By Stephen Gbadamosi, Ibadan
Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has declared that there will be a major overhaul of the state’s education infrastructure in 2025, noting that the government has been rearranging resources to do more for the sector.
The governor maintained that his administration had remained committed to improving the sector and had been achieving some results, but that it was set to do more to improve the all-important sector.
Governor Makinde stated this, weekend, during a media chat on Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS), which was also broadcast by several radio stations across the state.
The governor, who declared that a minute of silence be observed for the 35 children who lost their lives in a stampede in Ibadan on Tuesday last week, described the incident as a monumental tragedy.
Governor Makinde noted that the incident and the Bodija explosion, which took place in January 2024, were totally avoidable, if the right things had been done by everyone involved.
He added that contrary to claims that the suspects arrested in connection to the explosion had been let off the hook, their matter is before the appropriate authority and the law was taking its course, though it might be seen to be grinding slowly.
Explaining his administration’s determination to put in more efforts in turning around the education sector, Governor Makinde said his government had consistently exceeded the UNESCO benchmark for budgetary allocation to the education sector “because it believed that education should have priority attention.”
Recall that the governor once declared that the state government would need close to N60 billion to address the needs in the state’s education sector, adding that though his government had been expending a lot on education, more still needed to be done.
“We are trying to rearrange our resources to do more for the education sector. It is not for fun that since I came in, we have exceeded the UNESCO recommended figure.
“For tertiary institution, I can say we are doing well and I am satisfied,” he said.
Also speaking on his administration’s commitment to expanding the economy of the state, Governor Makinde said his government would continue to do things that were in the best interest of Oyo State residents, but that they ought to also realise that the government would have to act whenever it had an opportunity to break the cycle of poverty, even when that decision seemed harsh to the people at the point in time.
He added that the government had taken several steps to break the limitations faced by past administrations in the area of economic expansion, pointing out that the creation of housing estates, the planned corridor on the Senator Rasidi Ladoja Circular Road, among others, were part of the measures being undertaken by the government which would benefit the economy of the state and its people in the near future.
“Now, we have too many mouths to feed. How do we break out of the cycle of poverty? I want the people to know that this is their government, and we will continue to do things in the best interest of the people. But people should know that when you have the opportunity to make a lasting impact, you must strike.
“The vision of our founding fathers is not that of poverty. And those who have tried to develop the state had limitations, which we are trying to move out of. We need to produce more and expand our economy and provide opportunities for a whole lot of people irrespective of their political leanings and religions.
“Look at the issue of the Circular Road and some of the places we are opening up for development and some people describing me as a land grabber. I am not a land grabber. I am a firm believer in the saying that it is only an idiot that will continue to do something the same way and expect a different result. I believe that our leaders in the past tried their best.
“It is even the land grabbers that are calling me a land grabber. Some people are being investigated right now.
“The concept of the Circular Road, people may not understand it. They thought it would be like Iwo Road to Beere. No. It will be the very first motorway in Nigeria.
“The 32km stretch from Tech U to Badeku only has two exit points. How we want to develop the place requires that there must be a corridor,” he explained profusely.
The governor equally noted that his government had been able to ensure steady development of the state over the last five years.
He stated that the state’s budget performance had improved drastically over the years, saying: “We realigned the budget immediately we came in 2019. With that we were able to achieve about 48 per cent budget performance.
“Our first full budget was in 2020 before COVID-19 hit the world and, at the end of the year, we still did well to achieve about 60 per cent.
“Right now, we are well over 70 per cent. That is why, for us, you will notice that we have had stability in terms of how projects are executed and the people’s live-ability in the state.”
Governor Makinde used the occasion to clarify his position on the controversial Tax Reform Bill by the Federal Government, noting that he was not opposed to the tax reforms, but that Abuja needed to engage with a wider array of stakeholders to achieve a meaningful reform.
The governor, who was part of those who briefed the media on the position of the National Economic Council on the bill, following which he was criticised by a section of the public for opposing the tax reform bill, said Nigerians should learn to focus on the message rather than the messenger.
