The Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has promised to adopt proposed programmes by candidate of Accord Party in the forthcoming governorship election in the state if they are better than his own.
The governor stated this on Sunday during gubanatorial debate held at Mauve 21 in Ibadan.
The third contestant in the debate from All Progressive Congress APC, Senator Teslim Folarin couldn’t attend for attending to a programme organized by Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN).
Makinde while reacting to question on how to promote agricultural development in the state revealed that his government vision while campaigning in 2019 was to export agricultural produce from Oyo State out of the country.
Makinde said one of the hindrances to realize the vision is bad roads from farming communities to urban cities.
Makinde said this is the reason he embarked on linking the roads from Ibadan to the Oke-Ogun area
Iseyin-Ibadan(65km), Ogbomoso-Iseyin(71km) and other areas in the state to enhance easy transportation of farm produce.
But reacting, Adelabu said good roads from farm communities to urban cities are important but Mechanised Agriculture and Agro-allied industry is the key to unlocking the potentials of Oyo State.
He said, “We need to have access roads, land clearing, irrigation, preservation of harvested products through the silos. We make available silos and we hope to give credit to farmers. Also, we are going to establish companies and bring investors.
We have plan to establish three farm settlements in Ibarapa, Oriire and Oke-Ogun. We will ensure the settlements are well equipped with necessary facilities such as police stations, irrigation and others. We need to start thinking big in Oyo”, Adelabu stated.
Speaking on plan to better the education in the state, Adelabu said education is the second on his manifesto after security. He said the quality of education he received during his time was excellent saying it is disheartening the reverse is the case presently.
Adelabu noted that inadequacy of Infrastructure, Curriculum, teachers are affecting good educational system. He said: “we have not performed above average today in education in Oyo State. less than 30 percent of the elites want to send their children to public schools.
“Modern day curriculum is what that can drive quality education, 5,000 for 2000 teachers employed by the state governor are not enough, we will employ more teachers.
“Vocational and technical education is dead in Oyo State today and needs to be rejuvenated”, Adelabu revealed.
Reacting, the serving governor, said Oyo State solely had only Technical University saying but today, the state have Technical University, LAUTECH only itself and EACOED which is now university.
He continued: “On secondary education, we did a study to know the infrastructural deficit. We build 60 model schools, 700 classrooms and desks for secondary school students.
We employed 5000 teachers and 700 education officers. We spent N2.5bn to N3bn on UBEC and SUBEB. We are paying their salaries as at when due.
Speaking on infrastructure, Makinde said : “We do not differentiate road projects whether federal or state. We have limited resources available to us and we have expended N70bn to N80bn , Oyo – Iseyin- N9bn; Iseyin- Ogbomoso- N34bn; Moniya- Iseyin- N10bn and Iwerele to Ibarapa- N12bn to N15bn. There are some road projects been handled by local government projects. The projects amounting to N15bn-N17bn.
But Adelabu while debunking Makinde’s claim of being governor who employed highest number of teachers at a go in the state said, in 2014, Ajimobi employed 5,300 teachers. He said that security under Makinde is zero saying people die everyday adding that his government has elevated thuggery and hooliganism while he advised the governor to do better.
Adelabu continued: “Environmental sanitation is not fair. The state is dirty. How many companies had invested in the state since 2019. Our govt will perform better.
“There is high level of salary wastages, idleness and uselessness under Makinde. This can’t be compared to previous govts.
“Why has the Makinde administration neglect local government administration. You have refused to give them fund. How long do we have to endure an idle LG?
“The Primary Health Care aren’t functional, general hospitals and others. People now patronise private hospitals. The govt has not done enough in provide jobs for the youths.
“Makinde doesn’t provide conducive environment for businesses to thrive. Makinde was worth N48 billion when he assumed office. Does he have a stake?, Adelabu enquired.
But Gov. Makinde while giving stewardship of his government said: “We brought back all the people sacked by the previous government. Ajimobi employed 5300 plus 5000 teachers I employed should solve workforce deficit.
“Wage bill based on minimum wage adjustment now N7.2 bn. We started Amoteku from the scratch. 100 security patrol vans given to them.
We have different ideas of moving the economy of this state. I believe in creating conducive environment for business to thrive, but you believe in using govt money to create businesses.
On enforcement of laws, Adelabu said: “Any responsible govt would not chase people away from the streets without alternative provided. Govt must provide community markets. I have not seen this government take such step, hence the heavy street trading. We will build mini markets for the people to solve this problem.
“We should have effective traffic controllers. Two lane roads are always reduced to a lane. This, we witnessed most in Ibadan. There must be traffic techniques to reduce gridlock”, Adelabu said.
Reacting, Makinde said, “Challenge is very chaotic. The private filling station has to give way. IGR was N1.8 to N1.9 bn when we assume office, but we have increased it to N3.5bn averagely without inflicting sufferings on people.
“Enforcement will cause you money. It takes a lot of time to change the orientation of people in taking their refuse to median of the road”, Makinde revealed.
