Tag: Oyo Govt

Ahead of the planned protest across the country, the Oyo state government, on Thursday, July 25, convened a meeting of stakeholders to harmonise thoughts and ensure the protest is conducted within constitutional provisions.

The stakeholders at the meeting include security agencies, park managers, local government chairmen, and market leaders among others.

The meeting coordinated by the special adviser to the Oyo state governor on security, Fatai Owoseni aimed at having stakeholders sensitise their members and general members of the public on the August 1-10 protest again assuming the #EndSARS dimension of violence, looting, arson, and killing.

Speaking, Owoseni said the state would not want a protest where people are restricted from going about their legitimate businesses.

He said acts of stealing, looting, destroying properties, carrying arms, and disrupting the flow of human and vehicular, under the guise of protesting, were tantamount to criminality and abuse of people’s fundamental human rights.

He noted that security agencies had been given the wherewithal to collaborate strategically to ensure protests are peaceful, adding that the state would not lose its guards such that it becomes the epicentre of the protest.

Also, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ayo Sonubi said security agencies would cooperate with the protesters and ensure the protest is not hijacked by hoodlums to foist violence.

Sonubi said security agencies had embarked on joint patrol, as he added that there would be strategic deployment of security personnel at major junctions in the state.

Represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, Adejobi Akinade, the Oyo police commissioner said the police had identified possible hotbeds of violent protest and had strategised to ensure that lives and properties are protected.

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Also speaking, the chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Oyo state, Sikiru Sanda said while people had the right to show their grievances through protest, he said the local government chairmen were for peaceful assemblies, and protests.

Other local government chairmen, who spoke, stressed the need for security personnel to be professional in handling the protest just as they enjoined traditional rulers, community leaders, school heads, and religious leaders to speak to their people on the imperativeness of the protest being peaceful.

On his part, Babaloja General of Oyo State, Alhaji Yekeen Abass said the market leadership has set up a market task force and spoken to traders to caution their wards, and children to be peaceful in their participation in the protest.

•Bad roads in Ogbomoso decried

Indigenes of Oyo State based in Canada have donated medical equipment and hospital-related items to the Oyo State Government.

The indigenes, under the umbrella of Ibadan Descendants Development Union (IDDU), made the presentation at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Adeoyo, Ibadan, yesterday.

Governor Seyi Makinde said his administration was glad to be associated with the diasporans.

Represented by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, the governor said IDDU’s contributions to health care in the state is immense.

The President of IDDU, Mr. Taiwo Akere, said the association had plans to extend the gesture to other health facilities in the state.

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Equipment donated were one led theatre lamp, 50 delivery packs,10 caesarean section packs and 40 neonatal packs, among others.

Ogbomoso Recreation Club has decried deplorable state of roads in Ogbomoso town.

It sought the intervention of the state and federal governments in fixing the roads.

A statement by President of the club, Dr. Akin Oladeji-Johnbrown, said the bad roads, which are majorly state-owned roads, have affected the economic activities of people in the town.

Oladeji-Johnbrown lamented that the roads are in a dilapidated state and required the attention of Governor Makinde.

He said: “We believe Ogbomoso is among the towns and cities that contribute to the development of Nigeria, as it plays host to the prestigious Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

“The economic life of the town is paralysed and Ogbomoso Recreation Club is calling on concerned agencies at the state and federal levels to come to the aid of Ogbomoso people.”

Oyo state government at the weekend raised an eyebrow over the persistent construction of illegal shops and shanties in unauthorized places.

The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resource, Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, condemned the act during official monitoring of Lagelu and Egbeda local government council areas.

He frowned at the rate at which illegal structures sprang up in unauthorized places, saying it was alarming.

The commissioner has consequently directed staffers of the Ministry to immediately issue evacuation notices to erring owners along Carlton Gate Estate, Chief Kolapo Isola Estate through Akobo Ojurin, Iyana Church, in Ibadan. 

He said the directive has been carried out, as the quit notices have been handed over to the illegal shops and shanties owners in the area. 

In another dimension, building contractors in the state have been told, to henceforth, dissuade from depositing their construction tools and materials on major roads in the metropolis. 

Architect Mogbonjubola, during the official monitoring, around Idi-Arere in the Ibadan metropolis, discovered the persistent trend, where traffic on major roads is being distorted, as a result of construction materials and equipment, deposited and covering it.

He condemned the acts and expressed the state government’s disposition against the ugly trend.

He said: “Government is spending huge amounts of money constructing roads and drainages. We would not fold our arms, watching the notable legacies in our environment to be eroded by nonchalant attitudes of individuals or groups, in the name of whatever construction.”

He reiterated that the state government would henceforth sanction culprits, placing construction equipment on metropolitan roads.

Mogbonjubola called on building contractors, especially, those in the habits of depositing sand, granite, pollutants, equipment, and other materials on roads, car wash owners, and others to abide by the Ministry regulations, regarding pollution, or face the wrath of the law.

Oyo state government has condemned the destruction of a portion of the newly rehabilitated Olusoji-WCCI road, a few days after it was officially opened for public use.

This is as the government said it has sealed off the shop where the vehicle that damaged the road offloaded its goods.

A viral video of the destroyed portion of the road surfaced at the weekend.

Reacting, the chairman of Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency, Busoye Ogunlade, said he was aware of the incident, where a truck carrying over 60 tonnes of cement destroyed the portion after it lost its brake.

Ogunlade, who expressed disappointment at how the truck driver took to his heels after the destruction, described it as a cowardly act.

“The Agency is in receipt of a report on vandalism on the newly rehabilitated road, particularly the unfortunate incident of destruction of a part of the Olusoji-WCCI road by a truck driver, who is at large as we speak.

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“The Agency condemns in the strongest terms this ruthless destruction of the first phase of Olusoji-WCCI road, as a deliberate act of sabotage on a key link road that has immense socio-economic benefits to the state and indeed the entire nation”, he said.

Ogunlade said the road that was completed last week is one of the state’s projects intended to bridge the gap in the road infrastructure yearnings of the people of the area.

He appreciated the residents of the area for their concern, assuring them that the destroyed portion of the road had been fixed almost immediately.

He explained that a technical team was immediately deployed to inspect, evaluate, and reinstate the damaged parts of the road, adding that the building, where the truck offloaded the cement, has been sealed.

The chairman added that henceforth, the Agency will ensure that perpetrators of such acts face the full wrath of the law.

The Oyo state government has declared Monday, July 8, a work-free day to commemorate and celebrate the new Islamic calendar year, Hijrah 1446AH.

A statement by the commissioner for information in the state, Prince Dotun Oyelade, stated that the state government recognises the importance of the Hijrah in the lives of Muslim brothers and sisters.

Oyelade said that the Hijrah marked the migration of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, and is considered a significant event in Islamic history.

He said: “As a gesture of respect and solidarity with the Muslim community, we have declared Monday 8th July 2024 a work-free day in the state.”

Oyelade urged all residents to use the occasion to pray for peace, unity, and prosperity in the state and the country as a whole.

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He called on everyone to use the opportunity to reflect on the teachings of the Hijrah, pray for the well-being of the state and Nigeria, and come together in the spirit of solidarity and brotherhood.

“The Hijrah is a time for reflection, prayer, and community spirit. Let us come together on this day to pray for peace, unity, and prosperity in our state and our nation”, he added

Oyo state government and stakeholders in the Ibarapa East local government area have reaffirmed their dedication to promoting the use of toilets and good hygiene practices in every community across the council area.

This commitment was made during the inauguration of Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) training of environmental officers and RUWASSA staff held at Plaza de Aruna in Oyo.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oluwasherimi Ajetumobi appreciated the good efforts of the state government and the United Nations Children’s Education Funds (UNICEF).

The commissioner specifically applauded the efforts of the present administration in phasing out open defecation in the state towards curbing the preventable outbreak of the epidemic.

She called for collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure an overall improvement in the general health and sanitation of Ibarapa East.

“This shows that the Oyo state government has extended its commitment to end open defecation, not only in Ibarapa East LGA but in the whole state,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Kehinde Ayinde, encouraged the participants to move from curative to preventive measures.

He also commended the efforts of the supporting partners, UNICEF, in the reduction of the disease burden of states in the country.

Also speaking, the General Manager of Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA), Mr. Adeduntan Adeniyi reiterated the Agency’s commitment to end open defecation in the state soon.

Mr. Monday Johnson, the Southwest zonal representative of UNICEF, said it takes a lot of time for an individual to adapt to new behaviour, but at the end of the training, participants must be able to sensitize the Ibarapa Community towards an end to open defecation.

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He encouraged them to teach the communities on best sanitary practices like regular hand washing, as preventive measures to curb the spread of diseases.

The Director of Sanitation, Mrs Obayemi Titilayo said the Community Led Total Sanitation training focused on capacity building of the Environmental Health Officer of Ibarapa East local government relevant stakeholders at local and state level and RUWASSA Staff on achieving the sustainable behavioural change, sanitation and hygiene practices through motivation, sensitization and advocacy.

She said this will contribute to the stopping of open defecation in all households and communities in the state.