Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday has emphasized the importance of strong institutions in driving the state’s development across various sectors. Speaking through his Deputy, Bayo Lawal, Esq, at the maiden Stakeholders Engagement on Safety on Our Roads & Security in Our Neighbourhoods, organized by the Oyo State Mobilization Agency for Socio-Economic Development (OYMASED), Makinde noted that strong institutions are crucial in engendering value in all aspects of society.
Makinde stressed that these institutions will play a vital role in ensuring the state’s continued development and prosperity. He also highlighted the importance of reawakening core values, such as respect for elders, hard work, honesty, and uprightness, which are essential for the state’s growth and progress.
Speaking on the theme: “Security At home, Safety on our roads”, the Governor said his administration has established strong institutions such as OYMASED, the Oyo State Project Monitoring Agency Bill; The Rule of Law Enforcement Agency among others in place.
According to Governor Makinde, “The major legacy of his administration will be the creation of institutions that will ensure that the state continues well into the future.”
“Our legacy will be the institutions that we are able to create to ensure that Oyo State will continue well into the future to enjoy good governance,” he said.
“This is Oyo State, and we must make it work, and we are bothered about the kind of institutions we put in place.”
He said OYMASED is an institution put in place to address the socio-economic decadence in the state.
The governor charged OYMASED to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment and Natural resources to ensure that medians are sanitised and kept clean.
The governor added that the Rule of Law Enforcement Authority is another institution put in place to regularise and address some traffic challenges faced in the city and rural centres.
“Rule of Law authority is to address most traffic control challenges we have. Junction improvement in most places are in place too, “he said.
The governor equally applauded the Oyo state Anti Land Grabbing Agency, led by Hon. Justice Aiki (rtd), adding that the era of land grabbing must end.
He declared zero tolerance for land-grabbing activities, including forceful entry, illegal occupation, and fraudulent practices. To achieve this, the government established the anti-land grabbing agency dedicated to tackling land grabbing.
He sought for a collaboration between agency and relevant agencies to combat land-grabbing in the state.
The governor said the move will bring an end to the long-standing problem of land grabbing in Oyo State.
“The strong institutions that Oyo state government has put in place will engender development,” he stressed.
“To the glory of God, this government has invested heavily in infrastructural development: road network, Primary Health Centers rehabilitation and equipping, upgrading of Health facilities, rehabilitation of Public Schools building and provision of learning aids, payment of salaries and emoluments to Civil/Public Officers latest on 25th of every month for almost six (6) years now.”
“However, if our core values are not reawakened in our minds, all these infrastructural developments will disappear within a short period of time. Hence, the need to bring back the values that made us Omoluabis and which brought Oyo State to its Pacesetter position.”
Speaking earlier, the Director-General, OYMASED, Dr. Morohunkola Thomas said the agency was excited about the stakeholders’ engagement, stating that the agency is working in partnership with other government establishments to correct the anomalies in the society.
He commended Governor Makinde on the new agency, which he described as an extra layer of protection to ensure that society gets better.
He said the programme kickstarts its various programmes aimed at bringing back core values, which have been relegated to the background over the years.
He noted, “While growing up in this city, most of us experience proper home training enforced by parents to make children useful citizens in the society;
He added that moral, cultural, and Western education aimed at making children worthy citizens of the country were instilled in many while growing up.
The Agency, according to him, will reinvigorate respect for Elders, value of hardwork; honesty and uprightness.
He therefore said it is the desire of the present administration to leave behind enduring legacies.
“Not in infrastructural development alone but also to bring back our lost values of Omoluabi which many of us here grew up to witness.”
Thomas, therefore, appealed to participants at the Stakeholders Engagement to be attentive and take back home lessons learnt here to improve our society.
In attendance at the event were the top government functionaries, heads of security agencies, pupils of various institutions, and others.
