Quite frankly, banters have thrown by many folks from different walks of life with particular reference to the disillusioned members of the opposition party. This pull him down mantra on the part of the opposition and enemies of modern day governance is nothing but an attempt to smear the soaring good image of the beloved masses choice and unprecedented steady achivements of GSM.
Tons of illicit posts have had themselves littered on the global media cum new information vendors ranging from Facebook, Whatsapp loops, Twitter, Youtube among other social media platforms traceable to bootlickers of the past administration, without mincing words, era of fake news has gone. Thus, those of you peddling confusing stories should desist as the electorates are happy with the chosen one called “GSM”
Having assumed office in May 29, 2019, after overwhelmingly crushed his closest rival in the polls with over 150,000 excess votes, to put precisely as used by Dr Azeez Adedutan (an APC chieftain), the war-ridden and belligerent opposition members have embarked on crass campaign of calumny while reeling from the massive support His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM) acquired from the populace.
This is not infer that this government is not infallible of criticism, indeed, it is the pinnacle of democracy to expressly speak out against anomalies and inadequacies in governance. However, the beauty of opposition in democracy is criticism which should be ordinate and constructive.
Having said, wherever and whenever this government is found wanting of morality and rule of law, I will not hesitate to sanction her shortcomings and whip for correctional motive. As entrenched in the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, one is entitled to his opinion (freedom of speech) albeit with limitations to law of slander, libel and sedition. I am glad to put this piece together especially with the unimaginable actions of GSM based on his public assets declaration, assenting to financial improprieties bill, meaning that it is business unusual from the God fearing chief executive officer of the pacesetter state.
Let us take in piecemeal, some of the activities of the government in the last eleven months;
• On Security, Governor Seyi Makinde, (GSM) has solidified the security apparatus in the state having procured ultramodern patrol vehicles to the Nigerian Police in the state and rebranded the existing “Operation Burst” inherited from the previous administration with the state of art facilities. This implies that Governor Seyi Makinde is a peace loving state manager who values lives and properties of the citizens and has remained a calm personality even before he was elected as the governor of the state, despite the series of attacks on his supporters and billboards by opposition members during electioneering. Aside that, GSM led-government launched a toll-free call service of 615 for citizens to report security issues/challenges in case of any. It is important to note the “Amotekun Security Architecture” in collaboration with other southwest governors in a bid to curb societal upheavals.
• On education, GSM usual opines that he generously benefitted from free education of the founding fathers of democracy, thus, to whom much is given much is equally expected. To him, readers are learners and no child should be deprived of the compulsory secondary education. To start with, proscription of #3000 heart soaking school fees. The recent figures and indices are already exposing the rot in our system as left by the erstwhile government. It is quite unfortunate that efforts of the past government were mere lip service; GSM rather than toeing that line, sees improving the sector by investing heavily in it. The government provided over 100,000 copies of examination compendium to students in public secondary schools in state.
It is equally worthwhile to remind the noisemakers and naysayers how the government organized extramural classes for students in public secondary schools in addition to huge investment in the education sector. Higher institutions in the state also benefitted from GSM magnanimity. Perennial challenges of Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH) has been cushioned, The Polytechnic of Ibadan and The Ibarapa Polytechnic with persistent accreditation problems have been sorted, Colleges of Education and Agriculture in Oyo, Lanlate and Igboora have been revitalized and students/lecturers have been enjoyed uninterrupted academic session save for global issue of CONVID 19 pandemic.
Within his 100 days in office, he commissioned Six (6) Model Schools, executed under the Universal Basic Education Commission-FG/Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board intervention Projects across the three senatorial districts of Oyo State.
• The re-awarding of Iseyin-Moniya road as we all know was due to the bloated contractual agreement between the previous government and the contract. Yet, the contractor thought it was business as usual by neglecting the road construction. If anyone has visited the site in recent time, you will see the change in the construction within seven months. The beauty of this award of contract is that it is indigenously contracted for the benefits of the Oyo State citizens.
• At twilight of Ajimobi-led administration, the figures from both Debt Management Office and National Bureau of Statistics, as of March 31, 2019, Oyo State’s total debt stood at over #126 billion. This is a huge debt profile, however, the current administration is assiduously working hard to reduce it as well as provide infrastructure development. The recently approved loan of #20 billion by the Oyo State House of Assembly has started generating unnecessary controversies when we clamouring for infrastructural facelift. Why are these belligerent opposition members so petty?
• In recent months, GSM has also approved eight (8) road projects for immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction in Oyo State which is due for commissioning as soon as possible.
• Acquisition of new vehicles for OYRTMA and approval of responsibilities allowance for OYRTMA officers.
• Within the short period in office, the government has also launched free medical mission for all citizens of the state.
• Boosting agriculture and food security in the state through partnership with Farmcrowdy, a leading Agritech company in Nigeria. Farm settlements to boost agriculture have flagged off and initiated to make the state the food basket of the nation with endowed arable land and human resources.
• On July 12, 2019 the governor also commissioned the renovated and equipped operating theatre, radiography unit and medical laboratory in the Adeoyo State Hospital. This move is in addition to the free healthcare declaration by the government shortly after assuming office.
• On COVID-19, Oyo State citizens both home and in the Diaspora understand how huge the deadly virus has crippled the world economy, thus, he has set Olodo Infectious Disease Center with state of the art facilities, Agbami health center was earmarked, University College Hospital has collaboration in the treatment of this viral disease. Setting of CONVID 19 task force with bunches of erudite healthcare experts. You do not need to panic with the recent soaring number of CONVID 19 cases declared by NCDC as mass testing is being conducted while a particular organization housed most of these numbers. Let me quickly say this, total lockdown is not feasible in our country at large while the practicable measures are: frequent washing of hands, proper hygiene, hand sanitizing, use of facemask, maintaining physical distancing, fumigation of public places, locking of non-essential centers among others.
As you can see, the template initiated by GSM was eventually adopted by the federal government herself.
• In the past few days, the state has also scaled up its efforts in testing more people through the “Drive-Through/Walk-Through Testing initiative which was supported by Citizens for Citizens and LifeBank Nigeria with the provision of the 2000 testing kits.
The rapid testing initiative and the test centre located inside Adamasingba Stadium in Ibadan, which was launched over few days ago, has helped in attending to many people with symptoms similar to that of COVID-19.
• Similarly, the state government through the COVID-19 taskforce has made available over 610 personal protective equipment (PPE), a move that is widely lauded by health professionals that are leading the fight against the disease in the state. While all these efforts are on, the government has affirmed that she’s partnering with University College Hospital Authorities in the fight against the disease.
Well, these are just few master moves the government has made in recent months. That the government has refused to travel the path of previous governments by using state-owned funds to advertise government’s achievements does not mean there are no achievements to count for the governor during his one-year in office anniversary. Finally, government is continuum thus, uncompleted and abandoned projects of the previous government were not jettisoned but rather absorbed and continued to save the coffers of the state.
While swearing oaths of allegiance, GSM has at least four (4) statutory years to turnaround the state to her pacesetting enviable status. If this assertion is true, then why the fuss about commissioning of projects when everything is work in progress.
On behalf of the PDP media team, I submit that, the roadmap of accelerated development charted by His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde is not only feasible but achievable.
