatens to jail anyone selling fertilizer above N5000

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

The Federal Government has urged Nigerians to report anybody found selling fertilizer above the N5000 Government approved price.

Chairman, Presidential Task Force on Fertilizer Initiative, also Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Muhammad Badaru, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) efforts to make fertilizer available and affordable to farmers.

The Federal Government had reduced the cost of bag of fertilizer from N5,500 to N5000 to support farmers and subdue the effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

But the chairman said the Federal Government ihad learnt of attempts by some individuals to sabotage government’s efforts to make fertilizer available and affordable to Nigerian farmers.

“We learned that some individuals are selling fertilizer at N5,500 per bag which is above the government approved price.

“We have whistleblower numbers on each bag of the fertilizer, therefore, farmers can directly call and report anybody selling the fertilizer above N5000,” Badaru said.

He, however, warned that jail terms await anybody arrested for the above reason.

Right to Food Will Aid Zero Hunger by Sola Kolawole

By
Peter Ayoade
-

For any country to banish hunger, the focus must be on the promotion of sustainable agriculture which will in turn facilitate food security and improved nutrition.

Our over dependence on oil export revenue and underestimation of Agriculture as a potential economic power house is gradually coming back to haunt us as a nation. The glut in the global oil market as a result of this pandemic clearly points to our vulnerability as a nation claiming to be the giant of Africa.

In the advent of a more brutal pandemic that may warrant months of total lockdown across all States, we may not be able to handle the possibility of mass starvation as a result of food shortage.

Already, in some cities, we are beginning to see the early signs of food scarcity. This may get worse if smallholder farmers who grow annuals and vegetables can no longer produce particularly during this farming season. This situation is rather imagined.

The truth is, we do not produce enough food; we do not have food reserves that can cushion the effect of famine; we have not invested in our smallholder farmers in terms of knowledge and empowerment; and we do not have social impact investments in the food system or Agriculture.

There is a disconnection between farmers and Government. Farmers do not have representation in Government. Farmers do not have a voice and it is only during emergencies like these that people see the importance of food production.

Our Agriculture is not getting the requisite investments and support from both the public and the private sector. The sector is a toddler grappling in the dark.

The Private sector have also focused and invested more on entertainment neglecting a sector that matters most. Financial institutions avoid Agriculture preferring to fund estate developers.

Now, we have to face a future without oil revenue. It will happen soon or sometime in the future and we may be stranded if we do not consider food as a right.

Food can become a Right in Nigeria if the Right to Food Bill is passed into law and an amendment of the constitution is made to that effect by the National Assembly.

Food has to be included as a fundamental human right explicitly listed in Chapter 4 of the Constitution. This is because ‘Food’ is a rights issue; a rights issue is the exclusive preserve of the constitution, not that of a subsidiary law.

Sola Kolawole Onikoyi is an agriculturist from Ikoyi Ile, Oyo State

IG: @solatlarge
Twitter: @solaatlarge

APC’s Criticism of Oyo Govt N20b Loan Move Embarrassing, Height of Deceit and Hypocrisy — Oyo PDP

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

The Oyo state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed its dismay over a press statement credited to one of the opposition parties, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state for condemning a move by the state government under the leadership of governor Seyi Makinde to borrow the sum of twenty billion naira (20 000 000 000) from a commercial bank in Nigeria to improve on critical sectors of the state and provide for economic relief.

The ruling party in a press statement signed by its state publicity secretary, Engr Akeem Olatunji, on Wednesday, said that the condemnation by Oyo APC in the face of harsh and unpleasant economic realities was not only embarrassing and shameful, but also shows the height of deceit from a political party that has lost its connection with present economic realities as a result of its blindness by sheer desperation to pull down Makinde’s government by all means.

According to the statement, PDP wondered why the opposition applauded the federal government under its administration for embarking on series of unaccountable loans including a recent N850 billion which the national assembly hurriedly approved and running Nigeria’s economy on deficit and condemned Makinde’s similar move to cushion the state economy stressing that Oyo APC was playing politics at the detriment of the people.

The ruling party further stated that such statements credited to the opposition party was an attestation to its political naivety which further exposed its ignorance of simple management of the state economy in time of economic crisis stressing that it was such level of ignorance that led to Ajimobi/APC government plunging the state into a whooping debt burden of over one hundred and fifty billion naira (150 000 000 000) the state’s highest debt profile since Oyo state was created with nothing to show for it.

The party noted that what became very disturbing was the fact that the over N150 billion naira debt inherited by present administration from APC government happened when Oyo state received the highest federal allocation in history when crude oil was selling on the average price of between $140 and $45 per barrel unlike now when crude oil price is at all time fall of around $25 to $22 per barrel.

The ruling party stressed that the 20 billion naira loan approval sought by the state government from the state assembly was specifically for development of critical infrastructure that will boost economic relief since the whole world is currently bearing the brunts of COVID-19 pandemic that has already grounded most economies to a halt including Oyo state which is suffering great loss of internally generated revenue to the pandemic.

Engr Olatunji, in the statement reiterated that APC in Oyo state was merely playing what was described as ‘notice me’ politics stressing that the opposition party in Oyo state was already dead in the state after 2019 guber election adding that the few remnants with no political value and nothing to offer the state were merely surviving on federal presence stressing that if the opposition was truly alive it would have condemned the federal government in strongest term under its party’s administration for diverting the supposed school feeding program to an unrealistic home feeding program when the FG could not even help Nigerians it placed under lockdown with relief cash transfer to ameliorate the unspeakable hardship they are being subjected to.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a press statement credited to Oyo state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC), where the opposition party in its usual smear campaign condemned a strategic and laudable move by the state government under governor Seyi Makinde for seeking the approval of the state house of assembly to access a 20 000 000 000 (twenty billion naira) loan with the aim of investing it in the state critical infrastructure and provide economic relief to safeguard our dear state from a worst economic implication arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Where was Oyo APC when federal government under its watch claimed not less than N7.2 billion was disbursed to Nigerians without any iota of proof, where was APC when Mr President sought and got the approval of the national assembly for the loan of N850 billion, why was APC silent on explaining the over N150 billion its administration bequeathed to the present government, where is APC when just yesterday (Wednesday May 20th) the FG declared another release of N623 Million for purchase of computers?

“We find the statement by any opposition extremely appalling, embarrassing, shameful and should be condemned by all economically sound minded persons because such statement only shows the height of deceit, hypocrisy, and deliberate attempt to frustrate government’s efforts towards keeping the state on the path of post COVID-19 economic recovery.

“It was on record that when the request for the said N20b loan was read on the floor of the house during the last plenary by the state assembly that is comprising of lawmakers representing different political parties, no objection was raised to decline such move that was described by the house as very important and timely.

“It was very commendable to note that the 9th Oyo assembly has continued to show apolitical judgement by always putting the state first ahead of partisan or personal interests leading to the approval of the executives request.

“We want to make it abundantly clear to the APC in the state to stop embarrassing the good people of our dear state before the world with the level of ignorance it has continued to show towards management of the state economy particularly during this present time of unfriendly economic reality arising from a global pandemic.

“The least APC in Oyo state could have done in a time like this if it was still alive to its duty was to save us the embarrassment and wait for implementation before passing any judgment or make remarks if necessary.

“We are not perturbed by the Oyo APC’s unabated penchant for attacking governor Makinde, even when the governor recovered from the dreaded corona virus infection, their desperation to pull him down by all means couldn’t keep them from attacking the governor for telling his people how he survived the disease and what measures were taken during his treatment as a means of educating the public.

“We are of the conclusion that attacking Makinde and his government has become an antidote for Oyo APC’s political misfortune but we urge them to play opposition with at least little sense of empathy for the people they desperately wish to govern again, and we insist that APC government in the last eight years be duly probed in order to ensure accountability as well as set the records straight on how APC led government managed to plunge the state into an all time record of over N150 billion debt inherited by the present administration.”

 

 

The Guardian Photo Journalist Escapes Death, Several Injured as Robbers Invade Apete community

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

No fewer than 20 dare-devil armed robbers invaded Jamade street, Opposite Goshen land, a sub-community of Apete in Ido Local government early thursday morning inflicting deep matchet cuts on no fewer than six persons and carted away valuable properties.

Sources in the communities stated that the robbers arrived around 1:00am on Thursday and robbed no fewer than ten houses including the House of Deputy Photo Editor of the Guardian Newspaper, Mr Najeem Raheem whose son, Faruk fainted as a result of the iron rod used on him by the men of the underworld when he put up resistance.

His father, Najeem Raheem had escaped by the whiskers from the attackers but the wife was not that lucky as she was matcheted on her hand by the men of the underworld.

The Pacesetter News gathered that a student hostel was also attacked in the area where no fewer than four students sustained matchet cuts with others inflicted with other varying degrees of injuries.

While the police were called severally according to residents, they reportedly did not get to the location until after one and half, even though the distance between the Divisional Police Station, Apete to the crime scene should not take more than five minutes at around that time.

Investigations revealed that the House of an Islamic cleric who rare cow in the neighborhood, Alhaji Adekunle, the house of a Lead City lecturer and that of another staff of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) were among those robbed.

Some of the victims stated that the thieves, mostly young boys distributed themselves to the houses stealing laptops, phones and cash and also destroyed valuables.

The physically disturbed residents stated that the entire Apete, and particularly Yidi-Arola and Ariyibi communities have been under attacks by thieves since the partial lockdown of Oyo State due to Coronavirus pandemic.

They called for security deployment to the area.

A resident of the community who pleaded anonymity stated “that the police that came were even blaming residents asking them where they got the phones that were stolen by the thieves. This is the least we expected from Police who said they are our friends. Infact some people called 615 released by government and other numbers. We didnt get response. In this community alone no fewer than 40 houses have been attacked with not less than 30 persons sustaining all sorts of injuries after loosing valuables in the last one month”.

Dayo Ojelaru, one of those who sustained matchet cuts on his legs described the experience as harrowing.

Faruk Najeem, the son of the Guardian deputy photo Editor has however been revived and sleeping at the time of filing this report.

His father, stated “I thank God I didnt lose my Son and wife. They came in through the fence and stormed my compound. My wife sustained matchet cut and my son was hit with iron making him to loose consciousness. We called the police but the response was not encouraging. The Commissioner of police needs to deploy more teams to Apete community and Yidi-arola for regular patrol. These are serial attackers. We cant sleep with our eyes closed anymore. Governor Makinde also needs to see to this rising insecurity. We have turned ourselves to night guard. We are suffering the bad economy and the government must protect us. We need more police presence in Apete, Yidi-arola and Ariyibi. A good government must be able to protect the lives and properties of her citizens”

N22.5B LOAN: You’re Throwing Oyo into Needless Debt Crisis, SPN fires Makinde

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

 

Following the Oyo State House of Assembly’s accelerated approval given to Governor Seyi Makinde‘s requests to raise fresh loans of N20billion and N2.5billion from the First Bank of Nigeria Plc and the Central Bank of Nigeria respectively, the Oyo State Chapter of Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has decried the actions of both the executives and legislative arms of the State. SPN believes that construction of roads and upgrading of health facilities can be funded without increasing the huge debt burden on the State.

The party said in approving more financial burden on Oyo State, the legislators have further shown that they do not have the interest of the Oyo State people at heart. With the latest approved loans, Makinde-led administration has now borrowed over N40 billion in less than one year.

A press statement signed by Oyo State Secretary of SPN, Com. Deji Adigun, said the new loans are third of such facilities to be accessed by Engr Seyi Makinde-led government in less than one year of its existence and the approval is more or less like mortgaging the future of the State especially when none of the loans previously obtained by both the past and the present governments in the State has ever translated into any improvement in the condition of workers and poor people in the State.

Part of the statement reads: “SPN acknowledges the commitment expressed by the Engr Seyi Makinde-led government to fund both the reconstruction and rehabilitation of road infrastructure and the upgrading of health facilities across this State. This is welcome even though it is long overdue given the age long deplorable states of several numbers of roads and health facilities across the State”.

SPN also believes that if the public funds are genuinely invested on all priority projects highlighted by the Oyo Government, it will help to boost both the economic activities and social interaction across the State.

“However, if the fundamental motive behind all of the highlighted priority projects is to alleviate the suffering of the working but suffering people and not self-enrichment, we of the SPN strongly believe that the procurement of the loan facilities is needless and avoidable!”.

“The highlighted projects can be funded through public funds. This is actually possible, if the alleged security vote of 1billion naira the Governor award to himself is scrapped, all political office holders are placed on salaries and allowances of civil servants and a workers’ democratically controlled and well-equipped public works programme is used for all projects including roads, schools, hospitals etc instead of the fraudulent and costly contract system. The resources freed up from this approach is added to the pool of fund at the disposal of the State to be committed and invested on the areas of needs of the working people in the State”.

“As we always maintain, contract system has been one of the fraudulent means through which pro-capitalist politicians and business associates loot the public fund and throw the State into needless debt crisis. SPN equally holds that the democratic control of all of the resources and funds at the disposal of the State by an elected committee of workers and community people is very important so as to ensure that they are judiciously invested in areas of needs of the people”.

“Given the pro-capitalist and profit-first orientation and disposition of the Seyi Makinde-led government, we recognise that it will be difficult for the regime to follow this kind of programme. It is in the light of this that we of the SPN continue to insist that only a government of workers and the poor will be ready to break away from these ruinous capitalist policies that always seek to prioritize the interest of a few members of the billionaire class at the expense of the interest of the working people” the statement concluded.

Oyo Govt Responsible for Rise in COVID-19 Cases at iSON Xperiences, Says Fisayo. •It’s a lie – OYSG

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

 

An investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has said that the Oyo State Taskforce on COVID-19 was responsible for the spike in number of COVID-19 cases at the Dugbe Ibadan office of iSON Xperiences.

He also accused Governor Seyi Makinde of giving false situation reports.

However, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism has refuted the claims by the journalist.

Soyombo made the shocking revelations yesterday in his routine #fisayoscovid19series. The ace investigative journalist in a series of tweets said:

“A lot of people have been wondering how it was possible for 57 staff of one company in Oyo State to test positive for COVID-19 (Some have even doubted it.”

“I may not have all the answers but I do have four. Please come with me.

“1. iSON Xperiences, is a customer service provider for the likes of Airtel and MTN. It is Located at Old Kingsway Building, Dugbe (very close to CBN, beside Shoprite, opposite Radio Nigeria), it has more than 500 staff. If just one of them tested positive, so many of them were always going to be at risk.

“2. In a day, a minimum of 200 staff work across three shifts in a manner that sees 20 agents work directly with a unit head. Interpersonal and group contact is impossible to avoid.

“Let’s pause the reasons here; I’ll come back to them soon.

“On May 6, 7 and 8, a particular lady was coughing repeatedly, accompanied by chest pains. Someone who saw her in this period said “she wasn’t feeling fine at all” and had complained of “slight malaria”. She would present herself at the Infectious Disease Centre at Olodo where she underwent a test that returned positive.

“Back to the reasons for the high figures:

“3. It was hugely surprising that even though officials of the Oyo State COVID-19 Task Force visited the office on Monday May 11, they didn’t shut it down. They requested for the contact details of staff, approximately 80% of the staff. They said they’d come to decontaminate the place but they never did.

“Well, they subsequently contacted iSON with random names and phone numbers of staff they thought should go for testing, but neither the company nor the authorities made any concrete move to shut down the office.

“In fact, as of Friday May 15, at least five full days after the first positive case had been established, iSON’s Dugbe office had neither been decontaminated nor shut down.

“The authorities first said they’d do it on Wednesday May 13 and they didn’t. Then they picked Friday May 15 but they didn’t as well.

“Of course, the company’s index case must have infected some of her colleagues (remember she felt the symptoms for at least three days); to compound this, the delayed decontamination and closure of the office allowed the virus to spread.

“By Sunday May 17 when office decontamination and shutdown were done and all staff were told to go for tests, the virus had been allowed at least seven days to travel round the office.

“Note also that there are other companies in that same building.

“One positive development, though, is that majority of the positive cases are still asymptomatic. Hopefully, it means they can be healed quickly.

“Finally, although the company adopted some anti-COVID-19 measures, such as provision of sanitisers to staff and maintenance of social distancing within the office premises, the same hasn’t happened externally.

“The company has a staff bus that I understand is always filled to the brim when conveying staff from their homes to the office in the morning & vice versa in the evening.

“Meanwhile, Gov Seyi Makinde initially announced that the company is located in Ibadan South-West LG. But that’s not true. It’s in the North-West, actually.

“That announcement must have been deliberate — designed to distract people from the main scene of action.

“As I always say, believe everything you read from government at your own peril,” Soyombo tweeted on Wednesday.

Reacting to the claims by Soyombo, the Oyo State Information Commissioner, Olatubosun told Pacesetter News that “the Investigative journalist is out to mislead the people of Oyo State and beyond.”

According to Olatubosun, “the company’s initial denial and frustration of the effort of a team of the Oyo State Taskforce on COVID-19 sent to the company to ascertain compliance and ensure tests were carried out on their workers compounded the problem which gave room to the spike we are witnessing today.”

“Until the government insisted that the tests must be conducted on other contacts of the company’s index case, the matter would have even gone awry beyond what is happening there.

“And the development was an eye opener to the government as other such companies have been mandated to make their staffers available for Covid-19 tests to stop further spread of the virus,” Olatubosun added.

He continued: “the Governor was more than committed to ensure the State becomes free of Covid-19 and has therefore gave marching order that all such companies be combed for sanity to prevail,” he added.

Meanwhile fact-check by the Pacesetter News reveal that iSON Xperiences is actually situated in Ibadan Southwest LGA contray to Soyombo’s claim.

The company now has a heart-breaking record of 63 positive cases of COVID-19 as at Tuesday 19th May 2020.

BREAKING: Oyo Records 19 New Cases of Coronavirus, Total Hits 162

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

State has again recorded nineteen fresh cases of coronavirus bringing the number of confirmed cases to 162. The state is now 9th on the Nigeria COVID-19 log.

The new active cases were revealed in the routine update of information released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) late Wednesday.

Also, the agency also said 284 cases of the deadly virus were recorded on Wednesday May 20, 2020, in FCT and twelve states of the country. The total number of confirmed cases is 6677. Total Discharged cases stand at 1840 while 200 Deaths cases have been recorded so far.

Below is the breakdown of the 284 new cases of COVID19;

199-Lagos.               26-Rivers.           19-Oyo

8-FCT.                        8-Borno.             7-Plateau

6-Jigawa.                   5-Kano.              2-Abia

1-Ekiti.                         1-Delta.              1-Kwara

1-Taraba

Makinde Appoints Retired Army General, Colonel as Amotekun Leaders

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

In a bid to ensure the effective take-off and efficient management of Oyo State Security Network codenamed Amotekun, Governor Seyi Makinde  has appointed the duo of General Ajibola Kunle Togun and retired Colonel Olayanju Bisiriyu Olayinka as chairman and commandant, respectively.

The governor, in a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Print Media) Moses Alao, indicated that the retired military officers will oversee the initiative, which was put in place to check insecurity in the state.
It will be recalled that Governor Makinde signed the Amotekun Bill into law in March, with the government having procured vehicles and other equipment for use by the security outfit which, he noted, was set up to complement the efforts of other security agencies in the state.
The new chairman of the outfit, General Togun, retired from the military having served as Director of Military Intelligence and former Deputy Director-General of the State Security Service.
Togun, who attended the Government College, Ibadan, and Mount Olivet High School, Oyo, studied Zoology at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University),  Ile-Ife, between 1964 and 1968, before joining the Nigerian Army in 1968, where he served in the Awka Sector during the Nigerian Civil War.
He was the first non-American Army Officer to score 100 percent in a military subject at the aptitude level.
He served in various positions in the Army, including Presidential Guards, Dodan Barracks, Lagos; Adviser in the Nigerian Embassy, Cotonou in 1979; Battalion Commander; Brigade Commander, Director of Military Intelligence and similarly, the newly appointed commandant of the Oyo State Amotekun outfit, Col. Olayinka (rtd), has several years of experience in the military, having served as Assistant Director, British Military Advisory Training Team, Defence Headquarters, Abuja; Deputy Chief of Staff (Logistics), Headquarters 2 Div, Nigerian Army, Ibadan and Sector Commander, Operation Safe Haven, Plateau State, among others.
He began his military training at the Nigerian Army School of Infantry, Jaji, Nigeria, in 1993, and holds a Higher Defence Management and National Security certification from the National Defence College, Abuja.
He also holds a Masters of Strategic Studies certificate from the University of Ibadan, as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Criminology and Security Studies from the National Open University, Abuja; Professional Diploma in Safety and Security Management from the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, among other educational and professional certifications.

The Amotekun was formed by the six governors of the South-west states termed Western Nigeria Security Network to combat kidnapping, killings and stop the incursion of bandits into the zone.

 

The governors were also disturbed by the incessant farmers-herders’ clashes in the zone, thereby conceptualized the joint outfit to ward off criminals from the region.

OYSG Issues Quit Notice to Owners of Illegal Structures

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

The Government of Oyo State has given 7-day quit notice to occupants of illegal structures/Shanties adjoined to UMC Demonstration School, Molete, Ibadan.

Executive Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (Oyo SUBEB), Dr. Nureni Adeniran, who disclosed this on Tuesday, urged the illegal occupants to immediately vacate the entire area as well as the vicinity of the School within the stipulated period.

According to the SUBEB boss: “This School belongs to Oyo State government and it has an approved plan. This Government would not tolerate any form of impunity because these adjoined structures were never part of the plan”.

“The Oyo State Government under the leadership of Engr. Seyi Makinde is determined to ensure strict compliance with masterplan for our Schools, which is aimed at ensuring the development of a clean and safe environment for our pupils”, he added.

Dr. Adeniran revealed that the Board received petitions from the authorities of the School that one Shehu Hammed, a self-acclaimed Chairman, Schools Based Management Committee of the School has been encroaching into the space and erected the illegal kiosks.

He revealed that the said Sheu has been arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force, for further questioning and investigation.

Dr. Adeniran further affirmed that the arrest and subsequent demolition became imperative following outcry by management of the Public School that criminal elements have turned the area into hideouts for carrying out their nefarious activities thereby making the environment unpleasant for learning.

The Chairman confirmed that investigation conducted revealed also that Sheu collected monthly rents from occupants of the illegal structures, without any permit or operating license from the Oyo State Government.
He reiterated that, immediately after the expiration of the ‘Quit Notice’ next week, the Board will embark on a clean-up exercise in the area and a clampdown on any recalcitrant occupant.

PHOTOS: Makinde Starts House-to-House Food Distributions

By
Peter Ayoade
-

The Executive Governor of Oyo  State, Seyi Makinde, today began house-to-house distributions of food palliative to the vulnerable in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Photos:

IPAC Lambasts Oyo Lawmakers for Approving Makinde’s N20b loan Request

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

Oyo State Chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has lambasted Oyo State House of Assembly for giving accelerated approval to N20b loan by Governor Seyi Makinde.

The Governor’s loan requests were given approvals by the 32-member lawmakers during its plenary yesterday. According to the Speaker House of Assembly, Hon. Ogundoyin, the Governor in two separate letters requested to access N20bn contractor financing loan facility from First Bank and another N2.5bn CBN credit support intervention fund for the health sector in the state.

Reacting to the approval in a press statement signed its Secretary, Engr. Gbeminiyi Ayodele Michael, Oyo IPAC described the lawmakers as yes-men and errand boys.

Part of the statement reads: “we are worried at the rate at which the present administration is getting addicted to loans. The legislative arm will continue to be rubber-stamp as long she is abandoning her role as checks and balances to the executive.

“We suspect foul play on the path of the assembly members for their accelerated approvals given to the latest loan requests. Can we say money has been exchanging hands? Or Has the governor successfully bought over the opposition honorables?”

“Much as we would welcome any genuine efforts to develop the state, we strongly condemn the hurried approvals of the loans. We are concerned governor Makinde keeps borrowing without something tangible to show for the loans in almost one year in office. N40.1b loans in less than one year call for concern”.

“The most embarrassing aspects of the approval is that the house did not give details about the interest rates, mode of repayment, duration of facility, security, moratorium and others” the statement concluded.

JUST IN: APC Berates Makinde, Oyo Assembly Over Fresh N20b Loan

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi 

The All Progressives Congress in Oyo state has condemned, in strong terms, the express approval obtained by Governor Seyi Makinde from the state lawmakers to draw a fresh twenty billion naira “infrastructure loan” from a named commercial bank describing the development as a sour grape in the mouth of the people

Oyo state government announced on Tuesday that it had got the nod of the state house of assembly to obtain another loan of 20 billion naira from a local commercial bank as the facility would be spent on infrastructure. Further details regarding the terms of the loan and the project(s) attached to it were, however, not contained in the information released to the public by the government.

But the opposition APC said, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Wednesday by its Assistant Publicity Secretary, Prince Ayobami Adejumo, that the development was a clear manifestation of the PDP administration’s resolve to subject the state to bankruptcy and thus bring it down to her knees in no time while the governor and a few people within the corridor of power must have succeeded in enriching themselves and some private institutions where they have interest.

“It is no longer news that the administration of Gov. Makinde has failed to sustain the legacy of prudent and accountable management of resources it inherited from Senator Abiola Ajimobi who left power about a year ago but not without myriads of achievements in his entire eight years in office as the helmsman. In less than a year, the table has turned for the bad as what the people of Oyo state experience at the moment is a government without direction.

“The whole world was again taken aback on Tuesday when it was reported that Gov. Makinde was to get another fresh loan of N20b which was even tied to anything concrete. That brought the sum total of loan facilities already taken, in about 11 months, to over N40b. The previous being a N10b Infrastructure Loan,  N7.6b Agricultural Loan purportedly for the upgrade of two farm settlements in Akufo and Eruwa and another N2.5b Health Loan. All this happened at the same period when monthly federal allocations, refunds from federal government, monetary grants and donations came in simultaneously and without anything to show for it.

“It is recalled the camp of Engr. Seyi Makinde was popular for sponsoring incessant propaganda against the administration of Sen. Ajimobi between 2016 and early 2019 as it kept misleading the public over the state’s debt profile which they maliciously put at over N150b. However, a simple check from the Debt Management Office (DMO) indicated that the state debt profile at that time was N90b with evident heavy spending on recurrent expenditure, infrastructure, job creation, security, poverty alleviation and so on.

“It was in the same mode of propaganda and deceit that Engr. Makinde stated during his 2019 electioneering that if he became the governor of Oyo state, he would improve the economy of the state such that in just six months salaries and pensions would be paid without relying on monthly handouts from Abuja or loan facilities. Unfortunately, this is a year after his inauguration and only God knows how much he has paid to banks in interests to sustain the statutory obligation of payments to workers and pensioners.

“Up till today, Gov. Makinde is still commissioning key projects put in place by his predecessor (Sen. Ajimobi) while he has never done convincing on the few ones he plans to do on his own. Now, our concern is that Gov. Makinde may be out to plunge the state into life-threatening debt without any tangible thing to show after his four year tenure. More importantly, we are calling on the state house of assembly to grow from being active only when there are loan request or fresh appointments to approve by being responsive to their constitutional duties which include checkmating the governor on the issue of financial recklessness and high handedness.” APC stated.

AT LAST! Makinde Reveals Company with 63 Covid19 Cases

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

The Executive Governor of Oyo State has revealed the identity of the Ibadan-based multinational company with sixty-three confirmed cases coronavirus in Oyo State as iSON Xperiences.

Makinde made the disclosure on the early hour of Wednesday while giving routine updates on the novel coronavirus. On his official Twitter handle, Makinde wrote: 

“The COVID-19 confirmation tests for six suspected cases came back POSITIVE. All six cases are from the same organisation, iSON Xperiences in Ibadan South West Local Government Area. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State is 143.

The company remains shut and will be decontaminated. The Emergency Operations Centre has continued intensive contact tracing to identify persons of interest linked to members of staff in the company.”

The announcement by Governor Makinde confirmed the earlier reports made by the Pacesetter News.

Oyo Assembly Passes Bill to Rename Ibarapa Poly after Speaker’s late father, Ogundoyin

By
Peter Ayoade
-

By YSO Olaniyi

Oyo State House of Assembly has, on Tuesday, passed a bill seeking to change Ibarapa Polytechnic Eruwa to Ogundoyin Polytechnic Eruwa.

The amendment bill received overwhelming supports of the lawmakers. The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, is a biological son of the late philanthropist, Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin.

Speaking on the bill sponsored by Hon. Akeem Adedibu, Hon. Kazeem Olayanju and Hon. Olamide Akinajo representing Iwajowa, Irepo/Olorunsogo, Ibadan North East 1 State constituencies respectively, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, noted that the bill goes beyond renaming the school after his late father but it also addresses the multiple current challenges the students are facing.

Describing the honour as a popular demand from the community and people who witness the labour of the late philanthropist on the institution, Eruwa as the hometown and even Oyo State, Ogundoyin noted that even the alumni of the institute who are current lawmakers inn the chamber voted their absolute support.

“The students both past and present, even the school management has visited and wrote to me and the assembly on several occasions to communicate the challenges in the school.

“The non-accredited courses, lack of facilities, inadequate of human resources and fund. We are working on all these and the Governor is also aware of it, that was why he visited the school on our way to Igboora last week.

“This is the first phase, next move is to constitute high spirit and committed board and monthly subvention fund will be made available for the standard upgrade of the school. These are our plans and it will be achieved in no distance time,” he added.

The APC lawmaker representing Afijio constituency, Hon. Seyi Adisa described late Adeseun Ogundoyin as a renowned NPN leader whose displayed of heroism during his lifetime cannot be overlooked.

He said, “When you get to Eruwa, you will see a big house on a hill. The great politician and successful businessman deserve more than this honour and we assure the executive our legislative backing on this and other things that will give the school a true reflection of Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin personality.”

Hon. Adebayo Babajide representing Ibadan North constituency 2 described late chief Adeseun Ogundoyin as a great philanthropist, who added to the economy and development of Oyo State and Nigeria.  he added the bill that Ibarapa polytechnic to be renamed as Adeseun Ogindoyin polytechnic is long overdue as it speaks for itself and it is a demand from the community.

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