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Tag: Oyo State government

  • Oyo targets 1.5m children for Vitamin A supplement

    The Oyo State Government says  it is  targeting 1.5 million  children who are under  five years  as beneficiaries of  Vitamin A supplement during the forthcoming Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) Week.

    The state Commissioner for Health,  Dr Azeez Adeduntan, made the disclosure on Saturday in Ibadan while giving  an update on the preparation for  the MNCH week

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the MNCH Week holds  between  May 29  and  June 2.

    Adeduntan said  parents of children from six months to 59months were expected to bring their wards to the health facilities and outreach centres provided by the government for the exercise.

    He said that Vitamin A was essential for the targeted children in order to boost their immune system, improve their sight as well as prevent measles and other related skin diseases.

    The commissioner said the  week would be held in  1,404 health facilities across the state, adding that  two health centres  and two outreaches were selected  in each of the 351 wards throughout the state.

    “During the MNCH week, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children between 0-59 months will benefit from  free nutrition and health interventions,  including  HIV screening and malnutrition screening.

    “There will also be provision of  family planning commodities, birth registration, deworming tablets for children of 12-59 months as well as provision of malaria drugs for pregnant women,’’ he said.

  • Oyo terminates contract of 400 registered waste collectors

    Oyo terminates contract of 400 registered waste collectors

    Oyo State Government Thursday said it has terminated its contract of 400 registered Private Waste Contractors in the state for lack of capacity to undertake the job awarded to them.

    The government said the termination of contract awarded in 2013 took effect from May 5, 2017.

    The state Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Chief Adisa Ishola in a chat with The Nation Thursday said many of the contractors failed to comply with the content of the contract agreement.

    He said it was sad that the contractors were getting money from the public, but failed to render the services.

    Chief Ishola related how the contractors using unapproved trucks to dump waste on the roads in the night , defaced some of the roads with waste .

    Before terminating the contract which he said was renewable every year, the Commissioner explained that the government had issued them queries which they replied through their lawyers.

    Though, it was gathered that some of the contractors are threatening legal action against the government, the Commissioner explained that there was no violation on the part of the government in the agreement reached with the contractors.

    Also , in a state issued by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism , Mr Toye Arulogun and made available to journalists , the explained that the Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA) now has the mandate with full responsibility for the collection of waste in line with its commitment to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment.

    Equally, the government said that it has commissioned WestAfricaENRG, a leading Environmental Solutions company in Nigeria, to manage OYOWMA as well as taking care of the full operational and legal duties of OYOWMA in the State.

    Arulogun further explained that the management of Oyo State Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA) was changed under the Public Private Partnership Laws, adding that the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources will still take a key role in the regulation and oversight functions of Solid Waste disposal issues within the State along with other duties.

    He noted that WestAfricaENRG has been tasked to undertake a whole scale re-organisation of Waste Collection, Processing and Disposal in the State, starting with the upgrading and capacity building of all waste collection contractors, stressing “This to increase job opportunities and the cleanliness of Oyo State. We still have an issue with public enlightenment and compliance and we are working tirelessly to achieve this.”

    “Effective May 5th, 2017 all Private Waste Contractors in Oyo State have had their contracts terminated, soon an Expression of Interest will be published nationally for the those with the relevant experience and capacity to apply for contacts in Oyo State.  Until this is finalized OYOWMA has full responsibility for the collection of waste.

    “We are confident to say Ibadan is no longer the dirtiest city in Nigeria, a title which no city should aspire to hold.  The strides we have made in Ibadan have been replicated across other cities and towns in Oyo State and we know that there is much more to be done,” the commissioner added.

    The government spokesman urged the citizens, groups, civil societies and communities to partner with the government to ensure a cleaner and healthier environment, noting that the concerted efforts of all and sundry will continue make Oyo State  a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing environment.

    According to him, “we want to continue to keep Oyo State clean as part of our investment friendly strategy and improvement of the quality of the lives of our people, create the much needed jobs for our youths, eradicate diseases and vermin caused by indiscriminate disposal of waste.

    He called on residents and business owners within the state to dispose wastes in waste bins and stop disposing on  the roads, urging that they should ensure that their waste bins are made available for collection by OYOWMA, and also pay the government for the services when due.

     

  • Ladoja bought cars for lawmakers to avoid impeachment – Witness

    Ladoja bought cars for lawmakers to avoid impeachment – Witness

    The Federal High Court in Lagos Tuesday heard that former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Ladoja allegedly bought cars for lawmakers to prevent his impeachment.

    A prosecution witness, Mr. Adewale Atanda, said this while testifying in Ladoja’s trial before Justice Mohammed Idris.

    He had earlier testified that the former governor gave directive that Oyo State’s shares be sold.

    He said N634million, which was part of the commission and profit realised by stockbrokers handling the shares’ sale, were used as slush funds to prevent Ladoja’s impeachment.

    The witness said the N634million was delivered to him by the stockbrokers.

    He said he removed N180million from the sum, which he had earlier borrowed and spent on Ladoja’s instructions during the heat of the impeachment saga.

    Part of the N180million, he said, was the N80million he obtained from Wema Bank Plc, which Ladoja used to purchase 22 vehicles for Oyo State lawmakers to prevent his impeachment.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Ladoja for allegedly converting N4.7billion from the state treasury to his personal use.

    He was charged along with Waheed Akanbi on eight counts of money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds.

    Atanda, who was Ladoja’s Special Executive Assistant, said under cross-examination: “The loan was taken through V. T. Leasing Limited, and disbursement were made to the vendors of the vehicles which were collected by Oyo State government.

    “I used V. T. Leasing Limited to apply for the loan from Wema bank. Although I am a shareholder with less than one percent, I used my goodwill to get the loan and I did not make any application.

    “I did not know the condition attached to the vehicles given to members of State Assembly loyal to Governor Ladoja.

    “The vehicles were collected by the Oyo State government’s drivers before handling them to Ladoja’s loyalists at the State House of Assembly members.”

    Ladoja was governor from May 29, 2003 to January 12, 2006 when he was impeached. On November 1, 2006, the Appeal Court Ibadan, declared the impeachment null and illegal.

    The Supreme Court upheld the decision on November 11, 2009, and Ladajo resumed office on December 12, 2006. He, however, lost a re-election bid.

    The witness said another N633 million loan he collected when Ladoja returned as governor was part of expenses incurred when he shut down his hotel for one year to house Ladoja and his 14 loyalists in the Assembly during the impeachment saga.

    He said his hotel, Heritage Court and Inn, on Plot 176, Moshood Olugbani Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, was shut down from December 2005 to December 2006, because Ladoja’s life was at risk.

    He said there was no agreement that he would be paid back as no one thought Ladoja would return as Governor.

    He said when Ladoja was reinstated; he collected the N633 million on Ladoja’s instruction.

    Atanda also said he personally delivered £600,000 to Ladoja’s daughter, Bimpe, in London.

    Justice Idris has adjourned till May 25 for continuation of trial.

     

  • Oyo warns IGR saboteurs

    Oyo warns IGR saboteurs

    The Oyo State Government has warned that it will not tolerate any individual, group, investor or organization to sabotage its Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) drive, saying that whoever conspires to defraud the state Government would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi pronounced this warning through his Special Adviser, Solid Minerals, Hon. Mathew Oyedokun, during a meeting with major stakeholders of mining industries to resolve the revenue collection dispute with Quarries in Oyo State at the Conference Hall, Office of the Head of Service, Secretariat, Ibadan recently.

    Ajimobi said that the state government will not allow the activities of any individual or group to hinder the state in its revenue generation drive, cautioning that any form of harassment or intimidation against revenue officers will not be tolerated.

    In his own remarks, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Security, ACP Gafar Arowolo (Rtd) stated that adequate security measures have been put in place to enhance the implementation of revenue payments to government coffers, advising that all major stakeholders in the state should obey the law of the land as anybody found guilty will be prosecuted.

    Similarly, the State Government has embarked on a wake-up sensitization call to both private and informal business sectors in the state on the need to pay their taxes regularly and as and when due.

    The Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Internal Generated Revenue, Mr.Biyi Oloko, explained that the sensitization programme was very essential in order to educate and enlighten the people on the importance of regular payment of tax.

    According to Mr Oloko, “there are many benefits in paying tax which include provision of infrastructure, good water supply, provision of health care facilities, good education among others. Regular payment of tax would make the Government fulfill its electoral promises to the people.”

    The recent effort, which took place at Challenge, Dugbe and Bodija markets and environs, gave the Government officials from Board of Internal Revenue the opportunity to educate members of the community from one shop to another on the need to pay their taxes regularly.

     

  • Rural communities cannot develop without democratically elected council officials — PDP chieftain

    Mr Abioye Folorunsho, a chieftain of People Democratic Party(PDP) in Ibadan, says  rural areas in Nigeria will not experience meaningful development without democratically elected council officials.

    Folorunsho expressed the view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Ibadan, on Friday.

    He said the failure of some state governments to conduct council elections was not in conformity with the practice of democracy.

    “It is common among some governors nowadays to give one excuse or the other as reason for not conducting council elections.

    “They prefer appointing caretaker committees to run the affairs of councils instead of conducting elections for the people to elect their leaders.

    “These appointees have little or no power to execute laudable projects that can attract development without the consent of the state governor.

    “He or she has no control over council allocation but takes whatever is given to him by his/her boss and thereby is constrained financially to fast-track development to the area.“

    Folorunsho urged state governments to prioritise the conduct of council elections so that people at the grassroots would be fully involved in democratic governance.

    He noted that the local government was closest to the people and would make the rural dwellers feel the impact of government.

    The PDP chieftain called on the Oyo State government to conduct council elections once the case in court in respect of the elections was  resolved.

     

  • Oyo, FRSC vows to enforce crash helmet usage

    The Oyo State Government and the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), has said they will begin the enforcement of crash helmets rule for motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders in the state.

    The State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi and the State Sector ‎Commander of FRSC, MR Yussuf Salami disclosed this yesterday during a sensitisation/safety awareness programme organised by the community relations unity of the state government.

    Ajimobi, who was represented ‎by his Chief of Staff, Dr Gbade Ojo said it is the role of government to ensure safety of lives and properties, adding that due to recklessness and non-usage of crash helmet, many motorcyclist and passengers have lost their lives.

    According to him, we have distributed thousands of crash helmets to okada riders in the past just to protect their lives.

    “Oyo State Government does not intend to ban okada riders but we are charged with the responsibility to protect the lives of our citizenry and that is why we need to partner with law enforcement agencies to enforce the usage of helmet. They must be cautious on the highway and must begin to use helmet.

    ‘Thousands of helmets were distributed to them last year but we observe that some of them are not using it and are keeping it at home. They also engage on overload thereby endangering the lives of their passengers and creating social problems. All this are causing overstretching of government facilities in hospitals\’ he said‎

    In his own view, Salami noted that the agency will partner with the state government to enforce stiffer penalties for Okada riders without helmet.

    The FRSC Sector Commander said‎ the decline in helmets usage in the state had caused untold hazards.

    Salami said: “Any Okada rider caught without helmet is fined N10, 000 but I think if we can increase the fine in partnership with the Oyo State Government, so many Okada rider will adhere strictly to the rules and regulation. ‎Many Okada riders in this state needs attitudinal change and are inpatient. They are even ungrateful to government because they should have banned them.

    “If we now charge them N30, 000 for non-usage of safety helmet, I know they will change. I will even advice the state government to state conducting psychiatric test on them because most of them behave abnormal while riding. Even Okada riders unions unit that ought to discipline their members are only interested in their daily dues. So many deaths has been recorded in this state from Okada accidents”

    He urged the state government to have a database for all Okada riders in the state and give them same uniform in order to curb crimes.‎

    Similarly, the Special Adviser to the Government on Community Relations, Alhaji Abidemi Siyanbade said a typical Okada rider is not patient, adding that they ride the Okada as if they are the only people using the road.

    He said: “Another appalling habit of Okada riders is harassment of other road users especially anytime‎ there is an accident involving one of them. Whether they are guilty or not, they will want to solidarise with their fellow Okada rider involved in an accident and in the process, harass and threaten other road users”

    ‎Part of the communique reached at the end of the meeting are:

    With effect from today;‎ No person shall operate a motorcycle (Okada) in Oyo State without a valid riders license;‎  No person shall operate a motorcycle (Okada) without proper registration number plate, ‎Incase of any Okada accident, a passenger or rider should seek proper medical check-up.‎

    All Motorcycle must be road worthy and must have the two side mirrors fixed on them; ‎No person shall operate a motorcycle without wearing a standard crash helmet with full head protection.‎ In case of a passenger on a motorcycle (Okada), the owner or rider of such a motorcycle shall provide a standard crash helmet for the use of the passenger;
    • No motorcycle (Okada) operator shall carry more than one passenger at a time;
    • No motorcycle (Okada) operator should carry any load at any time.‎ ‎Alcohol should not be sold in any motor parks.

  • Oyo charges police, judiciary officers on implementation of Criminal Justice law

    The Oyo State Government has urged the Nigeria Police and judiciary officers in the state to ensure proper implementation of the Administration of ‎Criminal Justice Law (ACJL), recently signed into law by the governor of the state, Sen Abiola Ajimobi.

    The State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice,‎ Oluseun Abimbola who stated this at a stakeholder workshop organised by the Ministry of Justice and Justice Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) in Ibadan, said all stakeholder must ensure that their officers and men, prosecutors, counsel and judicial officers, familiarise themselves with the workings of the new law.

    “‎The ACJL repeal and replaces the now 70 years old Criminal Procedure Law (CPL) of the state inherited from the Colonial government, which has out lived its relevance in terms of its responsiveness to achieving an effective and efficient criminal justice system. This state of affairs inevitably lef to the unconscious abuse of the process by some stakeholders, clogging the pace of justice delivery and consequently congestion of criminal courts and prison cells.

    “The law through the committed implementation of its provision by all stakeholders, in the short term crash the rate of arbitrary remand of suspects in our prison and police cells and on the long term ensure less congestion in our prisons and quicken the pace of criminal prosecution.” he said

    Abimbola said the judiciary must be ready to fashion out an implementation strategy with internal process management structures to monitor compliance and results.

    He said the police must also ensure thorough investigations, and recognise that the work of the security agency does not end at transferring files to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution, but includes diligent attendance to the prosecution as dire consequences may visit cases plagued with either the continuing absenteeism of investigating officers, sloppy investigation or non-compliance with the statutory requirements of the ACJL.

    Similarly in his remarks, the Chief Justice of Oyo State, Justice Munta Abimbola ‎said ACJL will promote efficient management of criminal justice institution, speedy dispensation of justice, protection of society for crime and protection of rights and interest of the suspects, the defendant and the victim.

    “In my view, the law ‎if enforced shall have effect of not only trial process and quicken same as it will limit the numbers of adjournments a counsel can request for which is only five adjournments and in capital offences 180 days if not trial shall be granted bail and adjournment must not be more than 14 days,” he said.

  • Senate clears Ajimobi on usage of bailout fund

    Senate clears Ajimobi on usage of bailout fund

    Senate Committee on State and Local Government Affairs have expressed satisfaction over the administration of Federal government’s bail-out funds by the Oyo State government.

    Chairman of the committee, Sen Abdullahi Gumel stated this when he led other members of the committee on an oversight function in the state.

    The purpose of the visit by the committee was to investigate how Oyo state expended the bail out funds it received from the Federal government.

    It would be recalled that, there have been allegations in some quarters that some state governments who benefited from the bail-out funds of the Federal Government, meant for payment of workers’ salaries and wages, diverted the funds to other expenses.

    This subsequently prompted the resolution of the Senate to investigate the expenses of the funds by benefiting states.

    The Senate Committee was received by the State Governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi at his office in Ibadan, where the Governor informed the committee that the sum of seventeen point three billion Naira was received by the state as bail-out funds.

    Ajimobi stated that the funds were judiciously used for the payment of salaries and wages of its workforce.

    Briefing journalists after a graphic presentation of how the state government expended the bail-out funds by the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Abimbola Adekanbi at a closed door session, the senate committee expressed satisfaction over the administration of the fund.

    The committee chairman, Senator Gumel commended the State Government for its transparency and accountability on the bail-out funds.

    He advised the State Government to put in place necessary machinery to eliminate redundancy and ghost workers.

    Gumel hinted that all the states the committee had visited so far, did not divert the bail out funds for other purposes.

  • Oyo suspends LG elections indefinitely 

    Oyo suspends LG elections indefinitely 

    Oyo State Government has suspended the planned local government elections slated for February 11 following a court injunction obtained by 15 village heads in Oyo town.

    This was disclosed by the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Seun Abimbola while addressing journalist on Tuesday in company of the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Toye Arulogun, Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Bimbo Kolade and the Special Advicer to the governor on communication and strategy, Yomi Layinka.

    A Federal High Court judge in Abuja, Justice John Tsoho, ordered the Oyo State Independent Election Commission (OYSIEC) not to proceed with its plan to conduct local government election slated for February 11.

    The judge also directed the Accountant General of the Federation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Ministry of Finance to withhold monthly allocation to the 33 local government councils in the state.

    The orders were made in Abuja on Friday, January 20, following a motion ex-parte filed in the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/11/2017 on behalf of 15 Baales from Oyo Federal Constituency by the lawyer, Ahmed Raji SAN, pursuant to the creation of 35 local council development authorities (LCDAs) in the state.

    The creation of the LCDAs by the state government last year was said to have tampered with the boundaries of the 33 existing local government areas recognised in the 1999 Constitution.

    The 15 village heads in some communities, which were hitherto under Oyo Federal Constituency, got ceded to local government areas which fall within the boundary of Oyo North Senatorial district.

    The four local government councils in Oyo Federal Constituency are within Oyo Central Senatorial district.

    The court also directed that monthly allocation to the 33 councils should be lodged in an interest-yielding account to prevent the state government from using same to fund the LCDAs as prayed by the plaintiffs.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was also restrained from supporting OYSIEC in the conduct of the election through the release of voter register or any other material.

    Abimbola explained that the state government set up a petition and review committee which was headed by him when the government received petitions and complained from some communities that their land has been ceded or encroached upon by another communities with the creation of the LCDAs.

    “The peace loving governor after receiving all this petitions set up the committee to look into it, and different aggrieved party, including the 15 village heads who appeared in person before the committee, but we were shock when we learnt that they have obtain a court injunction without waiting for the resolution of the committee.

    “We were served with the court injunction just yesterday by the federal high court at our liaison office in Abuja.” he said

    The Commissioner for Justice said as a law abiding government, they will abide with the court order and suspend the conduct of the election indefinitely, promising that the order will be contested vigorously in the court.

    He urge the resident and the political parties in the state to remain calm and uphold peace in the state.

    Similarly, Arulogun dispel the rumour making rounds that the state government was behind the court injunction.

    He said:” The court order stopping the conduct of the election is not government orchestrated or induced. If the state government does not want to conduct election, he will not release funds for OYSIEC or set date for the election”.

    Also, Kolade said the creation of the LCDAs has not been cancelled, noting that it was only the election into the council areas that has been suspended.

    He said the creation of the LCDA areas was the request by the people and not the state government.

    The Commissioner promised that once the order has been vacated, the election will be conducted immediately.

  • Oyo dismisses 662 workers over fake WAEC certificates

    Oyo dismisses 662 workers over fake WAEC certificates

    …Uncovers 2021 Ghost workers

    The Oyo State Government has dismissed 662 civil and public servants over possession of fake West Africa Examination Certificates (WAEC).

    The Head of Service of the state, Mr Soji Eniade who disclosed this while addressing journalist, said they were discovered during the on-going certificate verification exercise by the state government.

    Eniade said 662 personnel on the payroll of government are in possession of fake WAEC certificates, adding that they have been issued a summary dismissal letter immediately after the discovery.

    According to his breakdown, in the local government service 305, in the Ministry, Department and Agencis 152, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), 149, for Parastatals 28, Academic institutions 26, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) 2.

    “An average civil servant should have his certificate on ground, the primary school certificate, WAEC certificate, and higher degree certificate, but we are not even checking the primary school certificates. The first issue on check is the WAEC certificate and the services of a consultant that conducted it in 2008 was used during the regime of the immediate past administration.

    “Every civil servant was requested to submit his certificates and it was copies of the certificates submitted that the consultant used in verifying the authenticity of the certificates.” He said

    Eniade said the exercise is still ongoing, adding that the workers are entitled to the right to prove themselves before the verification committee.

    He also disclosed 2021 fictitious names were discovered on the payroll of government.

    Eniade in his breakdown said; “1,432 pensioners, 84 in the local government and 505 in the public service.

    He added:” This is part of the restructuring process which focus on quality and quantity of the public and civil servants in the state. To have the right size of the civil and public servants in the state. We adopted the usage of BVN in order to avoid fictitious names on government payroll. The names of the 2021 has been expunge from the payroll of government because we can only count them as ghost workers.”

    Eniade stated that queries have been issued to the accounting officers of all the MDA’s were the ghost workers have been discovered.

    In the same vein, the head of service also said during a physical verification exercise by government over 684 workers of the state government were not found at their duty post.

    He said:” A committee has been put in place to do the final verification and the result will be out soon. All this exercise is not a witch-hunt method but organisational check which comes up times to improve the efficiency of workers”.