Tag: Ajimobi

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has inaugurated the Asejire Water Scheme.

The scheme, which has a production capacity of 186,000 cubic metres of water daily, is the largest water production scheme in the state. It supplies water to 85 per cent of Ibadan residents as well as Ikire, Ikoyi and Apomu in Osun State.

About N262 million was spent on the rehabilitation of the plants.

Ajimobi said with the inauguration of the scheme, unsteady water supply would become a thing of the past.

He said: “When I assumed office, the water situation in the state was deplorable. The water treatment plants had reduced in production performance to about 80 per cent, due to unimaginable neglect by past administrations and the managerial deficiencies of erstwhile operators.

“Indeed, the last time the plants witnessed installation and construction was 17 years ago, as they were constructed and installed in 1972, 1991 and 1996 respectively. Apart from the old age of the equipment, other factors that led to the decline of water production at the scheme include lack of spare parts for maintenance and persistent interruption in power supply.”

The governor said on realising that the performance of the Water Corporation in the last 10 years was less than 1 per cent, the government

awarded contracts for the construction of the Ayete Water Supply Scheme to supply water to Tapa, Idere and Ayete Communities; a dedicated power line to the Saki Water Scheme; rehabilitation of the dedicated power line to the Ogbomoso Water Scheme; extension of pipelines to new areas in the state; upgrade of water treatment plants at Koso and Atori Waterworks in Iseyin; comprehensive replacement and repair of electro-mechanical components at all water schemes and booster stations in the state; upgrade and rehabilitation of the Oyo and Igboho Water Schemes; expansion of the Igbetti and Ogbomoso Water Schemes; rehabilitation of the Ilero Water Scheme and the laying of New Rising Mains from Eruwa to Igboora (Phase I & II).

Ajimobi promised to build mini-water schemes in Okeho, Ago-Are, Oje-Owode/Tede, Sepeteri, Ogbooro, Otu, Iwa, Iganna/Iwere-Ile/Ayetu Igangan, Fiditi, Oluyole and Akufo.

He said the government made water supply a priority in the 2014 budget and recently signed a loan agreement with the African Development Bank (ADB) for the financing of the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Ibadan.

The General Manager of the State Water Corporation, Mr. Gabriel Oguntola, said the project was awarded six months ago. He said eight of the 10 pumps were rehabilitated with 100 per cent efficiency and all critical water treatment units are now functioning well.

Oguntola said the rehabilitation will increase water supply from 10 to 80 per cent.

The contractor that handled the project, Mr. Stephanus Steiviou, said the plant can supply about 150 million litres of water to about four million residents of Ibadan and its environs daily.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has congratulated the President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Mr. Femi Adesina, on his elevation to the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Sun.

In a statement yesterday, the governor congratulated other workers of The Sun, who were recently promoted to senior management positions.

He said their promotions are well-deserved and an acknowledgment of their contributions to journalism and the growth of the establishment.

Ajimobi described Adesina as a thorough-bred journalist, columnist and prolific writer, whose professional competence and administrative acumen have rubbed off on The Sun.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday decried the stealing of pension funds.

He said anybody involved in such would be prosecuted.

The governor spoke at the Nigeria Union of Pensioners’ (NUP’s) Day celebration at the State Secretariat in Ibadan, the state capital.

He said stealing or misappropriation of pension fund was not only a sin to God but also to the retirees, who would be denied minimum comfort at the end of their active years.

Ajimobi, who, according to the pensioners, was the first governor to attend functions organised by them, said that he would continue to fight for the rights of pensioners.

He said: “I assure you all that I will continue to do everything to make you comfortable. As an administration, we value our senior citizens. Our belief is that we must treat you well, so that when we also get to this stage, someone else would treat us well. We can only neglect our elders at our peril. You know the values of a people by the way they treat the elderly, the weak and the infirm. Our administration will continue to accord pensioners a place of pride in the scheme of things.”

On what his administration has done for pensioners, he said: “Immediately we came into office, we were notified of the pending case you had with our predecessor, when you sued the state government for non-payment of the arrears of your 142 per cent pension increase; 10 per cent compensation allowance to those forcefully retired in 2002 and non-placement of pensioners on six per cent and 15 per cent pension increase.

“In September, 2011, we approved the payment of your 142 per cent pension increase, four months after we assumed office. On January 9, 2013, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with you to begin the payment of 10 per cent compensation allowance to those forcefully retired in 2002.

“Our administration also went a notch higher by approving the placement of pensioners on six per cent and 15 per cent pension increase, with effect from February, 2013, and payment of arrears of six per cent pension increase from October, 2003, and January 31, 2013, a total of 112 months. Part of the agreement was the payment of the arrears of 15 per cent pension increase from January, 2007 to January, 2013.”

NUP State Secretary Mr. Olusegun Abatan thanked the governor for being a friend to pensioners.

He said: “The former administration did not have any regard for pensioners. It treated us as if we were non-existent. I am happy that Ajimobi has ended all these problems. Indeed, some pensioners are now millionaires, owing to the payment of the 142 per cent pension arrears by the governor.

He said pensioners would soon organise a rally in support of Ajimobi’s re-election.

The governor, who condemned the destructive politics and character assassination played by the opposition, said his administration would not be deterred by their antics, but to give the people a better life.

Describing himself as a pensioner, Ajimobi urged the retirees to continue to pray for him and his administration’s success.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday said his administration will continue to assist Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

He spoke at the House of Chiefs at the Secretariat in Ibadan while opening a workshop for micro, small and medium entrepreneurs.

The governor said his administration would continue to lay a solid foundation for industrial development through the provision of functional infrastructure.

He pledged to establish business development centres to provide information on industrial matters, create more industrial estates and provide loans for SMEs.

Ajimobi said the government would produce an Industrial Directory and Policy for the state, which would serve as a reference point for future administrations.

He said: “Our government is aware that one of the credible ways to sustain the economy is genuine industrialisation.”

The governor said the workshop provides a platform for entrepreneurs and experienced facilitators to discuss the state of SMEs.

Chairperson, Association of SMEs, Mrs. Wuraola Adejumo hailed Ajimobi’s efforts to develop SMEs, saying: “You are performing. Even the blind can see what you are doing in Oyo State. We are proud of you for improving the state’s socio-economic outlook.”

The governor later inspected the stands of exhibitors of some locally-made goods.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday said he was under immense pressure from people before the appointment of commissioners and special advisers.

He said the pressure was borne out of the willingness of many indigenes to serve in his administration.

Ajimobi spoke at the swearing-in of newly-appointed special advisers at the Executive Council Chamber of the Governor’s Office in Ibadan, the state capital.

He advised the new appointees to be mindful of the fact that they were selected out of many qualified people and put in their best.

Ajimobi said: “Special Adviser is a position of trust and responsibility. You are expected to know more than the commissioners and even me, in order to be able to advise me. Therefore, you must see your appointment as a rare opportunity and discharge your duties to the best of your ability.”

He urged the appointees to reflect on the key words in their Oath of Office and let it guide them in their duties.

Ajimobi urged them to take seriously their oath to keep proceedings at executive council meetings secret, adding that some special advisers were reappointed because of their contributions to the success of his administration.

He said: “You got pass-marks for you to be re-appointed, but you must always reflect on your activities to notice your areas of imperfection.”

Advising them not to be afraid of criticisms, Ajimobi said: “Whatever you do, people will criticise you; it is normal. Today, people criticize Ajimobi. Many past leaders were equally criticised, so it is a normal phenomenon.”

He urged them to be loyal to the state, conduct themselves with decorum and always put the people’s interests first.

The Oyo State correspondent of ThisDay, Mr. Tunde Sanni, is dead. He was 49.

Sanni died yesterday at his Ijebu-Imodi home town in Ogun State after a brief illness.

He was buried in the town according to Islamic rites.

Sanni took ill four months ago and was hospitalised at the University College Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, Oyo State, for about one month.

After he was discharged, he returned to Ijebu-Imodi, where he spent his last days.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi commiserated with the late Sanni’s family, describing the journalist’s death as “unfortunate and disheartening”.

In a statement, Ajimobi said he received the news of Sanni’s death with shock.

He described the late journalist as “a core professional, with high sense of responsibility and commitment”, adding that he would be remembered for upholding the ethics of his profession and his analytical mind, “which reflected in his write-ups”.

The governor said the late Sanni contributed to the success of his administration through his constructive criticisms of its policies and programmes.

He prayed God to grant the late Sanni eternal rest.

The deceased started his journalism career in the mid-80s. He worked at the rested Sketch and Punch before joining ThisDay.

He worked as a correspondent in Kwara and Kogi states before he was posted to Ibadan in 2007.

The late Sanni was the chairman, Correspondents’ Chapel of the Oyo State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) from 2010-2013.

He is survived by his wife and eight children.

The Correspondents’ Chapel, in a statement by its Chairman, Bisi Oladele, described Sanni’s death as a great loss.

Oladele said: “As colleagues, we will miss Sanni’s deep political and news analyses, friendship and his sense of humour. May God grant him Aljana Fidaus.

Oyo NUJ, in a statement by its Chairman, Gbenga Opadotun, prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.