●Lauds Makinde’s Free Education Policy
President of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Alhaji Lukman Dauda, has commended the Governor of Oyo State, ‘Seyi Makinde, for creating a business-friendly environment in the state.
Dauda, who also serves as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Ltd, praised the governor’s free education policy, noting that it has enabled many less-privileged parents to enroll their children in school.
According to him, “The governor is doing his best to ensure that the standard of education in Oyo State is upgraded from where he met it. His interest in making education free at the basic level is laudable because of the financial challenges many people face. With this policy, more children can now access education.”
He emphasized that the success of the free education policy depends on the government’s commitment to providing books and improving the learning environment.
Speaking during an interview, the Evans Brothers boss highlighted the importance of security in attracting investment:
“One of the things investors look out for is security, which has been improved upon. At least we go about our business with no fear of being attacked. We don’t go to bed with one eye open. Such things aid business development and even affect book pricing, making them more affordable to the public. Relatively, the atmosphere is conducive for business.”
Alhaji Dauda also expressed gratitude to the governor for ensuring that the cost of book review in the state remains modest.
“We thank the governor for ensuring that the book review process is not turned into an income-generating venture. The government has been very modest in its approach,” he said.
He called for greater collaboration between the NPA and the state government, which he believes would benefit both the government and the citizens.
“We can collaborate with the government. Even though the government’s purse is lean, as is the case across the country, there are ways to work together to achieve results. We’ve done it in other places; why not in Oyo State? Our NPA headquarters is in Ibadan, and the President is based here too. The state should take advantage of that for the benefit of the people.”
Finally, Dauda lauded Governor Makinde for his efforts to leave a lasting legacy in the state.
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