By Adeyinka Adeniran
Oyo state governor, Seyi Makinde has charged the Federal government to give more serious attention to what he described as more serious economic issues than other non essentials.
Particularly, the governor said there is hunger in the land that deserves more attention than the issue of local government autonomy, the return to the old National Anthem and others which should not be the priority of the country but that focus should be on how to make the country more productive to engender economic development.
Makinde spoke in a remark shortly after signing into law the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-economic Development (OYMASED) at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan, the state capital.
Present at the ceremony were top government functionaries, a former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana; Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, the Olugbo of Ile-Igbon, Oba Francis Alao; Saka Balogun among others.
He said his administration will continue to prioritise economic development in order to solve major challenges in the state.
He also at the event announced the appointment of a former Commissioner for Education in the state, Dr Morohunkola Thomas, who is his Special Adviser on Socio-Economic Development, as the Director General of the agency.
According to Makinde, the establishment of the agency is in line with his stand that the administration will not only be defined by the massive infrastructure it has built but by the strong institutions it has put in place.
Makinde said: “We are here today to sign one of the most important laws that will shape the future of this administration and our dear state; the Oyo State Mobilisation Agency for Socio-Economic Development Bill (2004).
“I want to thank Prof Jerry Ghana, who held a pioneering role as the Director of the Mass Mobilization for Self Reliance, Social Justice, and Economic Recovery (MAMSER), after which we have designed OYMASED. Sir, I thank you so much. I also thank the members of the Assembly for the timely passage of this Bill and for continuing to collaborate with this administration to deliver good governance to the people.
“With OYMASED, we have an agency that will clarify abstract ideas in our state economic policies and educate our people about the law and political process. This agency we are creating today will serve as a rallying point for several key MDAs of the government.
“As a country, we have to prioritise production and we cannot be productive without mobilising our people behind what we want to do. When we broaden our productive base, that is when we know we are tackling the issue of taking our people out of poverty into prosperity.
“There is hunger in the land, which does not reflect where we should be as a nation. So, we must create a framework to harness our potential through mobilisation, sensitisation and advocacy. So, this agency is a key part of the framework. Also, when economic development is prioritised, continuous education is needed. You cannot win people’s trust if you do not clearly communicate where you are taking them.
“OYMASED will play a big role in the continuous mobilisation and sensitization of the various demographics in Oyo State for the pursuit of social, economic, political and environmental development.”
Also speaking at the OYMASED Office during its commissioning, Governor Makinde reiterated his stance that the state only needs strong institutions to continue to thrive, stating that Nigeria would have to borrow a leaf from the pages of Oyo State in creating strong institutions to address its challenges.
He said, “I will continue to repeat that this administration will not be defined by road constructions, infrastructure and all of those things. No, but by the institutions we are putting in place. We don’t need strong men in Oyo State, we only need strong institutions and this is what we are trying to create here. Nigeria will have to take a cue from Oyo State in terms of looking for the best hands wherever you can get them to develop the state.
“Dr Morohunkola Thomas was an Executive Assistant under the late former Governor Abiola Ajimobi and was identified as a good man. I had to go to him and beg him to come and work for the state.
“The state anthem was midwifed by the wife of the late former Governor Ajimobi and we continued with it. We don’t care about whether you are APC or Accord or ADC. As long as you have something major to contribute to the development of Oyo State, we will look for you and bring you on board.
“We will break down barriers to ensure that the best in this state are the people we give opportunities to lead us here. We will mobilise all hands and give you the necessary support. We are not doing this for the optics but because we know when our people are mobilised behind government policies, we can arrive at our destination faster.”
Earlier in his address, former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Professor Jerry Gana, commended Governor Makinde for his giant strides and for establishing OYMASED, which he described as a good initiative.
Professor Gana said the agency would bring development and transformation to the state faster and better through involvement and mobilisation of the people in governance, as they are the major stakeholders.
Presenting the bill earlier, the Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, thanked the governor for his unrelenting passion for the development of the state, stating that the bill embodies collective aspirations to lay the foundation of a robust framework that would drive the communities.
The Director General of the newly created agency, Dr Thomas, also assured that the objectives for the establishment of OYMASED would be achieved and that the Makinde administration would leave a lasting legacy for coming administrations.
