By the GSM Advocates
My good people of Oyo state, It has become our tradition in the last four years to write to you at the beginning of the upcoming year and share a recap of our activities in the past year.
This year is going to be slightly different. For one thing, the year’s report is divided into two because 2023 was an election year. Second, instead of simply writing to you, we have decided to speak to you directly.
We wanted to thank you for the overwhelming support you gave us in the last election, the same way we came to ask for your mandate. As I’ve said on different occasions, we do not take this support for granted. Also the last several months under Omi-tuntun 2.O have been challenging.
The removal of fuel subsidy and the peg on the Naira to dollar exchange rate has taken a toll on our economy and our people. For this reason in the past months we have taken steps that show that we continue to put our people first.
We have initiated actions through the Sustainable Actions for Economic Recovery SAFAR program that ensured that we provided immediate relief for our poorest population through food relief packages. We also extended this package to pensioners and civil servants.
We set up low interest loans for our traders, market men and women, youth Agropreneur entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers. We also distributed grants and other inputs to our smallholder farmers. We paid for health insurance for our pensioners and other disadvantaged people in our society. We also provided low cost transportation through our Omi-tuntun buses both within and outside Ibadan.
We know this is not enough as inflation rates continue to rise. And so as we cross the halfway mark of our first year with the Omi-tuntun 2.0 mandate, this is an auspicious time to remind you that our administration was built for times like this. The implementation of our 2024 budget of economic recovery will serve to reinforce the reforms that we’re introducing to secure our economy further.
We again ask for your support as you take the top decisions that will see our dear states deliver prosperity for all. We have so far been bullish about bringing investment into Oyo State and as the New Year unfolds, you will see more and more ways in which we have continued to put you first. This year, we look forward to completing more Rd. projects like the 76.67 kilometre Iseyin/Fapote Road. construction and the 38 kilometre Ido/Eruwa Road reconstruction.
We’ll also be reconstructing and rehabilitating more feeder roads across our states. We look forward to welcoming more industries into our dear state as we commissioned the pilot Fashola Agri business industrial hub and start work on the Eruwa Agri business industrial hub.
We look forward to reaping revenue from solid mineral sector and completing our first independent power projects.
We look forward to welcoming investors into our tourism sector as we seek to revitalize the Ibadan Cultural Center and Agodi Gardens while opening the Eleyele Lake and the Yaki Lake ADO Awaye to investor interest.
We believe that by following these economic blueprints with God on our side and your continued support, our administration will continue to put our dear state on the map for all the right reasons. While we promise to continue making decisions that will make us proud to be from Oyo state, we implore you to work with us as we seek to bring sanity to the state by implementing the rule of law.
It will be impossible to enforce laws without stepping on toes. I urge us all to see the bigger picture, A state where investors and tourists will be happy to come to and leave because they know that they can feel safe and secure.
May 2024 be that year when things turn around for us all for good Long live Oyo state. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
