TheNewsGuru

Tag: Oyo

  • OYO 2019: I am not contesting governorship election again, says Ladoja

    Former governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, has declared that he would no longer be contesting governorship election in the state whether in 2019 or anytime in the future.

    Ladoja dumped Accord for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few weeks ago, a party he left in December 2010 in the wake of a power tussle for the soul of the umbrella party in the state.

    The former governor, who is the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland, spoke on Political Circuit, a radio interview programme on Fresh FM 105.9.

    Ladoja, on rejoining the PDP, declared interest in the national chairmanship of the party recently, seeking to play the role of a reformer if elected.

    Asked if the governorship contest would be his Plan B should he fail to become PDP national chairman, he said “No, I am not contesting governorship election again.”

    He attributed his inching towards the Olubadan stool and PDP national chairmanship bid as part of the reasons he foreclosed the possibility of taking another shot at the governorship of the state.

    “Since I am aspiring to the national chairmanship of the PDP, it will be like someone wanting to be president and then coming back to be governor. I don’t do my politics that way,” he said.

    Speculations had been rife that the coalition of four opposition parties under the banner of the PDP and Ladoja’s leadership was being done to have the chemical engineer re-elected for another term to which he is constitutionally entitled.

    But Ladoja said the people of the state were suffering and promised to ensure the coalition succeeds in upstaging in 2019, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which he accused of using propaganda as a weapon.

    He admitted that the inability of the opposition figures to come together under a common platform partly cost them the governorship seat by losing to the APC candidate, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, who got 32 per cent of the total votes.

    On the potentially negative perception of the PDP in the state, Ladoja said it was not parties that make politicians but that politicians make parties, adding that wherever he goes the people of the state would follow him.

  • I won’t suspend or depose Olubadan, he remains my father – Ajimobi

    The governor of Oyo, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has said that he had no plans of deposing the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji – no matter the level of provocation and opposition to the recent installation of new obas in Ibadanland.

    Recall that TheNewsGuru.com had earlier reported that Ajimobi installed 21 new Obas, which was strongly opposed by the Olubadan and some other stakeholders.

    Following the installation the new kings, Olubadan sued the governor, alongside 23 others.

    On Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital, Ajjimobi had a meeting with traditional rulers in the 11 local governments in the city urged the council not to be discouraged but extend a hand of fellowship to the Olubadan.

    Traditional rulers at the meeting include the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Lekan Balogun; Balogun of Ibadan Oba Olakeleyin Owolabi; Ashipa Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Eddy Oyewole; and Ashipa Balogun of Ibadan Oba Lateef Gbadamosi Adebimpe.

    The governor appealed to members of the Obas-in-Council and all other newly installed obas in Ibadanland to visit the Olubadan as a way of assuring the paramount ruler that they bore no grudge against him.

    Despite being vested with enormous powers of suspension and deposition of an erring monarch, as enshrined in Cap 28, Section 26 (1) of the Chiefs Laws of Oyo State 2000, Ajimobi said that he would not invoke such powers over the Ibadan monarch.

    The section reads, “The governor may suspend or depose any chief (oba) whether appointed before or after the commencement of this law if it is satisfied that such suspension or deposition is required according to customary law or is necessary in the interest of peace or order or good government.

    Ajimobi continued, “Let me state that the existing chieftaincy law gives any governor power to remove any traditional ruler who engages in activities that can jeopardize the peace of his domain.

    I should also add that Kabiyesi, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, has of recent been engaging in certain activities that are inimical to the peace and tranquillity of Ibadan.

    Only recently, Olubadan embarked on a roadshow across Ibadan, waving horsetail to bystanders in an apparent attempt to incite the people against the government. Such actions could have pitted the antagonists and protagonists of installation of new obas against one another.

    This is capable of plunging Ibadan metropolis into a crisis of unimaginable proportion, if not for the understanding and support of the people for the government. But no matter what happens, I assure you I will never depose the Olubadan. He remains my father. His palace is just being used by failed politicians, especially the Accord Party leader, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, to relaunch his faded political career.

    I hold the Olubadan and his stool in high esteem. This is why I will also want to beg the obas-in-council to visit Baba and mend their relationship. If I can’t fight the Olubadan, please you should not fight him.

    The governor added, “Reports at our disposal indicate that the crisis that had trailed the appointment of new obas in Ibadan and the gun attack on the Olubadan palace on Monday might have been masterminded by these failed politicians.

    “They have taken advantage of Kabiyesi’s advanced age to carry out their nefarious activities and use the palace as the centre of opposition to the government. What they failed to achieve through the ballot box, they want to achieve through the back door.

    “Our government is not for violence. We don’t encourage brigandage. It is people like Ladoja who have been promoting violence that was behind the attack on Olubadan’s palace. It was during Ladoja’s regime that gunmen shot into the late Baba (Lamidi) Adedibu’s house because of his opposition to him.

    “Ladoja’s supporters caused mayhem in Akure (Ondo State) when he lost out in his bid to be endorsed as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party. During his administration, even the governor’s office became a theatre of war. All these are on record.”

    He, however, vowed not to be intimidated by what he called Ladoja’s pull-him-down syndrome and self-centeredness.

    Speaking earlier, the Balogun of Ibadanland, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, expressed appreciation to the governor for the way he had handled the provocative activities of the opponents of the recent review of the Olubadan Chieftaincy Law.

    He alleged that the foremost traditional ruler had treated them with disdain and had embarked on activities that could tarnish the revered Olubadan stool.

    The royal father particularly cited the “unilateral removal of Alhaja Abake Lawal as the Iyaloja of Ibadanland by Oba Adetunji” allegedly on the excuse that she was not an Ibadan indigene in spite of the opposition by the Olubadan-in-Council.

  • Stakeholders applaud Oyo Govt on Improved WASSCE results

    Stakeholders applaud Oyo Govt on Improved WASSCE results

    Stakeholders in education Sector in Oyo State have celebrated the state’s performance in the recently released WASSCE results, urging the state government to continue to enforce its education reformation policies.

    The Stakeholders, who were represented by the State Chairman, National Parents, Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), Comrade Moshood Abayomi, the State General Secretary, All Nigeria Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Pastor Babajide Emmanuel and First Vice-President (ANCOPSS), Comrade Fadare Mojirade, led their members to the State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology recently to show their appreciation to the government for its efforts towards the development of education in the state and deliberate on issues relating to schools’ resumption.

    NAPTAN Chairman, Comrade Abayomi thanked the State government on behalf of the parents for enforcing good education policies, saying that the implementation of the policies looked difficult at the beginning but the end has justified the efforts of the government.

    He said, “We, parents, in Oyo State owe our amiable governor and the State government extreme gratitude for seeing all the policies to fruition. It was initially difficult but we all knew it was like weaning a baby who has been attached to his mother’s breast-milk. Today we are better for it.

    “We are using this opportunity to call on other parents to please inform their wards that it is no more business as usual. Security agents will be on the lookout for students that roam the street when schools resume. We also urge the government to continue with these policies as they are bringing about the needed result in improving our schools and students.

    “The SGB is the driver of new faces of schools in major communities in Oyo State today. Old students and community leaders are building classrooms, fences and providing furniture because we have all realized that the government cannot do it alone,” Comrade Abayomi said.

    Comrade Abayomi warned parents to inform their wards of government’s zero tolerance for street roaming by students as they would soon resume for a new academic season, appealing to the state government not to rest on its oars and consequently pledged that NAPTAN would continue to give the government the necessary support to sustain and improve on the good results being recorded in recent times.

    The ANCOPSS Vice-Principal, Comrade Fadare said that it was worthy of celebration as the State broke the jinx of eighteen years of poor performance in WASSCE with an outstanding 54.18% performance in 2017 in a year in which the national average was 59%

    She noted that the much-touted ‘Change’ mantra would be nothing if achievements like improved academic excellence were not witnessed, adding that the shift from the poor performance of students of past years to the recent one was remarkable.

    According to her, “Today is a day of joy to us as teachers and Principals in the State on this remarkable improvement in the performance of our students. The various efforts of the present administration to bring sanity into education and academic performance in the State have been yielding fruitful results with this 54.18 percentage performance.

    “Moral ethos is now back in our schools and values lost over time are being entrenched through government’s introduction of policies like the School Governing Board (SGB), which gives some responsibilities to the community and stakeholders to develop the school. Look at the OyoMesi intervention project, the ban on automatic promotion, launch of Education Trust Fund and the government’s pledge of about N5bn for renovation of schools throughout the State. They are good policies that are already bearing results. We are all happy for this change in the academic performance of our students,” Comrade Fadare added.

    The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Adeniyi Olowofela in his response, thanked the stakeholders for their belief in the present administration’s policies which he said were formulated with their input.

    Olowofela said it was clear with the result of the intervention programmes that politics should not be mixed with important social services like education, promising the stakeholders that the administration would not relent in putting more efforts into improving the current standard.

  • Oyo, Osun govs charges new Council to restore LAUTECH ‘glory’

    Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajumobi and his counterpart in Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has charged members of the newly constituted governing council of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, to restore the fading glory of the institution, even if it will take a ‘miracle’ to accomplish.

    The governors gave the charge during the inauguration of the members, in company with his Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at the Executive Council chambers of the Governor’s Office, Ibadan.

    Although the task may appear daunting, given the crises confronting the college, the governor said he was confident that the new members were capable of turning its fortunes around judging by their impeccable pedigree.

    The institution, which had been grounded for more than one year due to the industrial action by its academic and non-academic staff over their welfare and salary arrears, is co-owned by Osun and Oyo States.

    Listed among the new council members were a former Head of Service of the Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi (Chairman and Pro-Chancellor), Prof. Lai Olurode, Prof. Olamide Adedokun, Mr. Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN), Mr. Isiaka Olagoke, Mr. Tise Adenipekun and Mr. Bade Adesina.

    Aregbesola commended the immediate past council members for what he called their exemplary contributions to the growth of the institution in the face of financial constraints, while charging the new team to do everything humanly possible to surpass their feat.

    He said, “From your CV, we can see that you are highly distinguished. You were selected based on your pedigree. Therefore, we expect extraordinary performance.

    “Those you are succeeding did their very best in administering the institution and we are using this medium to appreciate their immense contributions to the success story of LAUTECH.

    LAUTECH must again emerge as the best state university in Nigeria. That is what we have called you to come and do. We want you to perform another miracle like the first miracle of Jesus Christ by turning the comatose LAUTECH to the best of all state universities in the country.”

    In his remarks, Ajimobi admitted that there were challenges facing the institution, which he said the two states had been working round the clock to surmount.

    For the umpteenth time, the governor appealed to the workers of the university to sheathe their swords and embrace peace by allowing the auditors detailed to carry out a forensic audit of finances and the workforce to perform the task without any hindrance.

    Ajimobi restated what he called the irrevocable commitment of the two states to the joint ownership and funding of LAUTECH, irrespective of the current challenges threatening the union.

    He said “These are eminently qualified individuals. They have been given the mandate not only to resurrect LAUTECH, but to reposition it.

    “The visitation panel recently set up to look into issues affecting the institution came up with some recommendations; one of which is to put in place this governing council, which we have done now.

    “The second recommendation is on sustainability of LAUTECH. I can assure you that we are recommitting ourselves to that. Whatever it takes, we will reopen LAUTECH; we will ensure that we carry out a forensic audit of individuals and finances of the institution.

    “Let me again use this opportunity to plead with the workers to please allow reason to prevail. There is nowhere in the world where workers will prevent employers to audit an institution or company. We are pleading that they allow us reposition LAUTECH.”

    Responding to the appointment on behalf of other members, the council chairman thanked the governors for giving him and others the opportunity to serve at what he called a critical stage in the life of the institution.

    Afolabi assured the visitors that the new council would put in extra efforts to surpass the expectations of the stakeholders, adding that the confidence reposed in them would not be betrayed.

  • Prolonged crisis: Oyo, Osun constitute LAUTECH’s Governing Council

    Prolonged crisis: Oyo, Osun constitute LAUTECH’s Governing Council

    The Oyo and Osun state governments have constituted a seven-man Governing Council for Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH).

    They said the council will be headed by a retired Head of Service of the Federation (HoSF), Prof Oladapo Afolabi.

    In a statement on Monday in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Olalekan Allli, named Prof Lai Olurode, Prof. (Mrs) Olaide Adedokun, Mr. Abiodun AbdulJelil Owonikoko (SAN), Mr. Isiaka Olagoke, Mr. Tise Adenipekun and Bade Adesina as members of the Governing council.

    Alli said Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi and his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola, acted on the powers conferred on them by the laws establishing the institution as visitors, met and approved the Governing Council of LAUTECH with Prof Afolabi as chairman and pro-chancellor.

    The SSG noted that the tenure of the Governing Council, as mandated by the University Law, shall be four years from the date of its inauguration, unless determined by the visitors.

    Alli said the visitors 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”.

    He added that the visitors were confident that with this development, the crisis in the institution would be resolved.

    The SSG urged the stakeholders to cooperate with the council in its determination to realise its mandate.

     

  • Oyo to commit 5bn to education, receives 70,000 books

    Oyo to commit 5bn to education, receives 70,000 books

    The Oyo State Government at the weekend disclosed that about N5bn will be expended to repair the dilapidating structures in primary and secondary schools in the state.

    Similarly, the state 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, Jewels of Africa.

    The state Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, who made the disclosure 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) 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.

    Professor Olowofela noted 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.

    The Commissioner said that 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.

    Prof. Olowofela 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.

    He 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.

    He said “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.”

    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.

     

  • Oyo educates residents on benefits of N650 health insurance scheme

    Oyo State Government has begun moves to educate residents of the state, especially members of the public and civil servants on the benefits and advantages of the newly introduced N650 monthly health insurance scheme even as it disclosed that pregnant women and children under the ages of five are exempted from paying the stipulated amount.

    The sensitization which started with the engagement of senior civil servants led by the Head of Service and was followed by a meeting with the staff of the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.

    Receiving the staff of Oyo State Health Insurance Scheme (OYHIS) and Six Health Maintenance Organisation (HMOs), the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun reiterated the government’s commitment to affordable, accessible and quality health care delivery, urging the people of the state to take advantage of the first health insurance scheme by a state government in the country.

    Arulogun noted that the health insurance scheme is one among the various health initiatives the government offers the people, adding that the government will not relent in its efforts to ensure that the people of the state enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    In his address, the Executive Secretary of OYHIS, Dr Sola Akande said that the Insurance Scheme is the future of the health sector which starts now in the State. He emphasized that the attendant reformation underscores the importance the state government places on the health sector and the well-being of the citizens of the state.

    Dr. Akande pointed out that the scheme which will reduce mortality rate among residents of the state as well as give them access to basic health care delivery through easily affordable monetary commitment of N650 naira per month and N7800 per annum.

    The Executive Secretary, who stressed that the scheme would outlive many administrations in the state, explained that the insurance scheme comes on three platforms which include Standard, Standard Plus and Standard Peak plans.

    According to him, “the Standard plan is the least of the scheme and affordable, while every enrollee can pay for it in two instalments. As much as possible, we want to ensure no one is left out in this bounty which is first of its kind by any state government in the country.”

    Dr Akande, who allayed the fears of the general public that the service would be scrapped after the expiry of Sen. Abiola Ajimobi’s administration, said that the Scheme was duly established by the law and is made available to everyone in the State, noting that individuals have a crucial role to play in the scheme by joining hands with government to promote the health sector and prevent untimely death.

    He however appealed to civil servants and the general public to believe in the scheme by buying into it as well as supporting it, stressing that the scheme will bring about a paradigm shift in the State health sector in earnest.

     

  • Gov. Ajimobi launches ‘paperless’, e-governance initiative

    Gov. Ajimobi launches ‘paperless’, e-governance initiative

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State on Monday launched e-governance initiative to promote fast, efficient and service-oriented process of governance in the state.

    The governor launched the initiative at the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre in the governor’s office in Ibadan.

    Ajimobi said that technological innovation would help government do things faster and improve the job and processes of governance.

    He said that the state was migrating from paper governance to e-governance.

    “Information is key, knowledge and power. The ability to manipulate the power is essential and that is why we are launching this today.

    “All ministries, departments and agencies of government should now migrate from manual or paper system to automated form of governance,’’ he said.

    The governor said that his administration was about turning the state into a technological hub, adding that it was the reason for the establishment of the Technical University, Oyo State.

    According to him, “I know Lagos and some other states have started it but we can still improve on what they have done.

    “We are going to establish a training centre and organise training workshop for the civil servants on ICT compliance.’’

    Earlier, Niyi Ajao, the Special Adviser to the Governor on ICT stressed that the idea was to make the state a technological hub which would allow people key into the vision for a knowledge-driven economy.

     

     

  • Oyo strategizes for development assistance, institutional reforms

    Oyo strategizes for development assistance, institutional reforms

    The Oyo State Government disclosed at the weekend that both the public and private sectors as well as communities would be adequately mobilized and empowered as partners to make patriotic contributions to the state especially in the areas of revenue generation and development process.

    It stated that strategies for revenue generation would be deployed based on its peculiarities and unique strengths for development, noting that there would be institutional framework for economic planning, budgeting and development that would coordinate sectoral strategies across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which will serve as a pre-requisite for attracting resources from multilateral/bilateral development partners as well as direct foreign investors.

    These were part of the recommendations made at the end of a 3-day Workshop on Institutional Reforms themed ‘DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION: VEHICLE FOR SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN OYO STATE’ organized by the State government at the House of Chiefs, State Secretariat, Ibadan.

    The workshop, which had top government functionaries in attendance, was facilitated by a team of resource persons led by a Development Cooperation Expert, Dr. Yisa Kolawole, was in line with the principle of the state’s budget of self-reliance.

    It was noted at the workshop that the financial grants, technical aid as well as concessional facilities by Development Partners are readily available but sub-optimally harnessed by the Oyo State Government.

    In her remarks, the Host and Special Adviser to Governor Abiola Ajimobi on Intervention funds and Developmental Projects, Dr. Adebukola Adebusoye, pledged that government would continue to advocate and promote the culture of value chain, especially towards agribusiness activities to enhance revenue base, noting that a combination of strategies for improved tax and non-tax revenues is important for equity in the system.

    She assured that Ajimobi administration will work towards achieving a reliable database which will be adopted as a reference platform at all times, stressing that reliable data base will aid the intervention projects, programmes and initiative of the Development partners to expand the frontiers of opportunity/cooperation required for the socio-economic development of the state.

    Dr. Adebusuyi stated that the 3-day workshop was organized to create awareness on the new paradigm in development planning and international cooperation as a cost effective/feasible option for economic growth and development.

    “We want to sensitize key actors on the imperative for institutional capacity/reforms to sustainably attract development grants, technical aid or concessionary loans required to facilitate the development aspirations of Oyo State. This workshop is also to expose participants to new concepts and principles in development planning and international cooperation for broad based options in policy making as well as to review practices and learn from experiences of best practices,” she explained.

    Dr. Adebusuyi further revealed that the workshop was not going to be a one-off programme, saying that the government had lined-up more of such workshops in order to involve all stake-holders in the implementation and workability of all government’s policies and reforms with a view to create socio-economic growth in the state.

  • Oyo NUT commends Ajimobi over appointment of Education Secretaries

    The Nigeria Union of Teachers, Oyo State Wing, has commended the governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi for the re-appointment of teachers as Education Secretaries for the 33 Local Government Universal Basic Education Authorities.

    The union gave the commendation in a letter addressed to the governor and signed by its State Secretary, Comrade Waheed Olojede.

    Comrade Olojede explained that the re-appointment of teachers as Education Secretaries has cleared all intrigues and mis-representations wrongly informing the NUT and her teeming members that the present administration in the state vowed never to appoint teachers in such positions again arising from the alleged poor performances of the last crop of secretaries.

    He noted that the Union was encouraged by Governor Ajimobi’s gesture, stressing that the gesture has been accepted as one that will permanently keep their detractors at bay.

    According to him, “the NUT Oyo State Wing and its leadership have viewed the good gesture of Your Excellency as well directed and as one that is based on consideration for professional ethics and values which in our belief will go a long way in energizing Primary Education in the state.”

    Comrade Olojede stated that the appointment of teachers as education secretaries will further strengthen the existing robust relationship between the governor and NUT, adding “it is our collective determination to forge ahead in energizing the state education industry.

    “With deep involvement of teachers in the administration of the Primary Education sub-sector, we feel more elated, encouraged and inclined to pledge our total support and commitment to seeing your visionary education policy succeeding in the state.

    “We shall together get to our pride of place of a hundred percent success in our state,” Comrade Olojede said.