Makinde at 54: Two years of unequalled transformations
By Seth Akande
In the past two years, the Oyo State Government led by Governor Seyi Makinde has been keeping his promises to the people of the State.
Little wonder why Governor Makinde who has been coasting home with several accolades for his exceptional leadership, good governance that have brought unprecedented economic growth and sustainable infrastructural development to the state.
Governor Makinde who continues to run the administration with the philosophy with a philosophy that can only be found with great Yoruba leaders such as Awolowo and Akintola.
From stimulating the economy of Oyo State through agriculture, to making financial decisions that put the Oyo State Economy in top gear.,
Makinde has also laid the state on the path profitable partnership especially with private sectors to help improve facilities, regulate energy and mineral resources and many more meant to better the standard of living of the people of Oyo State.
The administration has set a roadmap for accelerated development in Oyo State which has been hinged on four pillars: Economy, Education, Healthcare and Security.
Yet, Seyi Makinde has not left out other sectors as its firm belief is that of a fully diversified and integrated economy’s needed with all sectors working at the optimum for essential rapid growth.
Under Seyi Makinde stewardship, it was an unexpected shock in 2020 when the State was one of the top 5 states in Nigeria to increase in the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the State. The same feat was recorded in 2021 with more improvements.
Hence, with Engineer Seyi Makinde manning the affairs of the state, many surprises in years to come.
In the past two years, Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has focused on expanding the economy of Oyo State using agribusiness as a major drive thereby attracting private investments and expansions of private interests in the State. The state government is now in partnership with agrictech company, Farmcrowdy.
As part of the developments needed for the State, Governor Makinde sets up Youth Empowerment in Agribusiness Programme (YEAP) to impact youths through agricultural value chains, addressing youth unemployment by channeling them towards productive ventures.
Governor Makinde also ensured the sector of education, health, security, economy, infrastructure, agriculture/agribusiness, youth, and sports development are not left out.
In the aspect of education, Governor Seyi Makinde did not only make education free in Oyo State but has also set out to encourage students the more by providing their needs.
The Start Them Early Program (STEP) introduced by his administration to bring about agribusiness to secondary school students and currently runs in 7 schools in all zones of Oyo State.
The schools are upgraded and additional facilities were constructed to meet the requirements of the training.
Looking forward, he has also promised to begin processes to make Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, a conventional university where courses outside technology would be offered.
Under him, he has laid the incessant rancour that has led to the disruption of academic activities at the institution to rest by taking charge of the institution following a history of industrial action over non-payment of workers’ salaries.
In ensuring a safe, adequate and efficient transport infrastructure that can sustain the social and economic development of the state, there were construction of modern bus terminals, bridges, junctions improvements to decongest traffic within major cities, lightening up of roads in the state and many more.
Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration has been engaging with the private sector to improve road facilities which included the use of Alternative Project Funding Approach (APFA)to finance road projects.
His administration has further strategized by using the operationalisation of the Western Nigeria Security Network codenamed amotekun in Oyo State as security seems to be a huge concerning of Oyo people and Nigerians as a whole.
Also, his efforts towards ensuring food security are yielding results. Oyo State recorded the lowest food inflation rate in Nigeria in earlier this 2021.
While not forgetting that Health is wealth, the Governor has established connections with Stakeholders Forum. i.e. World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN).
He has also made evaluation of existing healthcare system; structures, personnel, current funding modality, utilization of resources and expenditure on health issues.
His initiatives and decision-making policy to restore the State’s economic growth, reshape the public sector investment and rebuild public infrastructure services of Oyo State has never been seen with any of his predecessors.
As this great leader of shrewdness clocks 54, there is no doubt that Oyo people should be expecting more unprecedented developments across the state.
