The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oyo state

  • Oyo, Osun constitute LAUTECH’s Governing Council

    Oyo, Osun constitute LAUTECH’s Governing Council

    The Oyo and Osun governments have announced the immediate constitution of a seven-man Governing Council for Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

    A statement issued on Monday in Ibadan by the Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr Olalekan Alli, said the newly constituted council would be headed by a retired Head of Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi.

    According to the statement, Prof. Lai Olurode, Prof. Olaide Adedokun, Mr Abiodun Owonikoko, Mr Isiaka Olagoke, Mr Tise Adenipekun and Bade Adesina would serve as members of the Governing council.

    “Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and his counterpart form Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola,  acted on the powers conferred on them by the laws establishing the institution as Visitors  met and approved the immediate constitution of the Governing Council of LAUTECH

    “The tenure of the Governing Council  as mandated by the University Law  shall be for four years from the date of its inauguration unless determined by the Visitors.

    “Visitors have also directed the immediate inauguration of the Governing Council  whose mandate shall also be guided by the provisions of the relevant laws establishing the university,”  the statement  said.

    According to the statement,  the Visitors are confident that with this development, the ongoing crisis in the institution will  be resolved soon.

    “They consequently enjoined all stakeholders to cooperate with the newly constituted council in its determination to realise its mandate,” it added.

  • FADAMA III programme trains 300 graduate unemployed youths, women in Oyo

    FADAMA III programme trains 300 graduate unemployed youths, women in Oyo

    The FADAMA III Additional Financing (AF) Programme has started the training of 300 unemployed youths and women in Oyo State to enable them to acquire skills in various agricultural enterprises.

    The FADAMA III AF programme made this known in Abuja on Monday via a statement by Mr Tunde Oladunjoyelo, the World Bank Media Consultant on FADAMA.

    Oladunjoyelo said that the aim of the training, organised under the FADAMA Graduates, Unemployed Youth and Women Support scheme, was to empower unemployed graduate s, youths and women to become self-employed and employers of labour.

    Mr Nath Olayinka, the FADAMA Project Coordinator in Oyo State, said that training would run for two weeks at three training centres.

    He listed the centres as College of Agriculture, Igboora, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso and Institute of Agriculture Research and Training, Moor Plantation, Ibadan.

    Speaking, Mr Oyewole Oyewumi, Oyo State Commissioner for Agriculture, said that the vision of Gov. Abiola Ajimobi’s administration to create one million jobs via the agricultural sector would be fulfilled with the intervention of the FADAMA III AF project.

    He said that the training would empower the beneficiaries to become experts in their chosen agricultural enterprises.

    “At the end of the training, each participant is expected to prepare his or her business plan which will be assessed and the best 200 participants will eventually be selected for funding.

    “The starter package ranges from N700,000 to N1 million, depending on their enterprises, and the money will be given to them as a grant and not a loan,’’ he said.

    Two of the trainees, Mrs Lawal Mariam and Mr Adekanmbi Johnson, commended the Oyo State Government and the FADAMA programme for the scheme.

    They pledged that the beneficiaries would use the knowledge they acquired in the training to boost the development of the agricultural sector of the State.

    “We also contribute to growth of the national economy in general,” he said.

    Prof. James Adeniran, the Executive Director of Institute of Agriculture Research and Training, said that youths and women were the most vulnerable groups in the society.

    “However, the future of agricultural development for a diversified economy in Nigeria is in the hands of women and youths,’’ he added.

    Adeniran assured the participants that in the course of after training, they would be exposed to standard procedures that would enhance their knowledge and prepare them as future entrepreneurs

    He said that their participation in agriculture would upgrade their socio-economic status, while enabling them to contribute more meaningfully to the growth of the nation’s economy and food security.

  • Ajimobi mourns ace broadcaster, Faleti

    Ajimobi mourns ace broadcaster, Faleti

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has described the death of ace broadcaster, writer, poet and actor, Chief Adebayo Faleti, as shocking and devastating.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Faleti, aged 86, died on Sunday at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

    In a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Mr Yomi Layinka, Ajimobi also described the octogenarian as a repository of Yoruba culture and tradition.

    Faleti was also a good ambassador of the state, he said.

    “Even though Baba Faleti died at the ripe age of 86, his passing away is very unfortunate, disheartening and sad.

    “Part of the things that endeared him to my heart was his simple lifestyle, his dislike for material wealth and commitment to the progress of the Yoruba race.

    “Instead of allowing his humble background to serve as a barrier for his career progression, Chief Faleti defied all odds.

    ‘’He ensured that he trained himself up to the university level, even at a time when education was not too attractive.

    “As a pioneer staff of the first television station in Africa, Western Nigeria Television (WNTV), he exhibited his dexterity in broadcasting, while he imparted morals in the younger generation through his various books, poems and acting.

    “In recognition of his contributions to the development of Yoruba culture and tradition, the Federal Government conferred on him the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON),” Ajimobi said.

    Ajimobi said that with Chief Faleti’s demise, the state had lost one of its cultural icons who had brought it fame and honour through his various activities in broadcasting, publishing and film industry.

    He, however, called on members of his immediate family, friends and associates to celebrate rather than mourn the deceased, having lived a fulfilled life worthy of emulation.

  • Oyo secures $5bn commitment from China – Ajimobi

    Oyo secures $5bn commitment from China – Ajimobi

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has stated that his administration has secured the commitment of five billion dollars from China in the development of the newly established Free Trade Zone(FTZ) in the state.

    The governor made the disclosure while receiving an Industrial Policy and Strategic Document from a delegation of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the UNIDO team was led by Mr Jean Bakole, representative to ECOWAS and Regional Director, Nigeria Regional Office Hub.

    NAN reports that the Industrial Policy Document was developed by Oyo State Government with the approval and collaboration of UNIDO.

    Ajimobi said the establishment of the FTZ was part of his administration’s determination to make the state an industrial hub of the nation.

    Ajimobi said that no fewer than 150 investors from china have signified their intention to invest in the FTZ out of which seven of them have already began work at the FTZ site.

    “Our administration has not relented in its efforts at infrastructural development of the state, creation of jobs for the youths, revenue growth and the protection of well-being of the citizenry.

    “We have evolved several initiatives in all the various sectors of governance and which have been yielding desired results,’’ he said.

    He said that the administration’s commitment to industrialization was evident in a recent ranking, which placed the state as one of the safest and conducive for doing business.

    Ajimobi said that his administration was currently using agriculture as a platform of the state’s industrialization, adding the state was now been seen as the centre of industrial revolution.

    He commended UNIDO for selecting the state as the first beneficiary of its collaboration in Nigeria, promising the opportunity would be fully and judiciously utilized.

    Mrs Taibat Adeyemi-Agaba, the State Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Cooperatives said that the document would, on implementation, be the best in the south west region of the country, having considered contributions from internal and external stakeholders.

    Earlier, Bakole commended the transformation efforts of the Ajimobi-led administration in the state, adding they are in the state to support government efforts through effective collaboration.

    “Our main job is to support economic growth and transformation. We are here to see how we could build a roadmap to develop some various sectors.

    “This, we have done, in collaboration with the state,to develop a policy and strategic document being presented here today,’’ he said.

    Bakole, who assumed the position of regional head in Nigeria five months ago, expressed gratitude to the federal government for his warm welcome in the country.

    He said that it was a great opportunity for him to work in Nigeria, which was the leading economy in the African continent.

    “I don’t always compare Nigeria with South Africa because they have different histories. You have shown me various examples and efforts here in Nigeria, which are different from other countries in Africa,’’ he said.

    “I intentionally came into the state from Lagos by road to have a glimpse of the resources the nation was blessed with.

    “On my way, I saw the country was blessed with resources that could aid agro processing and agripreneur development,’’ he said.

    He commended the state government for developing the Ibadan City Master Plan, which he said has shown the state government’s commitment to the transformation of the state.

    Bakole stated that the master plan and the Industrial policy document were developmental documents that would aid rapid development of state through strategic framework and roadmaps.

  • Education update in Oyo state – Quick FACTS we need to know

    Education update in Oyo state – Quick FACTS we need to know

    ■ The issues being experienced by the tertiary institutions in Oyo state today are a result of years of maladministration. Therefore, after the forensic audit of the institutions commissioned by the Gov. Ajimobi administration is completed, the state government will come up with appropriate subventions for these institutions, while priming them for self-sustenance in the long term. The era of unbridled largesse is over!
    ■ Furthermore, paying it forward, the Oyo-State Education Trust Fund will soon commence operations. Monies raised via this Trust Fund will also be available to redress the financial distress in the institutions.
    ■ It is also noteworthy that some of the education policies of this administration have started yielding fruit. Oyo-State came second in the last NECO exam in the nationwide ranking, while we are waiting for this year WAEC examination to see how well we’ve improved, especially considering our abolishment of “dandawi” promotion.
    ■ The University of Ibadan is a federal institution and not Oyo-state owned. This seemingly desperate attempt to give a dog a bad name in other to hang it won’t deter or distract our resolve to rework of educational policies in the hope of forestalling some of these nagging issues plaguing our institutions.
    ■ In achieving the high education standards in Oyo State, the Technical University Ibadan was launched Oyo yesterday.
    ■ The Technical University, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria is located at Ajayi community on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.
    ■ It was conceived in 2012 by the Ajimobi administration and was to partner with University of Texas, USA.
    ■ This citadel of learning is a public-private partnership arrangement.
    ■ Special courses not readily available in the regular universities would be provided by the institution.
    ■ The university housed within the free trade zone would provide succour for parents who often send their wards to neighbouring countries for higher education.
    ■ Oyo state government would release 90 percent of the university’s shares to private investors while it would only retain 10 percent in the long run.
    Jide writes from Ibarapa
  • Ajimobi inaugurates CBN projects at technical varsity

    Ajimobi inaugurates CBN projects at technical varsity

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State  on Tuesday in Ibadan inaugurated  an e-library and  administrative block built by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)  at the Technical University (TechU) in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports  that the  university  located on the Ibadan-Lagos expressway is an initiative of  the Oyo State Government.

    Speaking at  the inauguration, Ajimobi expressed  appreciation to the board and management of CBN for the donation, promising that the facilities would be put  to good use.

    The governor said the institution will offer  degree programmes  of international standard through collaboration with relevant global institutions.

    “Our vision is to be a world-class institution for technical studies that are anchored on entrepreneurial practices, innovation and commitment to international best practices.

    “We plan to produce exceptional graduates who are not only socially conscious but technically competent enough to turn around the fortunes of the state and Nigeria,’’ he said.

    He stated that no government could  single-handedly bear  the huge responsibilities of providing qualitative education.

    The governor  said  partnership in repositioning the education  sector  in the state was desirable and appreciated.

    The CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele,  said  that the country  was experiencing acute shortage of high quality and world class educational institutions.

    Emefiele, who was represented by Mr Adebayo Adelabu, CBN Deputy Governor, Operations,  said that this  shortage informed the surge in the number of Nigerian students going abroad to seek quality education.

    “This has implications for the demand for foreign exchange and supply of qualified personnel to support the productive capacity of the country.

    “Our primary mandate at CBN includes maintenance of price and exchange rate stability, functional and stable financial system, effective payment system and credible currency.

    “We have a responsibility for development financing through regular intervention in critical sectors of the economy of which education is one to bridge the manpower and infrastructural deficits accumulated over time,’’ he said.

    He urged the beneficiaries, including staff and students of the university,  to make use of the buildings and derive the full benefits for which the project was intended.

    “I want to take this opportunity to express the hope that the university management will adopt the necessary maintenance culture to keep the buildings and equipment  for many years.

    “Government cannot fund education alone. The private sector equally has very important roles to play.

    “Tertiary institutions are supposed to be the drivers of research and innovation relevant to industry and commerce,’’ he said.

    The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, on his part,  described  the e-library as  one of the best in  the world.

    “We intend to work very hard to ensure that the minimum achievement of any student must be second class lower.

    “We are going to run the university as a scheme of 12 programmes,’’ he said.

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,  and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji,  in their  remarks, commended  the governor for establishing the university.

    While Adeyemi said that the governor had  planted a legacy that would linger for many years, Adetunji, who was represented by High Chief Lekan Balogun, described  the institution as  a great innovation.

  • Power: Oyo signs MoU to generate 1,000 megawatts from wastes

    Power: Oyo signs MoU to generate 1,000 megawatts from wastes

    The Oyo State Government is to  generate  1,000 mega watts from wastes  following the signing of a  Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with some power-generating firms

    The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that the state government on Wednesday in Ibadan signed an MoU with Siemens International, MRF1 and West African Energy on  conversion of waste to energy.

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi said that the project  would promote industrialisation and generate employment opportunities.

    He said that the project was anchored  on his administration’s developmental tripod of restoration, transformation and repositioning.

    Ajimobi stated that the objective of the present effort was to uplift the state from its civil service status to an industrialised one.

    “As part  of our development agenda of restoration, transformation and repositioning, we have come up with an agreement with these power-generating firms which had culminated into today’s signing of MOU.

    “These companies, Siemens, MRF1 and West African Energy,  are well-known companies in electronics, energy and ICT.

    “ The objectives of the project is to industrialise the state and create employment for the youths.

    “The power will be distributed across the zones in the state. We really want to take our youths off the street and get them fully employed,” he said.

    Mr Nasir Giwa, the representative of Siemens International,  said that the state on  completion of the project would be the first to sell or export power to the national grid.

    Giwa stated that the moment power was being generated  in the state,  many other developmental activities would naturally follow.

    “We believe that power generation is a fulcrum of commercial growth.

    “Once it is achieved, other things would naturally follow and Oyo State will be the first State to export power to the national grid,” he said.

    Also, Mrs Lolade Oresanwo, the representative of West African Energy,  said that the project would create employment opportunities in the excess of 10,000.

    “The success of this project is the importance of power to industrialisation. When there is power, there are  more employment opportunities,” Oresanwo said.

  • Judge’s absence stalls trial of female lawyer accused of murder

    Judge’s absence stalls trial of female lawyer accused of murder

    The trial of  a female lawyer, Yewande Oyediran, who was accused of killing her husband, Lowo, could not continue on Wednesday at the Oyo State High Court  in Ibadan  due to the absence  of the  judge, Justice Munta Abimbola.

    Oyediran, a staff of the Department of  Public Prosecution in the Oyo State of Ministry of Justice, allegedly murdered her husband  by stabbing him with a knife on Feb. 2, 2016,  at Akobo area of  Ibadan.

    Abimbola, who is also the Chief Judge of the state, had travelled out of  the state on an official assignment.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the prosecutor, Mr Sanya Akinyele,  had finished calling his witnesses in respect of the matter.

    The defence counsel, Mr Leye Adepoju,  had also started calling his witnesses, with the fifth  slated for  Wednesday’s  hearing.

    The prosecution and  defence counsel, however, agreed on June 5 for continuation of hearing.

    NAN reports that the  accused, who  had been  standing trial on a one-count charge of murder, had remained  in  prison custody after entering a “ not guilty’’  plea.

  • Court remands three in prison for drug trafficking

    Court remands three in prison for drug trafficking

    Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek of the Federal High Court Ibadan, on Tuesday ordered that three suspects be remanded in prison custody for allegedly trafficking cocaine and Indian hemp.

    The suspected drug traffickers, Ramoni Ademuyiwa, Taiwo Lawal and Sadiq Aliyu, all adults, were separately arraigned before the court.

    Ademuyiwa pleaded not guilty to the charge while Lawal and Aliyu pleaded guilty.

    Abdulmaleek ordered that the trio be remanded in prison custody till commencement of trial on June 15.

    Mr Raphael Himinkaiye, counsel to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Oyo State Command, said the suspects were arraigned on one-count charge bordering on unlawful dealing in hard drug.

    He said that Ademuyiwa, Lawal and Aliyu separately committed the crime on April 12, 18 and 25 respectively at various spots in Ibadan.

    He said that the first defendant was arrested with 6.3kg of cocaine concealed in a sack at Bere while the second defendant was arrested with a bag containing two kilograms of Indian hemp at Sarki market.

    According to him, the third defendant was arrested with a bag containing 430 grams of Indian hemp on the Lagos-Ibadan express way.

    The NDLEA counsel said the offence is punishable under Section 11(C) of the NDLEA Act Cap N30 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

  • Oyo to distribute seized goods to orphanages

    Oyo to distribute seized goods to orphanages

    The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources in Oyo State, Mr. Isaac Ishola, said on Tuesday that goods seized from traders that flouted environmental sanitation laws will be distributed  to orphanages.

    Ishola,  in  a statement issued by the Press Officer in the ministry, Olusegun Adesoji,  said street trading persisted in the state  because offenders were able to retrieve their goods after paying fines.

    The commissioner said the state  government would  do everything possible to ensure environmental cleanliness.

    “The present administration places so much priority on healthy and hygienic environment and safety of lives and properties,’’ he was quoted to have said in the statement.

    Ishola called for attitudinal change among residents,  saying they should desist from waiting for government to enforce environmental laws.

    He said that the full enforcement of environmental laws commenced on May 15 and would be observed in the morning and evening.

    The commissioner also warned street traders at Challenge area of the metropolis to move to the Scout Camp Market.