We’ll continue to support Oyo’s Judiciary, Legislature – Makinde pledges
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Thursday in Ibadan pledged to sustain the cordial relationship with the legislative and judicial arms of the state government.
Makinde made the pledge while addressing the state lawmakers during the first anniversary of the 10th Assembly of the State House of Assembly.
He said the smooth working relationship with the legislature had enhanced his unprecedented achievements in the last one year of his administration.
The governor noted that his administration had been having the support of the lawmakers “as we made people-first decisions.
“In all this time, we have prioritised our economy and taken steps that put us ahead of all other states in times of crisis.
“You have shown us that you believe in us, and that is why our Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) has continued on the path of growth from an average of about N4.2 billion monthly in 2023 to an average of N4.95 billion in the first quarter of 2024.”
Makinde further explained that his government prioritised road infrastructure development in rural areas because it believed that such would reduce poverty in the areas significantly.
“And so, from Omituntun 1.0, we focused on linking all our zones. We completed the 65 kilometres (km) Moniya-Ijaiye-Iseyin Road, and started the 34.85 km Oyo-Iseyin Road and the 76.67 km Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road.
“We have delivered the Oyo-Iseyin Road and the Iseyin-Fapote-Ogbomoso Road, now renamed Adebayo Alao-Akala Memorial Highway.
“We have also delivered the 12.5 km Challenge-Odo Ona-Elewe-Elebu-Apata Road dualisation, now renamed Theophilus Akinyele Way and the dualisation of the 8.2 km Agodi Gate-Old Ife Road-Adegbayi Road, including an underpass at Onipepeye area.
“In total, we completed 152.92 km of road projects in the first year of Omituntun 2.0. We are currently reconstructing the 48-km Ido-Eruwa Road to link Ibadan and Ibarapa zones, among other road projects.
“The real impact of these road constructions is that Oyo State is fast becoming a regional agribusiness industrial hub,” he stated.
The governor also made it known that his government in the last one year had delivered across all sectors, be it in the area of education, health, agriculture and tourism, among others.
He said the state would continue to play a huge role in the sale and development of solid minerals in Nigeria.
Makinde recalled that the Executive Order number one he signed into law in October, on the protection of mining communities against insecurity and exploitation in the state, was very useful.
He said it would go a long way to make his administration’s plan realisable.
On tourism, Makinde said the sector was the fourth focus area for the economic development of the state.
“In April, we hosted the world at an International Tourism Summit, signalling our administration’s readiness to foster partnerships with the private sector.
“Our plan is to continue working to make Oyo State the destination for heritage, pleasure and agri-tourism through direct and indirect investments in the sector,” he said.
The governor said his government would continue to build strong institutions in the state, saying the institutions would play pivotal roles in the engineering of a modern Oyo State.
He said this would be by working with existing ministries, departments and agencies.
Among the institutions already established by the Makinde’s administration are the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED) and the Oyo State Project Monitoring Agency.
Others are the Oyo State Rule of Law Authority, the Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency (OYSADA), the Oyo State Anti-Corruption Agency (OYACA) and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
In his address, the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Debo Ogundoyin, disclosed that the assembly within one year had been able to pass 16 bills into law.
He added that four other bills were presently at various stages of legislative processes.
“Nine out of these bills had been assented to by the Governor. I am pleased to also announce that 68 motions had been sponsored and moved by us, and the committees had presented 35 reports on oversight functions and matters referred to them at plenary sittings of the House.
“So far, the House had passed 170 resolutions to the executive arm of government and others for appropriate actions.”(
