₦airaland Forum

The Minister for Agriculture with the OYO STATE AGRIC TEAM,went round the IITA to learn of the Innovations available to combat, Agric production, processing,Packaging, Capacity Development, Exports, and Agrifoods Enterprises development.

#koseleri

The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development,with the Agric Team on tour of Agricultural Infrastructure,Dams,Farms in Oyo State,today July 10,2017. They visited Friesland Campina WAMCO Milk Collection Centre at Fashola,Oyo State. The team also went to Ikere Gorge Dam,Iseyin. This is the largest Dam in the Southwest,multi Utility Dam for massive Agriculture and Agrifoods Enterprises.

Honorable Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development,Chief Audu Ogbeh (OFR) to meet with farmers,women,youths and other stakeholders tomorrow in Ibadan. This will take place at house of chiefs parliament building,state secretariat,ibadan.

#Koseleri

84%, that is approximately 23, 901 sq.km of the total land area of Oyo state [28,453sq.km] is arable land. In the past 6 years, the #Koseleri government of Abiola Ajimobi has channelled huge efforts to productively explore this agrarian blessing to make Oyo state the food-basket of the southwest and the nation at large.

These efforts have not gone unnoticed by the FG, as the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, leads a delegation to our state on a 2-day working visit.

#AsiwajuNiWa

Governor Ajimobi receives in Audience The Minister of Agriculture Chief Audu Ogbeh on 2-Day Working Visit and Senior Delegates from The Federal Ministry of Agriculture. Discussing around the ongoing growth in agriculture and the many things to come in the sector.
Just last week we posted that the Federal government of Nigeria approved 6 'export-grade' Cashew factories across the country and
Oyo leads the pack as 6 states will produce 130,000 tons of the cash crop valued at $7 billion per annum. These are giant strides and as soon as we receive more information about the work visit we would shed more lights on this honorable visit.

The Governor of OYO state "Abiola Ajimobi" also hosted the Minister of Agriculture and his entourage to a state Dinner at The Government House.

THE Oyo State Government has announced that about N5 billion will be expended to repair the dilapidating structures in primary and secondary schools in the state, adding that the government has received 70,000 books covering different subject areas such as Mathematics, English, English literature, Physics, Biology, Economics, Algebra, Chemistry among others from a non-government and non-profit organization based in United States known as the Jewels of Africa.



The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, made the disclosure at the weekend during a meeting with the state chapter’s leaders and representatives of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Association of Primary School Head Teachers of Nigeria (AOPSHON) and All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS).

Olowofela explained that N3b counterpart funding will be spent on primary education, while N1.9bn generated from the students’ levies and state government internally generated revenue will be spent on secondary schools in the state, adding that every step needed to take for the smooth take off of the rehabilitation of schools in the state has been concluded, stressing that in the next 12 months, majority of the primary and secondary schools in the state would have worn new looks.

According to him, the state’s School Governing Boards (SGBs) for secondary schools in the state is yielding positive results with many old students’ associations working on the rehabilitation of structures in their schools while some others have signified interests, adding that the collaborative efforts between the government and stakeholders in the education sector will restore its lost glory.

He assured the representatives of the unions that those issues, which include dilapidated plants, teachers’ promotions, dearth of instructional materials, agonies of retired primary school teachers, alleged certificate forgery, reversion of appointments in the school system among others raised at the parley will be adequately addressed and resolved.

Olowofela appreciated the doggedness and commitment of the unions to ensuring quality education in the state, urging that stakeholders should always put issues in proper perspective and be factual in their presentation to the general public.

Speaking earlier, the Secretary of NUT, Comrade Waheed Olojede said that the union is not against local government autonomy but the management and funding of primary schools should be domiciled with the state government.

“There is danger in leaving the funding and management of primary school education with the local government. If the federal government does not want the repeat of the suffering of primary school teachers and neglect of primary education between 1990–94, the funding of primary education should not be put under the whims and caprices of local government councils.

“The government could give the responsibility of management and funding of primary education to Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC). We are not against local government autonomy but what we are against total control of funding and management of primary by the local government,” he said.

Comrade Olojede, who observed that the SGB has lifted some of the difficulties and burden of schools management from the Oyo State Government, commended the state government for its efforts and initiatives to revive the education sector, appealing that the government should address the issues raised in due course.

While delivering the 70,000 books, the representative of Jewels of Africa, Mr Deji Haastrup said, “Oyo State has always been forward looking and has shown a lot of interest in education and having a large population, the government will have its hands full and as such needs collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organizations since all hands ought to be on deck to ensure we give the government the needed support to build education which is the foundation of development in the society.

The Oyo state Ministry of education today received a book donation from Jewels of Africa, a non-government and non-profit organization based in United States.
The organization which is based in California, but with an office in Ibadan keyed into the public-private partnership initiative of the Ajimobi-government to contribute its’ quota to educational development in the state.

To this end, the organization donated 70,000 books covering different subject areas such as Mathematics, English, English literature, Physics, Biology, Economics, Algebra, Chemistry etc.
According to Mr. Deji Haastrup who represented the organization, Jewels of Africa made the donation to 6 states which includes Oyo, Osun, Delta states.

Though a juvenile organization, Jewels of Africa saw Oyo state as being very important and as such included the state amongst the beneficiaries of its’ maiden shipment to Africa.
On the choice of the state, Mr. Haastrup said ‘’Oyo state has always been forward looking and has shown a lot of interest in education and having a large population, the government will have its hands full and as such needs collaboration with the private sector and non-governmental organizations since all hands ought to be on deck to ensure we give the government the needed support to build education which is the foundation of development in the society.
The books donated covers the core subject areas which are Mathematics and English. Jewel of Africa is a young foundation and Oyo state is top on our list”.
The Hon. Commissioner of Education, Professor Olowofela lauded the initiative of the Jewels of Africa and reiterated that people are alive to the policy of giving back to the system that produced them and this is shown by donation of blocks of classrooms to schools, renovation of schools and donation of books. He said that the donated books would be shared to schools in the state with 70% of them going to schools in the rural areas.

During the time of Jesus Christ, nobody believed him and nothing that he said made sense to the people until after his death. Even when he performed open miracles like raising a dead person, the Pharisees still doubted and denied him. Today, his death and resurrection have become annual event celebrated with fanfare across the globe because of his lofty ideals and miracles. At the height of their hatred for him, they chose to save the life of Barabbas, a murderer, instead of Jesus Christ, the lover and redeemer of mankind.


It will, therefore, be utterly impossible to convince the Barabbas kinsmen still living among us that the Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the builder of the modern Oyo State, the game changer, has turned around the fortunes of the state in all ramifications.

But, be that as it may, we find it expedient to debunk the misleading, mischievous, inciting and infantile write up credited to one Akeem Azeez; the likes of whom will sacrifice truth, unprecedented milestones of their sworn enemy on the altar of politics. It’s that bad.

To disabuse the minds of the unsuspecting members of public, is it not preposterous for anybody living in Ibadan and five other zones of the state to claim that he has not seen the roads, bridges either completed, ongoing or rehabilitated by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led administration. How do you help such person? Even if you list them or ask him to take a tour with you to see such roads, the Barabbas kinsman in him will take control of his thinking and reasoning faculties.


It is rather sad that, and at any rate, it shows the level of exposure and the educational background of these charlatans parading themselves as spokespersons or social critics. That the said Azeez could not decipher the difference between the figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics for Q1 (First Quarter of 2017, meaning just three months) on the state-by-state Foreign Direct Investments and cumulative figures of six years, is a sad commentary. How do you help such person?

“At the last count, 36 new companies have been attracted to the state in the last six years, with close to 4000 direct employees, according to figures obtained from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria. Further proof of this upsurge in industrialisation is the rating of Oyo as the fifth most investment friendly state by the National Bureau of Statistics, which also credited the governor as having attracted more than $61m (N22.4bn) foreign direct investment to the state so far.
“The governor recently opened a new vista of industrial development with the acquisition of large expanse of land on both sides of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway to accommodate the Polaris-Pacesetter Free Trade Zone and an Industrial Park. The free trade zone is one of the dividends of Ajimobi’s many shuttles to China, where Oyo State is now very popular, because of the governor’s relentlessness and spirited efforts to attract investors into the state. Exuding confidence at a recent event, the governor enthused that seven of the more than 157 companies expected to populate the free trade zone would be inaugurated by the end of this year.” is there any ambiguity in this, except when deliberately misrepresented by a mischief maker?

On flooding, he again missed the point. How do you address a problem that had bedeviled a state for several years, due to neglect by past administrations, under four years in a city as vast as Ibadan? For the records, it took courage and determination by the Ajimobi-led administration to embark on a comprehensive dredging of major rivers and streams in Ibadan and other parts of the state to combat the perennial flooding that had caused havoc in Ibadan and its environs. Should Akeem and his sponsors care to know, such dredging was last done more than 30 years before the advent of the Ajimobi administration. But for the proactive and spirited efforts of the present administration to contain the menace, the flash flooding being experienced today would have caused monumental damage. Even in developed countries flash flooding still occurs once in a while. Akeem should go and ask those much older than him about the history of flooding in Oyo State and he will realize his folly.

That in one breath the pseudo champion of the course of the masses said there was no road project visible to him across the state and in another breath he whimsically declared that “the (Ajimobi’s) road revolution” will not be completed in 18 months revealed a man just seeking attention. So, indeed there is a road revolution? Interesting!

Again, Akeem exhibited crass ignorance or maybe he was simply being mischievous in his comments on the Ibadan Circular Road, which are in four phases. The state government had made it abundantly clear in several publications that it only awarded contract for the first phase, which the contractor will finance entirely through a loan facility they sourced from the China Exim Bank. So using the N70bn earmarked for the project as basis for criticism is sheer bunkum. The remaining three phases of the Circular Road, which was conceptualized by visionary and forward-looking minds, will be completed by successive administrations that may share similar vision with Ajimobi. Not the dreamers, who only visualized.

Sadly, the poor state of the economy has made regular payment of salaries and pensions a challenge, not only in Oyo State, but across the country. Only the likes of Azeez and his ilk will fabricate lies that the last six years have been hell for workers. The same workers who received 100 per cent 13th month salaries for three consecutive years under the Ajimobi administration before the country’s economy relapsed into recession; a luxury that previous administrations had denied them? Was this character called Akeem in another planet when one administration paid 50 per cent of the 13th month for just one year, only for his successor to deduct same from workers salaries when he took over? Workers who ride in comfortable free buses to and from their homes in the last four years and had their salaries increased three times under the Ajimobi-led administration cannot be said to be in hell, except there is another definition of hell.

And this is not to gloss over the fact that even our pensioners gave Ajimobi award as the most pensioner-friendly governor of all times in appreciation of his milk of kindness as exemplified by his implementation of the 142 per cent increase in their pension. For the records, governors before him refused to implement same to the extent that the hapless senior citizens were forced to stage protests. The governor feels for the workers and pensioners and is, therefore, making frantic efforts to clear the arrears, which is one of the least when compared with what even oil-producing states owe their workers and pensioners.

This element called Akeem is either a comedian, a confusionist or plane pathological liar. The Scout Camp market and several neighbourhood markets were built across the 11 Local Governments of Ibadan by the Ajimobi-led administration to accommodate those evacuated from the roads for their own good. It is a verifiable fact that these modern markets were allocated free of charge to these traders. But for the vision and compassion of the governor for the traders’ wellbeing in this regard, the unfortunate Molete tanker fire incident would have consumed lives and property of roadside traders hitherto evacuated from the area. I think this ill-informed guy called Akeem should just shut up.

Yes, there are challenges instigated by paucity of fund in the education sector today, which was not the situation during the first four years when the economy was buoyant. Akeem was quick to say that Oyo placed 26th in the last WASSCE result, but cynically concealed the fact that the same state came second in the last NECO exam when the results of the governor’s reforms in the education sector began to bear fruits. We can confidently say that the ongoing reforms in the education sector will equally culminate in improved result in subsequent national examinations. So, Akeem and his cohorts should stop spreading falsehood.

Sadare is Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy of the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun, has said the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, was not forced to accept the review of the city’s chieftaincy law.
Balogun, who is next in line to the throne, also said some chiefs initially opposed the review, thinking Governor Abiola Ajimobi had a hidden agenda.
The high chief addressed reporters during the celebration of Egungun Festival at his family home at Ali-Iwo in Ibadan, the state capital.
He said: “Initially, we in Olubadan-in-Council thought the governor had an ulterior motive. But we later understood that he meant well. He didn’t force anybody to accept the review.”
Balogun described the festival as a cherished culture in Ibadan.
Top members of the council attended the celebration, which entered its third day yesterday.

…INAUGURATES EDUCATION TRUST FUND MEMBERS

The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has approved the appointment of chairmen and members into the newly constituted Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) and Hospitals Management Board (HMB).

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Olalekan Alli, on Tuesday, conveyed the governor’s approval and directive for immediate constitution of the board.

The TESCOM has Alhaji Bashiru Ajibade as full-time chairman, while Messrs Ojo Omoyeni (Oyo), M.K. Ogunkunle, Laide Afolabi, M.R. Arinola, Ibrahim Bolomope and Mrs. Margaret Babalola will serve as part-time members.

Similarly, the statement named Dr. Goke Adeyemo as full-time chairman for the HMB, while Alhaji Rasaq Oladele, Mr. Diran Olabisi; Mrs. Funmilayo Ogundipe Anuoluwapo, Mr. Esuola Olabayo Sampson, Dr. Jare Adegbola, Dr. Adediran Oyeyinka and Alhaji Femi Yusuf, were appointed as part-time members.

The appointments are said to take immediate effect.

Meanwhile, members of the Education Trust Fund, which was recently constituted by the governor, will be inaugurated on Monday.

The Chairperson of the ETF is the President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a former Minister of Industry, Chief Onikepo Akande.
















Communication Team
Governor's Office
Ibadan

The Ajimobi-led Oyo state Government has shown it’s resolve to tackle headlong the decadence in the state’s educational sector.

Pragmatic steps such as the abolition of automatic promotion and the establishment of Schools Governing Board (SGB) for public secondary schools amongst others, have helped to revamp public secondary school education.
These policies are yielding positive results already; recently, the state was adjudged second best nationwide in the NECO external examination.

In the spirit of SGB and PPP which is the Ajumose concept to governance, BOVAS, a private oil and gas investor based in Oyo state has donated a block of six classrooms to the College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo-Ora.
This donation will go a long way in making learning comfortable and more conducive for the students and their lecturers.
This is also a clarion call to other private business owners and the well to do in the society to contribute their quota to the development of the education in the state.

The Oyo State Government has cautioned property owners in the state to beware of fraudulent individuals parading themselves and extorting money as government Task Force members, saying that adequate measures are being taken to checkmate this worrisome activity.
The government said that its representatives are equipped with relevant documents and identification to distinguish them as genuine government officials and they do not have the mandate to request or extort money from individuals or groups’ property owners.
The Director General of the Bureau of Physical Planning and Development Control, Tpl Waheed Gbadamosi, who gave this charge on Wednesday in Ibadan, explained that it has come to the notice of the State Government that some people are moving about parading themselves as the Government Task Force and extorting money from members of the public if they cannot provide documents requested from them.
He noted that the Government’s Task Force Team are only mandated to check for necessary documents from property owners and they do not have the right to request for money.
Tpl Gbadamosi therefore appealed to members of the public to beware of these fraudulent individuals, urging that they should visit the Bureau of Physical Planning and Development Control for more Information if they are in doubt of the identity and veracity of the people that visit them.
Similarly, the government has assured that it will continue to synergize with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), noting that the agency is critical to the ongoing infrastructural development in the state.
Receiving the new sector command of FRSC, Oyo Sector Commander, Corps Commander Cecilia Alao in his office on Wednesday, the State Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade explained that the ongoing infrastructural development is geared towards safety of lives and properties, saying that the government will improve on the relationship between the commission and the state government to sustain the positive development in the state.
Eniade disclosed further that Oyo state has been playing a very important role in the area of Special Marshal Corps in which notable personalities of the state are active members, urging that the corps should intensify efforts on the area of advocacy to enlighten citizens on the rules and regulations regarding road safety.
He therefore enjoined FRSC to re-introduce the road safety Clubs in Secondary Schools and higher Institutions in order to enhance understanding of road safety ethics.
Earlier, the sector Commander of FRSC, Corps Commander Cecilia Alao hinted that the purpose of the visit was to familiarize with the state government and seek more collaboration to enlighten people on road safety.
She noted that safety on roads is a collective responsibility that requires the support and efforts of all and sundry.

During the 2011 governorship electioneering, nearly all the political parties and their candidates jostling for the coveted office in Oyo State employed the usual refrain to worm themselves into the hearts of the electorate.
As they mounted the rostrum, all you hear then was ‘we will build roads; low-cost houses will be yours for the asking; it will be life in abundance for citizens and sojourners…’
In fact, some chose to revile past holders of the office or frontline opponents in the war of attrition. Rather than malign his predecessors or adopt vainglory approach, Senator Abiola Ajimobi chose a different path.
He would always tell his teeming supporters that “If I will not make a remarkable difference as governor, may God abort this ambition.
He did not only win in 2011, but broke the second term jinx in 2015 with the support of the appreciative citizens of the state.
In retrospect, it is on record that the Oyo State Ajimobi inherited in 2011 was an entity in complete tumult. Murder, brigandage, rape, arson and other forms of violence qualified Oyo then as a Hobbesian state where life was short, brutish and nasty.
Ajimobi’s pyramid of development bears semblance to the theory of human needs espoused by the American psychologist, Abraham Maslow, in his 1954 book, Motivation and Personality.
In six years, the governor’s scorecard in peace and security suggests that he did not only dream about his desire to make the people of the state sleep with their two eyes shut, he walked his talk. First, he reined in the rapacious drivers’ unions before clamping down on other bands of brigands.

Next, the governor inaugurated a joint security outfit codenamed ‘operation burst’ with six zonal commands to whip into line the errant scallywags disturbing the peace of the land. The governor procured armoured personnel carriers, a fleet of patrol vehicles and state-of-the-art communication equipment for the outfit’s operations. He also floated a security trust fund to raise funds for its operations.

Today, nightlife that was hitherto at zero level is now witnessing a new hustle and bustle, with night clubs and drinking joints dotting the landscape. Residents can now freely pass through the once dreaded Iwo Road interchange, formerly the den of armed robbers, drug addicts and rapists, who hid under the cover of darkness to bare their fangs.
The safe city project of Ajimobi will proffer cutting edge solutions that will nip crime and criminality in the bud, especially in Ibadan, the state capital. To this end, Ajimobi recently declared that plans were afoot to install closed circuit television (CCTV) in black spots and business districts in the city to monitor the activities of criminals.
Although the recent onslaught of the self-styled one million boys in Ibadan would suggest that it is not yet Uhuru, the rapid force with which they were crushed confirms that law enforcement agencies are equal to the task of ridding Oyo State of undesirable elements.
Before the advent of the Ajimobi-led administration, Ibadan was touted as one of the dirtiest cities in the country because of the mountain of refuse indiscriminately dumped in open places. The city had no clear cut solid waste management policy, while it constantly suffered environmental hazard and degradation.
But, Ajimobi took up the gauntlet and cleaned up the city in a well-thought-out urban renewal and physical infrastructure development programmes. Similarly, residents of Ibadan can attest to the poor network of roads in existence before the governor mounted the saddle.

That the pristine state capital has now become the next investors’ destination will not be an overstatement judging by the number of blue-chip companies that have berthed in Ibadan since Ajimobi cleaned up the city.
For starters, investors don’t take their money to an environment where the safety and security of their workers and investment would be jeopardised; where there is poor network of roads or where the environment is filthy and uncongenial for business
At the last count, 36 new companies have been attracted to the state in the last six years, with close to 4000 direct employees, according to figures obtained from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
Further proof of this upsurge in industrialisation is the rating of Oyo as the fifth most investment friendly state by the National Bureau of Statistics, which also credited the governor as having attracted more than $61m (N22.4bn) foreign direct investment to the state.


The governor recently opened a new vista of industrial development with the acquisition of large expanse of land on both sides of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to accommodate the Polaris-Pacesetter Free Trade Zone and an Industrial Park.
The free trade zone is one of the dividends of Ajimobi’s many shuttles to China, where Oyo State is now very popular, because of the governor’s relentlessness and spirited efforts to attract investors into the state. Exuding confidence at a recent event, the governor enthused that seven of the more than 157 companies expected to populate the free trade zone would be inaugurated by the end of this year.


Within the first six years of his administration, Ajimobi constructed the Mokola flyover, which was the first by any civilian governor in the state. Although it may sound exaggerated, some travellers coming into Ibadan through the Challenge/Orita axis for the first time in six years have been said to miss their ways due to the transformation brought to the area with the new network of six-lane roads.
Apart from Challenge, the once decrepit Alesinloye, Dugbe-Magazine-Eleyele roads have been expanded to six lanes, complete with modern furniture and built to last.
The governor’s road revolution was extended to the other five major zones of the state. Thus, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa, as well as Oke-Ogun I (Iseyin axis) and Oke-Ogun II (Saki axis) now boast six-lane roads, for the first time in their history. The administration also constructed 183 roads and seven bridges, totalling 590km.
The governor had in the past few weeks inaugurated the Eleyele-Ologuneru-Eruwa; Idi-Ape-Basorun-Akobo-Odogbo Barracks junction; Gate-Old Ife Road-Alakia, as well as Oke Adu-Iwo roads for construction into standard and six-lane roads. In Ajimobi’s avowed determination to enlist Ibadan among the elite state capitals and mega cities, the governor had also revived the Ibadan Circular Road, which had remained a dream in the past 15 years under successive administrations.
But for the Ajimobi-inspired World Bank-assisted Ibadan Urban Flood Management initiative, the perennial flooding that had consumed lives and property in Ibadan prior to his regime would have again wreaked havoc this year. In the last six years, extensive dredging and channelisation efforts had taken place in the Ogunpa and other rivers in Ibadan, while drainage is being desilted for free flow of water.
As the Yoruba will say, ‘Oro po ninu iwe kobo’ (there are far too many words to encounter in a penny-worth newspaper!).

There is much to reel out about the Ajimobi success story. For sure, Ajimobi has already etched his name in the sands of time and would most certainly be remembered as the builder of the modern Oyo State by generations to come.
~ Akin Oyedele

To start with, how can Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State degenerate to the state of these protracted strikes, with no end in sight? How can the students be left in perpetual wandering, with uncertain future? In addition, how can the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), LAUTECH chapter be so stubborn not to allow the two owner states, Oyo and Osun State, to carry out forensic audit of the institution, as suggested by the Chief Wole Olanipekun’s panel? Also, how can the two owner States, Oyo and Osun, not performing their respective functions, in funding the institution since 2013? Besides, how can LAUTECH, a one-time best state university, in Nigeria be suffering from funding, and this retrogression?


These are the questions begging for answers on the mind of well-meaning Alumni and many Nigerians, who cannot but everyday pray for immediate academic resumption of the highly respectable University of Technology that has churned out big wits in the society home and abroad. Moreover, the institution, as known before, was a beehive of activities that always burst for excitement, both during and after the academic session.

Meanwhile, aside the rigorous academic activities LAUTECH is known for, the school is a source of livelihoods for thousands business owners. Such as photographers that rake hundredths of naira from both fresher’s and non-like, taxi drivers and bike riders that patronize the school environment to commute their passengers, the landlords and hostels agents that swindle newbies, café and business centers that provides diverse services to nerds, banks that carry out students fee payment and cash withdrawal services, and kiosks owners that sell puff-puff, doughnut and soft-drinks to meet undergraduate and post-graduates hungers and thirsts, eateries are not left behind. All these are gone or at low ebb! The nostalgic feeling way back is leaving me sullen and nauseated.

The three gladiators are: the Oyo State Governor, Mr. Abiola Ajimobi, Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola and Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter. It’s been accusations counter accusations for couple of months, over who is authorized to perform forensic audit of the institution. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter, claims ever since the 2013, the institution’s owner states of Oyo and Osun have failed in their responsibilities of funding the institution.

Consequently, while the Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter, prudently use the institution’s Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, to survive ever since then, until few months ago that it exhausted the fund. On the other hands, the two institution’s owner states, Oyo and Osun, never accepted the blame of funding LAUTECH since 2013, as it were, but said the reason was because of the lopsided and porous accounting system of the school, according to the Oyo State Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela.

The Commissioner claims that the government is ready to refund the loans owed the institution only if the Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter, is ready to open its accounting system for thorough scrutiny. However, the latter refuse on the ground that only the institution’s Governing Council is authorized to do so.

Furthermore, a panel was set-up headed by Chief Wole Olanipekun to proffer a way forward. His recommendation was to audit the account of the school by the government; however, I don’t know why the Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter, find it difficult to bend their stance in giving peace a chance by allowing the government to do whatever pleases them?

In other words, they say, “He who pays the piper dictates the tune.” I believe the governments have the final say in this regard because they own the institution, after all. The buck lies at the hands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso chapter, since the government has contracted the KPMG, an auditing firm, to fish out the culprit of the nebulous and porous account, except the former has something to hide.
In conclusion, I salute the courage of the former State Union Government, comrade Ropo Egbeleke and its team for taking the bull by the horn through rallying people to support the YesWeCanFund project to save the LAUTECH from going into imminent extinction and unnecessary mess. It’s a duty of all Alumni to pay token into the accounts already rolled out for that the purpose.

The Federal Government has approved six cashew factories for export in the country with Oyo State leading the pack.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) gave approval for the establishment of six cashew-processing factories ‎for export.

These factories would be cited in the cashew belt areas of Enugu, Imo, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Oyo states ‎to meet the export demand of 130,000 tons valued at $7 billion per annum.

This is a testament to the efforts being made by the agricultural drive of the incumbent government in Oyo state.

The Ajimobi-govt has been keen on diversifying the state’s economy by focusing on Agriculture. In the bid to achieve this, the government kicked off an initiative called the AgricOyo and Integrated Agriculture programme and which seeks to encourage people especially youths to latch on to the agricultural drive of the government.

With the establishment of the cashew factory in Oyo state, more development is set to come to Oyo State which is largely agrarian owing to the availability of arable lands.

This will also provide employment opportunities for the teeming youths in that area and in turn improve the economy of the state hence increasing the internally generated revenue accrued to the state since the state would not just be producing the cashew nuts for local consumption but also for the factories that would facilitate the exportation to the other countries of the world.

The All Progressives Congress in Oyo State has taken a swipe at former Governor Rashidi Ladoja over the claim that he was the initiator of the idea of Ibadan Circular Road project which Governor Abiola Ajimobi kicked off on Friday.

The ruling party described the ex-governor’s claim as ‘ridiculous, gibberish and misconceived’.

The kick off of the 110km road project occurred on Friday at Badeku in Ona-Ara Local Government Area of the state.

It was a partnership between the Ajimobi administration and a China-based consortium of global investors ‘who would solely finance the N70bn road project on a build, operate and transfer agreement with the Oyo State Government’.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the Oyo APC condemned the claims by the Accord Party that the idea of a circular road for Ibadan was that of the former governor who ruled the state between 2003 and 2007 when his deputy took over from him in controversial circumstances.

“In the history of Nigeria, the period between 2003 and 2007 represents an era when little or no development took place in Oyo State as a result of the reign of terror occasioned by the hijack of power by some characters who should not have had any business in government.

“This was a period when violence, brigandage and lawlessness became the order of the day, while those at the helm of affairs could not do anything meaningful for the people.

“But for pettiness and vindictiveness, a supposed senior citizen should not have instigated any controversy over the idea of designing and constructing a circular road for a sprawling metropolis like Ibadan. The records are there for those seeking to alter history because the fact remains that the administration of Alhaji Lamidi Adesina came up with the idea in 2002 but due to paucity of funds, aborted the plan.

Sadare further claimed that rather than bring development to the state, the ‘Ladoja administration was characterised by incompetence, battle for political survival and corruption’.

According to the Oyo APC spokesman, the former governor’s four years in office was without any concrete achievement for the state.

Sadare added, “Also, the ill-conceived contract award of the circular road project he did as soon as he came back from his impeachment break in 2007 was cancelled by the Adebayo Alao-Akala administration immediately he (Alao-Akala) came to power to succeed Ladoja.”

The statement noted that Ajimobi would go down in the history of Oyo State ‘as a governor who raised the bar of good governance and purposeful leadership by defying all odds occasioned by lack of funds, unfavourable economic conditions and political distractions to bring about peace, security, infrastructural facelift, and value reorientation’.

LAUTECH CRISIS: An Emotionless Exegesis | by Sunday Adeniran-AweEDUCATION BY SAYO
Whether unintended or deliberate, it is now a fact that years of layered maladministration and fiscal mismanagement are the hunk harbingers of the hurtful halt that has besieged the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, for a while now.

It is high time we stated and followed facts of the situation without getting our views and opinions blurred by the sting of emotions. This only applies if we truly desire an end to the lingering impasse.

Without mincing words, it is almost incurably sad that students, parents and workers alike have had to suffer stagnation and drought due to this lingering crisis. But also, judging from recent moves, it is an unmissable fact that the two owner states of the university, Oyo and Osun, especially the latter, have both recognized the importance to forestall such halt again. A reason why they set up a panel that gave a 75-number recommendation from a 6-point mandate viz – (i) To review the current terms of engagement of the University, with a view to consolidating the joint-ownership structure of the institution; (ii) To conduct an audit into the institution’s sources and application of funds; (iii) To review the structure of the institution, with a view to enhancing its efficiency and effectiveness; (iv) To propose a suitable funding structure that will ensure non-dependence of the institution on Government – subventions; (v)To propose suitable strategies for the overall improvement in the institution’s quality of education and service delivery; (vi) Consider any other matter relevant to the upliftment and sustainability of the institution and make suitable recommendations on same.

Then, I was privy to a detailed reading of the White Paper submitted to the Oyo state government on behalf of the two owner states by the Chief Wole Olanipekun-led panel, and I was shocked to the bones at the level of administrative imbalances and fiscal flaws replete within that document.

How can you run a public institution this huge for almost six (6) years without an audit, be it internal or external? How can the subventions, IGR, grants, TETFund, etc, be unaccounted for by audit or other means for five (5) successive academic sessions? How can you run a non-computerized Bursary and Audit departments and not expect to be prone to graft and a risk of managerial misappropriation? The Panel also observed the existence of ten (10) Chief Accountants in the Bursary department and regarded the number as “too big” as some of them would either be redundant or underutilized. One would ask, “why does LAUTECH need 10 chief accountants while some Federal, State and Private Universities use far too less?”. Well, the panel asked that it be reduced to four. Furthermore, how does one explain the need for 97 bank accounts for a singular institution? Red flags almost everywhere!

Many other unnecessary bleeding points and maladministrative abscess were indicated in that 75-pointer White Paper, and all were accompanied with many well thought-out recommendations to reverse the damnifying drain, and set the institution back on a stable course.

For example, in this document, the Panel recommends a minimum of 10% of the University’s IGR for funding its business units/operations so that in future the quantum of income of the University would be higher than its present income. It also advised the expansion of LAUTECH enterprises to accomodate further diversification. Furthermore, it advised that the laws establishing the University should be amended to allow for construction of student hostels on either Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis. Another recommendation was that the University should make internal transportation arrangement for the students through PPP arrangement to alleviate the plight of the students. All these and more, the document said will reduce over dependence on funding from either the owner-states or student fees. It did also stress that the financial commitment of the owner states should not be caught in doubt despite the recommendation of fiscal independence for the institution.

In brief, contrary to what a Dr. Adejumo, an ASUU executive and LAUTECH Lecturer said on Channel’s TV Sunrise Daily programme, the root cause for this painful pause of productivity in LAUTECH is chronic internal mismanagement, as espoused by a majority of the recommendations in that panel report, and NOT “chronic underfunding” per se.

Yes, everyone with sane thoughts agree that the two owner states provide subventions to the university, and while they have lapsed in payment of these subventions for a while, that lapse is neither the singular nor major reason for the halt. At this level going forward, what the owner states seek is transparency in administrative management and even, a degree of fiscal independence for the school by recommending diverse revenue generation means, most of which are addressed in the quite detailed White Paper.

As a parent with a daughter stuck in her third year (300 level) for almost 2 sessions and without the means to bail her out of grief by enrolling her into a private university, you could imagine my pain all these while and why I hauled expletives at the two state governments at every chance I got. But of late, after seeing details of administrant rot espoused in this White Paper, I’ve had to recycle my pain and redirect my anger and prayers at the right diagnosis.

In fact, I opine that the state governments make this White Paper public, publish it someway. It’ll do a whole lot to help converge thoughts and congregate efforts of all parties involved at solving this issue from its foundation.

Without a surge of emotion, any responsible parent like me will agree to tow any course of solution being primed to finally forestall a recurrence of this sad phase. It should be agreeable by all sides that the system within the school be healed of managerial cancers before more funding is procured and poured into the school, else, this kind of situation will surely reoccur; it’s no rocket science!

As I said above, at this level, we can’t seriouslty want a change in the fortunes of this once best state-owned university in the country, by dissipating energy on insulting remarks, needless propaganda and endless protests. We need to rather converge on facts together, students, parents, workers, ASUU, SSANU and NASU alike, and tow a path to progress from there.

Anyone would imagine how the faces of students and parents lit with hope to have heard the Commissioner of Education in Oyo state say that LAUTECH could be reopened some four (4) weeks from now, especially if all parties involved cooperate with the process of thorough external audit commissioned by the state to ensure absolute clarity, transparency and stability, moving forward.

The role of the school authority to make this happen is to allow the external audit to be done in time and successfully at that. Parents too must be clearly seen joining hands with the students to rechannel common energies to appeal to school associations to cooperate with external auditors to complete audit and thus fast track the reopening of the school and resumption of academic activities.

It’s no farce, that to forestall fiscal flaws and further failures in the running of LAUTECH, we all must follow the facts without the flak of emotions to find a final and lasting solution to the current siege, and ensure this university is seen as great again.

The Oyo State government, in conjunction with the University Teaching Hospital (UCH) in Ibadan, yesterday began the decongestion of the Agodi Prisons with over 150 ailing inmates.
The inmates are: awaiting trials, those who have concluded their cases and those who have been convicted.
Attorney-General and Justice Commissioner Olusegun Abimbola at a screening of the inmates on the prison premises, said the process would ascertain the medical fitness of the inmates and enable Governor Abiola Ajimobi to decongest the prison.
Abimbola said the prison intervention programme would help those who have concluded their jail terms and others.
He said: “The essence of this programme is to keep a better environment and decongest the prison. Forty per cent of the people here have completed their cases. Agodi Prison was built for just 350, but as at the last statistics we received from the prison, we have over 1,200 here.
“We also came up with the prison intervention programme to listen to some of them and recommend to the state government how to decongest the prison.”

1.Oyo and Osun States released N13. 63bn to LAUTECH between 2011-2016?

2.Oyo state just released N149, 955,518.20 as monthly subvention to LAUTECH?

3. LAUTECH survived for 18 months without subvention until ASUU insisted that management should not use IGR to pay salaries.

4. That subvention is a form of support, aid, assistance which is not mandatory and government does not specify what it should be used for.

5. ASUU of LAUTECH is preventing the KPMG audit exercise of the institution.

6. LAUTECH is biting more than it should chew by offering courses beyond its mandate as a University of Technology and Must streamline its academic programs to reflect it's mandate?

7. LAUTECH fees are the lowest in the Southwest. Lower than what is paid in some nursery schools?

8. That Government is requesting for a change in paradigm for obvious reasons such that will ensure a self sustainability strategy for the University?

9. That both owner state governments are saying they cannot continue to pour water in a leaking bucket? And insists on a forensic and personnel audit?

10. That owner state Governments desire a lasting solution and not a palliative that will resolve issues holistically and put the institution on the path of viability with the conviction that this will be achieved in another 4weeks only if the KPMG audit is allowed to be conducted.

WHO IS AFRAID OF THE FORENSIC AUDIT?

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Thursday called for collective efforts in the fight against drug abuse and trafficking in the state.

He said that winning the war required the efforts of all.

Ajimobi, who spoke through his Deputy, Otunba Moses Adeyemo made the call during the 2017 International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

The governor said strategic plans and actions must be developed to counter drug trafficking in the country and rid the state of drug abuse.

He used the opportunity to appeal to youths and parents to play their roles in eliminating social vices across the state.

“I appeal to the youths, parents and others to play their roles in checking the menace”, he said.

Nnamdi Kanu has broken the oath he took – Ohanaeze

Oyo State Commander of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs. Omolade Faboyede, stressed that problems of drugs abuse needed to be tackled by reducing the supply through enforcement and demand reduction.

Faboyede who urged parents and teachers to play a vital role in eradicating drug abuse opined that behaviour of children were mostly visible to them.

Speaking on the theme, “Listen First”, the NDLEA boss urged parents and teachers to listen to the children, saying children felt important when adults talked to them.

State Chairperson of Association of Lady Pharmacists, Mrs. Adedoyin Oduntan in her remarks emphasized that “We need to take care of the children to guard against peer pressure”.

To God belongs the Kingdom of Heaven and the Earth, He creates what He wills, … Verily Allah is all knower and able to do all things

The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State has described as ‘dead on arrival as well as an exercise in futility’ the alleged efforts of some politicians in the state to resuscitate the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which, according to the APC, had been given a befitting burial in the 2015 general election.


Reacting to an allegation by the PDP that Governor Abiola Ajimobi mismanaged donors’ funds and relief materials received following the August 26, 2011 flood disaster which ravaged some parts of Ibadan-the state capital, the APC in a statement issued by its director of publicity and strategy, Olawale Sadare, said that such allegations were not only false but lacked substance and could only come from shameless people who still struggled to be forgiven by Nigerians on account of bad governance, impunity and corruption which they perpetrated for many years in government.

“We challenge those making such insinuations to name the donors as well as what were donated to the victims through the state government. As a matter of fact, huge resources of the state was deployed to the provision of relief materials, reconstruction of damaged facilities and dredging of streams and rivers across the state to prevent future recurrence. More so, the responsible manner in which the disaster was handled attracted global applause.

“Meanwhile, the remnants of the PDP in the state goofed if they believed that leveling unsubstantiated against a performing government of Senator Abiola Ajimobi was the best way to come back to reckoning. They should be reminded that he who comes to equity must come with clean hands. A set of people that are synonymous with diversion and misappropriation of public funds would always think that everyone in power acts same. With the unending stories of sleaze and maladministration left behind by the PDP, no sane person can take them serious again even when they spend parts of their loots to publicize fake information.”


“For the sake of record, the devastating flooding of August 26, 2011 would not have left such tales of anguish and regret on the state capital if the successive PDP administrations had done the needful with the resources at their disposal. As it came barely three months after the inauguration of the present administration, Gov. Ajimobi took the bull by the horns and ensured that short andce to forestall recurrence after attending to the welfare and needs of the victims across various communities affected.

“With a wild, spurious and laughable allegation like this coming from the PDP to test waters with a view to ascertaining whether they had been forgiven by Nigerians, we make bold to inform them that they have failed yet again. Not until every PDP member who participated in looting the treasury is made to return all in their possession, Nigeria would not forgive them. More over, since the current economic crisis which is responsible for the plight of workers and pensioners is as a result of unprecedented looting of public treasury and mismanagement of the economy by the PDP, we urge them to bring out all the stolen monies and then seek forgiveness.” APC added.

Oyo State Government has warned accredited food vendors under the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme operating in designated primary schools across the state against shortchanging school pupils by reducing the quality and quantity of their food.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi handed down the warning in Ibadan while receiving the food vendors led in a procession to the governor’s office by Miss Toyosi Ajobo to express gratitude to the All Progressives Congress-led FG on  the novel intiative.

Speaking through his deputy Governor, Otunba Moses Adeyemo, Governor Ajimobi said the state government will not hesitate to sanction erring food vendors caught short changing the pupils with the food.

“We want to charge you to put your conscience into the job. Do not shortchange the pupils by reducing the quality and quantity of the food being served.We have monitors from the state and federal agencies that will report anybody that goes against the standards set for you. We shall not hesitate to mete out appropriate discipline to such offenders” he said.

The governor however charged the food vendors to always support the government in his determination to enhance the quality of education at all levels in the state by shunning profiteering by not reducing the quality of the food being given to the pupils.

He maintained  that monitors from the state and federal agencies would be on the look out for any act of sabotage against the programme, saying,  “we welcome your appreciation for the gesture of government towards creating jobs and enhancing educational development through provision of free meals to our primary school pupils.”

Speaking, the leader of the team, Mrs Ajobo declared that their finding revealed the programme had caused a remarkable increase in school enrollment across the benefiting primary schools in the state and that the programme had created a good number of jobs for the vendors, as well as farmers in the state in addition to assisting to shoulder part of their responsibilities to their wards, who were parts of the beneficiaries of the free food.

“We have come to show our appreciation to the federal and state governments for this commendable initiative, which has been a good source of employment for a teeming number of our members.As parents, our children are also benefiting from the fully nutritional free food package for the primary school pupils. More of our children are now encouraged to go to school because of this initiative. We thank the government for the smooth running of the programme” she said.

Mrs Ajobo added that “this has shown that the government has not let us down. They have lived up to the promises they made during election period. We are here from all the local government areas and local development areas of Oyo State.”

Accredited food vendors under the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme operating in designated primary schools across Oyo State have commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for the seamless operation of the project.
The vendors, whe were led in a procession to the governor’s office by Miss Toyosi Ajobo, on Monday, expressed gratitude to the All Progressives Congress-led FG for coming up with the novel idea.

The homegrown feeding programme was initiated by the FG in January to provide at least one nutritious meal for pupils in primary 1 — 3 at N70 per pupil, with Oyo as one of the seven pilot states for the first phase of the project.
Apart from helping to reduce hunger in the land, Ajobo said that their finding revealed the programme had caused a remarkable increase in school enrollment across the benefiting primary schools in the state.
She added that the programme had created a good number of jobs for the vendors, as well as farmers in the state and had also assisted to shoulder part of their responsibilities to their wards, whom, she said, were parts of the beneficiaries of the free food.
She said, “We have come to show our appreciation to the federal and state governments for this commendable initiative, which has been a good source of employment for a teeming number of our members.

“As parents, our children are also benefiting from the fully nutritional free food package for the primary school pupils. More of our children are now encouraged to go to school because of this initiative. We thank the government for the smooth running of the programme.
“This has shown that the government has not let us down. They have lived up to the promises they made during election period. We are here from all the local government areas and local development areas of Oyo State.”
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, enjoined the food vendors to always support the government in his determination to enhance the quality of education at all levels in the state.
He admonished the vendors to shun profiteering by not reducing the quality of the food being given to the pupils, warning that monitors from the state and federal agencies would be on the look out for any act of sabotage against the programme.
Adeyemo said, “We welcome your appreciation for the gesture of government towards creating jobs and enhancing educational development through provision of free meals to our primary school pupils.
“We want to charge you to put your conscience into the job. Do not shortchange the pupils by reducing the quality and quantity of the food being served.
“We have monitors from the state and federal agencies that will report anybody that goes against the standards set for you. We shall not hesitate to mete out appropriate discipline to such offenders.”

credited food vendors under the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme operating in designated primary schools across Oyo State have commended President Muhammadu Buhari and the State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, for the seamless operation of the project.
The vendors, whe were led in a procession to the governor’s office by Miss Toyosi Ajobo, on Monday, expressed gratitude to the All Progressives Congress-led FG for coming up with the novel idea.

The homegrown feeding programme was initiated by the FG in January to provide at least one nutritious meal for pupils in primary 1 — 3 at N70 per pupil, with Oyo as one of the seven pilot states for the first phase of the project.
Apart from helping to reduce hunger in the land, Ajobo said that their finding revealed the programme had caused a remarkable increase in school enrollment across the benefiting primary schools in the state.
She added that the programme had created a good number of jobs for the vendors, as well as farmers in the state and had also assisted to shoulder part of their responsibilities to their wards, whom, she said, were parts of the beneficiaries of the free food.
She said, “We have come to show our appreciation to the federal and state governments for this commendable initiative, which has been a good source of employment for a teeming number of our members.

“As parents, our children are also benefiting from the fully nutritional free food package for the primary school pupils. More of our children are now encouraged to go to school because of this initiative. We thank the government for the smooth running of the programme.
“This has shown that the government has not let us down. They have lived up to the promises they made during election period. We are here from all the local government areas and local development areas of Oyo State.”
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Adeyemo, enjoined the food vendors to always support the government in his determination to enhance the quality of education at all levels in the state.
He admonished the vendors to shun profiteering by not reducing the quality of the food being given to the pupils, warning that monitors from the state and federal agencies would be on the look out for any act of sabotage against the programme.
Adeyemo said, “We welcome your appreciation for the gesture of government towards creating jobs and enhancing educational development through provision of free meals to our primary school pupils.
“We want to charge you to put your conscience into the job. Do not shortchange the pupils by reducing the quality and quantity of the food being served.
“We have monitors from the state and federal agencies that will report anybody that goes against the standards set for you. We shall not hesitate to mete out appropriate discipline to such offenders.”

The #IbadanCircularRoad is one of many projects birthed from present government's Public-Private-Partnership initiatives. It's a major and bypass developed in accordance to Ibadan master plan and it's a testament to the commitment to build a truly modern Oyo state

The #IbadanCircularRoad is one of many projects birthed from present government's Public-Private-Partnership initiatives. It's a major and bypass developed in accordance to Ibadan master plan and it's a testament to the commitment to build a truly modern Oyo state

Oyo Road Projects: Residents Commend Ajimobi, Alaafin Over Resumption Of Work!

Following the resumption of work on the abandoned road projects in Oyo town, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the revered monarch of the town, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,  have been commended for their efforts.

Residents, who stood by to watch  as the ‘binding course’ was laid, said that they were grateful to the two personalities, adding that “our business will start booming immediately this road is completed.”

It would be recalled that the Oyo State government awarded contract for the dualization of the Owode-Afin road (2.6km) and the Owode-Iseyin junction at Ojongbondu ( 4km) during Ajimobi’s first term but work stopped for close to two years, while other road projects that were awarded the same time, were completed.

Many eminent indigenes of the town‎, including Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu made moves to get it done. During the 6th year anniversary of Governor Ajimobi, the Alaafin of Oyo, in an advertorial, commended the governor for what he has done in the state, adding that he would move from excellence to distinction when he completes the  Oyo road projects.



Two week ago, it was gathered that the governor who had earlier re-awarded ‎the contract, mobilised the new contractor -Still Earth Construction and Realties to site.

When our man visited the site yesterday, over 20 potholes have been filled while they have started the asphaltic laying of the  ‘binding course’ from Isokun ‎to Ojongbodu end of the road. After that, the ‘wearing course’, together with the street lights, will be laid and installed on the two road projects, one of the site engineers revealed.

See photos:

Oyo Road Projects: Residents Commend Ajimobi, Alaafin Over Resumption Of WorksBy InsideOyo on June 24, 2017@@insideoyo1SHARE 0 COMMENTS

Following the resumption of works on the abandoned road projects in Oyo town, Governor Abiola Ajimobi and the revered monarch of the town, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,  have been commended for their efforts.

Residents, who stood by to watch  as the ‘binding course’ was laid, said that they were grateful to the two personalities, adding that “our business will start booming immediately this road is completed.”

It would be recalled that the Oyo State government awarded contract for the dualization of the Owode-Afin road (2.6km) and the Owode-Iseyin junction at Ojongbondu ( 4km) during Ajimobi’s first term but work stopped for close to two years, while other road projects that were awarded the same time, were completed.

Many eminent indigenes of the town‎, including Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu made moves to get it done. During the 6th year anniversary of Governor Ajimobi, the Alaafin of Oyo, in an advertorial, commended the governor for what he has done in the state, adding that he would move from excellence to distinction when he completes the  Oyo road projects.



Two week ago, it was gathered that the governor who had earlier re-awarded ‎the contract, mobilised the new contractor -Still Earth Construction and Realties to site.

When our man visited the site yesterday, over 20 potholes have been filled while they have started the asphaltic laying of the  ‘binding course’ from Isokun ‎to Ojongbodu end of the road. After that, the ‘wearing course’, together with the street lights, will be laid and installed on the two road projects, one of the site engineers revealed.

See photos:

#LAUTECH:

Oyo-State Government has paid the 25 % subvention for January and February to LAUTECH. N82m each that's about N164m probably after tax, the sum of 147.9 Million Naira for the month of January and February has been credited to LAUTECH by Oyo-State Government.



#LAUTECH will rise again, stronger and better!

THE Oyo state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela has reacted to the recent statement credited to the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities, ASUU, LAUTECH CHAPTER 

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over the lingering imbroglio rocking the citadel of learning as regards the problem of funding of the University and owner state governments response to the issues.
Excerpts:
ISSUE : Our Union, ASUU, is aware of the persistent claim by the Oyo state Commissioner for Education, Prof. ‘Niyi Olowofela, on the operation of alleged 97 bank accounts by the LAUTECH and the release of N13.63 billion by the owner states between 2011 – 2016. Olowofela also claimed that members of staff Unions were the ones preventing the audit firm, KPMG, from carrying out the forensic exercise, on which the owner states premised their decision not to release funds to the University.
REACTION: For ease of reference, I want to draw the attention of ASUU to page 72 and 73 Visitation Panel’s report:

The Panel observed that the University opened ninety-seven different bank accounts in almost all the commercial banks in the country. Some of the banks have closed shop, due to either restructuring, merger or outright de-listment by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The Panel felt concerned about the monies in some of the banks that are no longer active and the possibility of the recovery in future. The banks include but not limited to, Intercontinental Bank, Oceanic Bank, Afribank and Enterprise Bank, just to mention a few. The implication of having funds in any of the banks that are in this category is that some of them might not be in a position to make good to the University, such sums of money standing to the credit of the Institution, if and when a demand is made for them).

ISSUE : Our Union is disturbed but not surprised, about this deliberate misinformation and manipulation of facts about issues on ground. While ASUU is NOT a mouthpiece for the University administration, it is strange that the governments which put LAUTECH administration in place cannot demand accountability from the same appointees. The prefer to confuse issues by putting blames on the door-step of the workers of the University and putting the lives and careers of about 30,000 students in jeopardy. The operation of the accounts solely lies with the University administration and it must be held responsible for any infractions thereof.

REACTION : See page 39 Visitation Panel report for ease of reference: At the inaugural meeting of the Panel, the above documents were requested from the Bursar, who in turn made a qualified promise to make them available – the qualification being to the effect that not all of the documents/records could be made available as the (Bursary) was still working on them. The Panel was told that the arrears of work was as a result of the non-computerization of the Bursary Department’s operations, and that there were lots of arrears when the Bursar assumed the acting headship of the Bursary in 2013.

The findings in summary confirmed that the Panel got only the audited accounts for 2010/11 and 2011/12, while the ones for 2012/13, 9 months ended 2013, 2014 and 2015 were still being prepared, as at the time of the inaugural meeting. There was no Bank Reconciliation for the period and there was no standard Fixed Assets Register in place for the University since its inception, as well as an Accounting manual.

With the above situation being that which the Panel met on ground, the Panel was able to formulate an issue to be resolved for the University, which is “ineffective, inefficient and untimely record keeping of the accounting operations, resulting in inability to authenticate the accuracy and completeness of the accounting records of the University).

ISSUE : The wage bill of LAUTECH is about N365 million per month; this amounts to N4.38 billion per year. Therefore for 2011-2016, the total wage bill expected as subvention from the owner governments stood at N26.28 billion. This amount does not include allowances, gratuities and pensions that accrued. It is also necessary to note that the University administration used Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and reserves to offset salaries for 18 months.

The IGR is derived essentially from fees paid by different categories of students. Therefore, it is appalling that the Commissioner for Education who is also a University Professor will be peddling lies alleging that N13.63 billion will pay EVEN salaries of members of staff for 6 years! During this period (2011-2016).

REACTION: I never talked about using subventions for payment of salaries, and you did not refute the fact that the owner states paid the said amount, I wonder why ASUU will abandon the truth on the table of exigencies, to have said I lied is indecorous, cantankerous and perfidious).

ISSUE: There was no release of capital grant and overheads to LAUTECH. Regarding capital development, infrastructure, acquisition of equipment and staff training, LAUTECH has barely managed to be credible as a university through ASUU-inspired Federal Government intervention programmes such as TetFund and NEEDs Assessment. It is particularly regrettable that the level of indebtedness of the owner states to the University succinctly captured by the Olanipekun Visitation Panel is being down-played by the Commissioner just to pursue the shadow they call “forensic audit”.

The locus of financial policy and the repository of the financial documents of LAUTECH are the University Council and administration which are the appropriate organs to be asked to account. Our Union, ASUU, should not be dragged into the encumbrances surrounding the financial auditing by KPMG and this should not be linked with non-payment of salaries.

Our union wants to point out the unexplained and unacceptable silence of the University administration on the claims highlighted above; a pointer to either the acceptance or connivance with the owner state governments to destroy LAUTECH.

REACTION: (While on Fresh FM radio, Ibadan,  I asked, the ASUU and SSANU presidents, are you aware that Oyo-State Government has paid the 25 % subvention for January and February to LAUTECH? The SSANU president said, it’s a lie and I told him that, you should have used the world “I am not aware, I said asked your Bursar).

For your information the sum of 147.9 Million Naira for the month of January and February has been credited to LAUTECH by Oyo-State Government.

Furthermore, the ASUU President, asked me whether I am aware that Council tenure has expired, I ignored the question because I knew it was not true, when I asked him to confirm the expiration of council is July, he said Union will respond.

So the response, is to disparage the truth?

The position of Government is to solve the issue of LAUTECH permanently,  this campaign of calumny will soon fizzle away.

LAUTECH will rise again.
Stronger and better.

Don't be FOOLED or CONFUSED - These Are True FACTS You Should Know About The Ongoing OLUBADAN CHIEFTAINCY REVIEW

▪ The present Oyo state government has set up a judiciary panel to review the 1957 Ibadan Chieftaincy Declaration.

▪ This review is NOT aimed at distorting the succession pattern of the present Olubadan stool, rather, the review is to expand and improve on the existing declaration.

▪ To justify its overdue need, the Abiola Ajimobi-led government is not the first to commission a review of this declaration.

▪ Four (4) past administrations in Oyo state, including that of Chief Bola Ige and that of the present Osi Olubadan, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, have all sought to review this declaration for best reasons, but didn't conclude.

▪ The Ajimobi administration will be the first to commission and conclude this much-needed review to achieve its intention.

▪ The review is much needed and long overdue because Ibadan, and its over 160 regions, needs it. Our city is big enough to entrench and accommodate a broader traditional base for cultural and communal efficiency.

▪ As said above, this review seeks expansion and not distortion of the succession of the Olubadan stool. Rather, it seeks ways to make Ibadan have regional Obas to ensure much ease in attaining communal accord and peace, and driving socioeconomic development.

▪ We should stop and condemn anyone who attempts to use a very clear but, royal matter such as the Olubadan Chieftaincy review, to cause confusion and score political offside goals.