OYO PDP Guber Candidate, Engr. SEYI MAKINDE
Oyo PDP governorship candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde has revealed what he plans todo ifelected this Saturday, March 9. He has the details in a strategic plan document which identifies specific challenges to major governance issues in Oyo State which the current administration was unable to effectively address in its 2-term tenure. It outlines the proposed strategies he plans to implement to address these issues upon assumption of office in 2019. One significant feature of the strategic plan is to specify the magnitude of the tasks involved. The major policy thrust of his intervention is to revitalize the economy of Oyo State and maximize the exploitation of the various potentials of the state to create wealth, cultivate the private sector and improve the welfare of the populace. Hence, the suggested policies and action plans to achieve this goal. Given the changing domestic and global economic landscapes, sectoral initiatives toenhance competitiveness of Oyo State at the national and global level and resilience are to be given high priority.
His vision is expected to serve as a guide for governing the state from the year 2019 in order to attain the competitive structure of the state. He feels by working together with the ministries, agencies, and the private sector, he will sustain the trust in his effective delivery capacity, and make his aspiration of achieving a new dawn in Oyo State realistic. Below are excerpts of his game plan.
Oyo State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. The state is
bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State
and in the west, partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin. The economy of
Oyo State is based primarily on agriculture, with a world class potential. Agricultural
products include yams, corn (maize), cassava, beans, millet, plantains, tobacco, cacao, palm
oil and palm kernels, cotton, kola nuts, indigo, and fruits. The state is also noted for its cottage industries, consisting of cotton spinning, weaving, dyeing, leatherworking (sheep and goat skins), wood carving, and mat making. Industries in Oyo State include food and beverages, brewery, publishing, tobacco-processing, wood- and steel-furniture, among others. Oyo State is a peaceful state, reputable for its hospitality and good neighbourliness. The state is also blessed with a lot of natural resources (solid minerals, vast arable land, good weather condition and water). However, little or no effort has been made to explore these abundant resources.
Currently, Oyo State resources have been badly managed in the last seven and a half years.
With an average of N1.8bn from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) every month and a record debt profile of over N130bn, it is not asking for too much for government to have 6 eliminated the preponderance of the debt owed particularly to the vulnerable citizens. Also, the current poverty rate is about 24.9 percent according to the Nigerian Poverty Statistics and Poverty Rate document. Similarly, other critical sectors in the state such as infrastructure, education and health are
witnessing dwindling performances. Hence, Oyo State which used to be Nigeria’s pacesetter state, a role model for other states in Nigeria, has today lost this enviable position as a result of its relative performance in various indices of politics, economy and welfare over the last
8 years. Some of the challenges that make Oyo State lag behind other states include: subsistence
agriculture which accounts for about 70% of total employment, while the civil service accounts for the bulk of paid employment. There is no virile private sector which when combined with low level of investment has made Oyo State underdeveloped. There is a high cost of doing business, unstable fiscal policies, bureaucratic bottlenecks, inadequate publicity of investment opportunities in the state. Other challenges include, low factor productivity in the agricultural sector with output varying widely with the vagaries of the weather, and the dominance of the informal sector activities such as petty trading,
transportation, local art and craft, subsistence farming and low-scale animal production, among other factors.
The purpose of this plan is to present before you some thoughts on the future course of our
beloved state, and how we plan to improve the fortune of the state when we take over the mantle of leadership in the state in 2019. This is grounded on the need to reposition Oyo State as the pacesetter and focus on achieving sustainable development. The action plan identifies the potential risks and bottlenecks and their possible solutions in order to
mobilize efforts in a focused manner. Hence, this document clearly describes our desires, aspirations and a common vision for Oyo State’s future. Given our commitment to development, the analysis carried out gives projections of Oyo State between 2019 and 2023 in the best case scenario in various important sectors and also identifies nodal points of Oyo State’s prosperity.
The primary rationale for our decision to seek election to govern Oyo State is to provide solutions to public policy problems that have needlessly bedevilled the state. As a result, we have resolved to intervene in some strategic areas of agriculture, education, health, infrastructure, and security in order to make a meaningful impact in the lives of Oyo State
citizens within the shortest possible period. This is because governance, especially in our
own society where there is little or no social security, must have a human face. Our firm belief is that Oyo State has the opportunity to regain her lost glory in Nigeria over the next four years with your support.
Entrusting Seyi Makinde with the mandate of governance in the 2019 governorship election will result in a realisation of our individual and collective potentials. Oyo State must be a state that is fully developed along all these dimensions: economically, politically, socially, psychologically and culturally. We must be fully developed in terms of state unity, social justice, political stability, system of government, quality of life, social
values, as well as state pride and confidence. Oyo State must be positioned as a truly national player. The overall aspirations and target of our administration is to transform Oyo State into a top economy in Nigeria to reflect a state where government works for the welfare of its citizens and residents. The major policy thrust is to revitalise the economy of the state and maximise the exploitation of the various potentials of the state to create
wealth, cultivate the private sector and alleviate poverty. Our desire is therefore to make Oyo State:
The centre of agriculture and agro-processing in Nigeria. The hub of the investment destination in Nigeria. One of the major contributors of non-oil exports in Nigeria. Achieve a productive industrial base for Nigeria.
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