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Tag: Abiola Ajimobi

Oyo flags data capturing for artisans, tradesmen

Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Thursday in Ibadan inaugurated bio-metric data capturing and identification card project for artisans and tradesmen.

The governor expressed optimism that the project would bring greater development to the economy of the state and boost activities of the artisans and tradesmen.

Tradesmen and Artisans Association of Nigeria, Oyo State chapter has 45 members associations.

Ajimobi said that the project, when completed would be of great benefit to government, the public, artisans and tradesmen.

The governor explained that data captured would assist government in its tax net and plans for artisans and tradesmen.

“This exercise will assist government in getting accurate data of artisans and tradesmen.

“It will allow for the creation of directory for easy accessibility to the public across the world.

“The registration confirms element of authenticity on the artisans and tradesmen, their work and allow them enjoy patronage from government, likewise other customers across the world,” he said.

Ajimobi urged the artisans and tradesmen, who are beneficiaries of the government’s N50 million revolving loan to ensure prompt repayment for other members to benefit.

The governor assured them of government’s support and commended them for their unalloyed support for government’s programmes.

Earlier, Princess Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, the Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Cooperatives said that the exercise was borne out of the need to have a unified identification for artisan and tradesmen.

She said that the exercise would enhance socio-economic development of the state on completion.

“This exercise will help in having a unified identification of artisans and tradesmen produce accurate data base, yellow pages for jobs and build local content by encouraging members on their area of specialty,” she said.

Alhaji Hamzat Kolayode, the President, Oyo State Tradesmen and Artisan Association of Nigeria thanked the governor for his unflinching support to the group.

Kolayode described the exercise as the ‘first of its kind’ in the state, adding that the data capturing would flush out bad eggs from the association.

He said that a proper data of the association would help government in planning for future development.

The event featured the demonstration of the biometric data capturing by a representative of Forsterfield Investment Ltd., Mr Demola Daniels.

February 9, 2017
Oyo sets up committee over clashes between Fulani and farmers

The Oyo State Government has constituted stakeholder committees at both state and local government levels to address regular clashes between farmers and herdsmen in the state.

The Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Security, Mr Olusegun Abolarinwa, who disclosed this while highlighting the activities of the state government on averting the incessant clashes between the two groups in Ibadan yesterday, urged affected persons not to take laws into their hands.

He said: “The state government does not have any policy on grazing zone yet as the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is yet to make a pronouncement on nomadic rearing to be domesticated in all states. In the interim, the state government has taken proactive steps to constitute committees at both the state and local levels. The committees comprise security agencies, chairmen of local councils, farmers associations, the committee of Fulanis, miyetti Allah Cattle Rearers Association of Nigeria, Seriki Hausawa, community leaders and relevant stakeholders in the community.”

Abolarinwa added that the governor has directed the Special Adviser on Community Relations and the Senior Special Assistant on Security to address the crisis erupting in the religious sector as well as community-related crises at the Ibarapa zone of the state with specific instructions to meet with the aggrieved sects of farmers and Fulani herdsmen.

Mr Abolarinwa explained that the crisis erupted when farmers laced their farms with poison in a bid to retaliate on the Fulani whose cows destroyed their farm lands and trampled on them.

He urged aggrieved parties not to take laws into their hands, reiterating that the government has put adequate measures in place to strengthen the security of the state with the joint security patrol, procurement of Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) for the state police command, procurement of Hilux vehicles for the security agencies and rendering various forms of assistance to the security agencies in the state.

He, therefore, urged residents of the state to be security conscious by constituting themselves as watchmen in their neighbourhoods, stressing that it is incumbent on everyone to be alert on various security threats and challenges around

January 20, 2017
LAUTECH reopens on or before February 1 – Ajimobi

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State says Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, will resume academic activities on or before Feb. 1.

In a statement issued by Mr Yomi Layinka, the governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy on Saturday, the governor said arrangements had been concluded to re-open the university.

The statement said the decision to re-open the school was the agreement reached after a meeting with the national, zonal and state leadership of the students’ unions in his office on Jan. 6.

Ajimobi also said the agreement was made during a discussion with Gov. Rauf Aregbesola, of Osun, the stakeholders and LAUTECH Vice Chancellor, Prof. Adeniyi Gbadegesin.

He said the various discussions and decisions were aimed at finding a lasting solution to the debacle.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that academic activities in the university had been grounded for eight months due to the strike by the academic and non-academic staff.

The academic and non-academic staff of the university had embarked on the strike action over unpaid salaries and emoluments.

NAN reports that both governors and top officials from the states had, in October 2016, met in Ibadan to proffer a lasting solution to the lingering disagreement over the institution.

Representatives of the two owner states had also met last Tuesday in Osogbo to agree on the way out of the crisis prior to Friday’s round of talks.

The discussions had culminated into the agreement to reopen the school on or before Feb. 1

Ajimobi had on Friday met with representatives of the students unions at the Executive Council chambers of his office in Ibadan over the matter

The students’ union team was led by Mr Salam Olajide, the Senate President, National Association of Nigerian Students.

The statement said the delegation sought audience with the governor to plead with him to facilitate the urgent reopening of the university.

“The governor thanks the students’ delegation for their concerns and explained that the two owner states regret the huge loss of valuable time to all stakeholders.

“The regret is more particular about the students, whose academic calendar has been significantly disrupted by the prolonged closure,’’ it said.

The governor hinged the problem on the constraints currently experienced on account of the debilitating effects of the recession on the capacities of the two governor’s to meet the demands of the striking workers.

“We regret the fact that in spite of all efforts at persuading the striking workers to resume, they refused to shift ground,’’ the statement quoted the governor as saying.

He, however, announced that the schools would be re-opened on or before Feb. 1 going by the level of his discussions with Aregbesola.

“With today’s pronouncement, it is hoped that stakeholders, including the management, staff and students of LAUTECH, will begin to put adequate machinery in place preparatory to full resumption.

In a separate development, Ajimobi has ordered the immediate re-opening of the five secondary schools shut in the wake of students’ arson attack on some schools in the state.

NAN reports that the secondary school students in the state had protested the state government’s no automatic promotion in schools’ policy, destroying some infrastructures in some schools.

Amomg the affected schools are Isale Oyo Community High School, Oyo; Anglican Methodist Secondary School, Oyo; Oba Adeyemi High School, Oyo; Ojoo High School, Ibadan and Community Secondary School, Iyana Idi- Ose, Ibadan.

Ajimobi said he took the decision in deference to pleas by stakeholders and respected members of the society that the schools should be re-opened.(NAN)

January 7, 2017
Recession: Oyo must evolve survival strategies – Ajimobi

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, on Wednesday said the state must designed strategies to improve its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), restructuring and blocking of financial loopholes.

Ajimobi spoke in Ibadan at the inter-religious service organised by the state government, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

He said it was only through such strategies that the state would surmount the prevailing economic challenges.

The governor said efforts at improving infrastructure, welfare of the workforce and other developmental initiatives were increasingly hindered by paucity of funds.

“The prevailing economic challenges bedeviling the nation had continued to pose financial threat to meaningful development. It is being made worse by the destructive activities of the Niger Delta militants,” he said.

He urged Nigerians to use the New Year to review the activities of the previous years with the great anticipation of improving upon such in the years ahead.

January 4, 2017
Abiola Ajimobi’s big shoes

Titles are good. They confer respect, honour and prestige. That is why royal fathers dish out titles to deserving sons and daughters of their domains. But sometimes, a holder of a title raises the bar so high that subsequent holders of the title struggle to fill his or her big shoes.

The foregoing explains why more than a few eyebrows were raised last week when the Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, and his wife, Florence, were conferred with the chieftaincy titles of Aare and Yeye Aare of Ibadanland. The ceremony took place at Popoyemoja, the residence of the Olubadan, and was presided over by the Olubadan, Oba Saliu Adetunji, the Aje Ogunguniso I himself.

The importance of the title is gauged more by the stature of the past occupants. It will not be forgotten in a hurry that the last Aare was Abdul Azeez Arisekola Alao, a formidable figure and consummate philanthropist whose kindness flowed from one end of the country to another.

Governor Ajimobi himself is a man of no mean repute and there is no doubt he has the clout to wear the big shoes well too.

December 24, 2016
Photos: Buhari in Osun as state clocks 25

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; member, House of Representatives, Kosofe federal Constituency, Hon. Rotimi Agunloye and Deputy Governor, Oyo State, Chief Moses Adeyemo during the Arrival of the President at the Ibadan Airport enroute Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); with his Borno and Oyo States counterparts, Governors Ibrahim Shettima (right); Abiola Ajimobi (left); former Interim National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande (2nd left) and member, House of Representatives, Kosofe federal Constituency, Hon. Rotimi Agunloye (3rd right) during the Arrival of the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Ibadan Airport enroute Osogbo, Osun State, on Thursday.

R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; his Borno State counterpart, Governor Ibrahim Shettima; former Interim National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande; Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Oyo State counterpart, Governor Abiola Ajimobi during the Arrival of the President Muhammadu Buhari at the Ibadan Airport enroute Osogbo, Osun State

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), discussing with President Muhammadu Buhari during the Commissioning of Government High School, Osogbo, in commemoration of Osun State 25th Anniversary, Osogbo

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left), discussing with President Muhammadu Buhari (middle) during the Commissioning of Government High School, Osogbo, in commemoration of Osun State 25th Anniversary, on Thursday, September 1, 2016. With them is Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (extreme right).

R-L: President Muhammadu Buhari; Lagos, Oyo and Borno States Governors, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Sen. Abiola Ajimobi and Alhaji Ibrahim Shettima during the Commissioning of Government High School, Osogbo in commemoration of Osun State 25th Anniversary.

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), with Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right), his Borno State counterpart, Governor Ibrahim Shettima (right); Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd left) and his Wife, Sherifat (left) during the Commissioning of Government High School, Osogbo in commemoration of Osun State 25th Anniversary

September 1, 2016
Ibadan protest: Two pupils in hospital

A new angle has emerged in the protest by secondary school pupils in Ibadan Monday as two of the protesters have landed at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

The Nation learnt that the pupils were taken to the UCH because sympathizers could no longer handle their state of health after the protest.

Confirming the incident, the Head of Public Relations of the hospital, Mr Ayodeji Bobade, said the two boys were admitted Monday.

He said they were still receiving treatment, adding that they were stable and still alive as at press time.

June 6, 2016
Oyo workers happy with new govt deal

The Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Oyo State, Waheed Olojede, spoke yesterday of workers’ excitement with the new deal of using the state’s federal allocation for payment of salaries.

Olojede, who spoke with our correspondent yesterday, said he had been receiving telephone calls from workers since Friday, thanking him and members of his negotiating team for getting such a good deal from the government.

The NLC chairman explained that dialogue remained an effective tool in getting good welfare for workers without necessarily being confrontational.

The labour leader expressed satisfaction with the new deal, saying it would go far in ameliorating the negative impact of lack of salaries for workers.

Organised Labour and the government met three times last week to resolve the logjam created by a seven-day ultimatum issued to the government.

Both parties agreed on a review of the previous Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which led to another agreement of using the entire monthly allocation for salaries.

Addressing reporters on the outcome of the meeting, Olojede said: “In our critical review, we discovered that devoting 90 per cent of Federal Government allocation to payment of salaries could not stand the test of time, because salaries kept running into arrears.

“We then agreed that henceforth, the entire 100 per cent of whatever comes from Abuja as federal allocation would be spent to pay workers salaries.”

He said the new agreement raises hope of payment of some of the arrears soon.

April 11, 2016
Ladoja congratulates Ajimobi

The governorship candidate of Accord in the 2015 election in Oyo State, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja, has congratulated Governor Abiola Ajimobi on his victory at the Supreme Court.

Ladoja had approached the apex court to upturn Ajimobi’s victory in the election after losing at the two lower tribunals. But the Supreme Court dismissed his petition Tuesday for lack of merit.

Following his loss, Ladoja in a statement by his media aide, Lanre Latinwo Tuesday, congratulated Ajimobi on his victory and called for support for Ajimobi’s administration.

He said the Supreme Court judgment brought the electoral process to an end.

Ladoja, who is a former governor of the state, thanked his supporters, party faithfuls and everyone who supported him in the course of the election and judicial process.

He stressed that this is the time to join hands with the governor to move the state forward, as the ruling of the Supreme Court puts finality to the election process.

Ladoja said he would continue to offer himself for service of the people and improvement of the state.

He also encouraged all the people in the state to work and pray for the governor towards the betterment of the state, adding that it’s only in a peaceful atmosphere that true development can take place.

February 2, 2016
Road projects: NEC approves N535.5b reimbursement to states

The National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday approved the reimbursement of N535.5 billion to states for the expenses incurred on Federal roads.

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

He was accompanied to the briefing by governors Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta).

Ajimobi said: “Another issue discussed is on refund of expenses incurred on repair of federal roads by states. As listed here, we have 13 states that have fully complied with the reimbursements requirements, we have eight states that have partially complied, 21 states without compliance and the total sum of claims to be reimbursed is exactly 535, 596, 386, in other words, N535.5 billion.”

[ad id=”403656”]He said N13 billion has been disbursed to states as at 2013 and that the challenges faced had to do with inadequate funding in the ministry.

He also disclosed that 26 state governments have applied for restructuring of their bank loans amounting to N500 billion.

While 11 of the states have concluded and submitted all relevant documents, he disclosed that 13 states are involved in the second phase that will commence soon.

He added: “The other major item that was discussed had to do with the restructuring of bank loans to state governments, and the restructuring was done into Federal Government bonds and the DG of DMO reported as follows: That 26 states applied for the loans, 11 states have concluded and submitted all relevant documents and 13 states are involved in the second phase to commence immediately. The total money involved in the restructuring stood at over N500 billion.”

September 17, 2015