Welcome Address Delivered by Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, Chief Press Secretary to Oyo State Governor, at the Opening Session of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing, Held on June 19, 2025, at the Governor’s Briefing Room, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan.
In 2023, His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde canvassed for the votes of Oyo State people, making certain promises as documented in the Oyo State Roadmap for Sustainable Development 2023-2027.
One sentence summary of the document is “Taking the People of Oyo State from Poverty to Prosperity.” His Excellency was elected because the people believed not just in the promises but also in his capacity to deliver on those promises.
Two years after, is the state closer to poverty or prosperity? Two years after, are the people better off or worse off? These media engagements will provide answers to these questions.
You may want to ask, why Commissioners and heads of Agencies and Departments the vision of a leader is the mission of his team members. When a leader casts a vision, his team members catch the mission.
The vision of Taking the People of Oyo State from Poverty to Prosperity is implemented by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) through their various interventions.
In other words, the MDAs are the channels through which the promises made by His Excellency are actualized. So, it is apposite that the MDAs give an account of their stewardship.
These engagements will afford the Honourable Commissioners and Heads of Government Agencies and Departments the opportunity to give an account of their service to the people of Oyo State and explain how the administration’s activities are improving the lives of citizens.
They will also be able to highlight government policies, plans, programmes and progress as well as address misinformation and disinformation.
It is the belief of the Governor’s Media Unit that these engagements will foster better government-people relationship and accelerate the realisation of the desired sustainable development since both parties will be on the same page with respect to government’s plans and projections.
Let me also use this opportunity to appreciate my Constituency, the Media, for its total support for the Administration since its inception, while also asking that you give this engagement the necessary coverage and mileage.
So, I welcome you to this 10-day journey, which we hope will project the government to the people and pull the people to the government.
I thank you for your attention.
