All posts by David Adeoye

Roads
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, March 27, 2020 (NAN) Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved, for immediate rehabilitation and reconstruction, a total of eight roads in various zones of the state.
Prof. Raphael Afonja, the state Commissioner for Public Works and Transport, made this known in a statement issued on Friday in Ibadan.
Afonja listed the roads to include Airport-Ajia-New Ife Expressway, with spur to Amuloko (21kilometres), Apete-Awotan-Akufo junction road (12.0 kilometres) and Saki-Ogbooro-Igboho road (44.70 kilometres).
Others are Under G-Stadium-LAUTECH Gate road, Ogbomoso (3.0 kilometres), Takie-FGGC road, Ogbomoso (2.5 kilometres), Isaba-Ogundoyin road, Eruwa (2.5 kilometres), Gedu-Oroki-Sabo-Asipa road, Oyo (5.2 kilometres) and Akingbile-Lagbeja-Ajibode road (3.0 kilometres).
The commissioner said that infrastructural development remained the key focus of the present administration.
He said that the Makinde-led administration was prepared to ensure the uplift of infrastructure in the state, stressing government would give adequate attention to road infrastructure to enhance its economic expansion drive.
“The determination to ensure infrastructural growth in the state informed the decision of the governor to devote a large chunk of the 2020 budget, that is, 23.93 percent, to the sector.” Afonja stated.
The commissioner further reiterated government’s decision to institute a culture of quality road construction in the state, stressing that government was ready to build roads that would stand the test of time. (NAN)
DAK/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Violence
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, March 6, 2020 (NAN) The Oyo State government has called on relevant stakeholders to ensure zero tolerance for gender-based violence in all spheres of life in the state.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Faosat Sanni, made the call on Friday in Ibadan during the inauguration of the state’s Proactive Committee on Zero Tolerance to Gender-based Violence.
Sanni said that relevant stakeholders should endevour to do this through their commitment and efforts in order to save the lives of the affected women and children.
She noted that the prevalence of gender-based violence had devastating effects on survivors in various forms.
“This ranges from sexual to economic, psychological, geographical, cultural and class boundaries, which are grave violation of human rights, with negative effects that can have lasting effects on the community, family, survivors and the society at large.
“Gender-based violence also prevents survivors from using their knowledge and skills to their full potentials, when being stigmatised,” she added.
The commissioner urged the stakeholders to come up with resolutions and meaningful ideas that would be of benefit to the state in fighting the crime and tackling the perpetrators.
She stated that a committee, whose members were drawn from relevant ministries, agencies, parastatals and non-governmental organisations, had been put in place to handle women, child abuse and gender-based issues in the state.
She said that the committee was saddled with the responsibility of fighting violence against women and girls, who were the most vulnerable.
“The committee is equally expected to checkmate the prevalence of rape and work out effective and specialised service, which would focus on the needs of survivors as well as the practices required to stop or reduce the act to the barest minimum.
Mrs Dupe Awosemusi, the Coordinator, Oyo State Sexual and Gender- based Violence Response Team, said that gender-based violence was an issue that should be of great concern, as it affected all.
Awosemusi stressed that it was not only women and girls that were survivors, adding that men were equally being abused in one way or the other.
She stated that such abuses included domestic violence, battering, victimization and tongue-lashing as well as domestic, verbal, economic and social abuse, with special emphasis on rape of minors and old women.
“In the Nigerian legal system, constitutionally, a child below 18 years of age cannot give consent for sexual act and whoever perpetrates such act with such a child should be made to face the wrath of the law.
“In fact, most of the perpetrators use the act for ritual purposes, while some are suffering from mental health disorder, psychological and emotional therapy,” she added.
She disclosed that most of the survivors, especially the sexually-abused ones, were always afraid to report to the appropriate quarters as a result of stigmatisation and rejection.
“Some of the survivors are not always available in the court to give evidence against the perpetrators when they are charged to court,” she said.
The coordinator further posited that there should be strong legislation to combat gender-based violence that would ensure that perpetrators act were brought to justice, irrespective of their background or status in the society. (NAN)
DAK/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Clash
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, Feb. 27, 2020 (NAN) The Oyo State government says proactive measures will be taken to curb frequent clashes between hoodlums and students of public schools in the state.
Mrs Olabisi Oderinde, the Permanent Secretary, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), stated this on Thursday when she visited Ibadan Municipal Grammar School (IMG), Oke-Ado in Ibadan, over Wednesday’s invasion of the school by suspected hoodlums.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that some hoodlums, with cutlasses and other dangerous weapons, had allegedly invaded the premises of the school around 1:30 pm. on Wednesday and clashed with the students.
NAN also reports that the clash spread to the nearby Oke-Bola Comprehensive High School and a mechanic workshop, where about 19 cars were vandalised.
Addressing newsmen after the inspection, Oderinde said that a stakeholders’ meeting would be held, saying that this would include school governing boards, parents, heads of teachers and neighborhood landlords where such incidents were rampant.
She also said that government would build perimeter fence round IMG school, noting that the porous nature of the school gave the hoodlums easy access to the premises.
The permanent secretary refuted the report that the clash was between IMG school students and those of Oke-Bola Comprehensive High School.
She also said that no student died during the clash, contrary to the reports in some online media that one student died.
Oderinde said that one Usman Olalere, an SS3 student of IMG school, had convulsion during the clash, adding that he had since been revived and treated in the hospital.
Earlier, Mrs Adenike Ajiboye and Ramat Adepoju, the Principals of IMG School and Oke-Bola Comprehensive School respectively, said that such invasion was rampant in the area and urged government to put an end to it.
Ajiboye said that lack of perimeter fencing contributed to the incessant attack by hoodlums in the area, saying that the Wednesday incident started when some hoodlums came into the school premises, “and accused some of our students of abusing them.”
She said that all efforts to appease them proved abortive, as they started chasing everyone, including teachers until security operatives came to their rescue.
Adepoju disclosed that 19 vehicles were vandalised during the clash, while 15 students were arrested by the police. (NAN)
DAK/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Partnership
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, Feb 27, 2020 (NAN) The Oyo State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSROMA) says it is partnering with all the local government councils and local council development areas (LCDAs) in the state on road rehabilitation.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by the state Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism.
The statement quoted Mr Kamil Akinlabi, the Chairman of OYSROMA, as saying this during his visit to the agency’s zonal operational office in Ibarapa, Oke-Ogun, Oyo and Ogbomoso.
Akinlabi said that the collaboration would foster accelerated execution of road repairs in rural communities, asserting that such partnership could not be underestimated in planning and execution of road rehabilitation.
“We cannot underestimate the efforts of our local government councils in the planning and logistics; so we shall collaborate with them in all our projects, for accelerated execution.
“The rural communities hold the ace in the development of the state, as most of the wealth-creating resources are in the rural areas.
“Agriculture can only thrive if the rural roads are well paved for transportation of farm produce; this will empower farmers and open up opportunities for youths to get empowerment through farming and other natural resources.
“So all we crave for is the support and collaboration of the council administrations and community leaders,” he stated.
The OYSTROMA chairman said that government would procure necessary equipment to facilitate road rehabilitation in all the zones, adding that personnel would be deployed to all the zones for ease of operation.
Akinlabi called on all the caretaker chairmen, community leaders and the people in all the zones to see road facilities as theirs, saying that their cooperation and support were necessary to make the operations of the agency hitch-free. (NAN)
DAK/WAS
Edited by ‘Wale Sadeeq

Amotekun
By David Adeoye
Ibadan, Feb. 24, 2020 (NAN) The Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Oyo State chapter, has called for the inclusion of its members in the proposed Amotekun initiative in the state.
Alhaji Yaqub Bello, a former Chairman of MACBAN in the state, made the call on Monday during a public hearing on the Oyo State Security Network Agency Bill, 2020, also known as Amotekun bill.
Bello, while expressing the support of the association to the Amotekun initiative, insisted that only haters of truth would oppose such a move.
“Some of us have been in Oyo state for over 40 years, cohabiting with the natives, married Yoruba women and have children.
“So, our request is to include Myetti Allah as members of Operation Amotekun to enhance the job of the outfit, since we know the terrain of where we rear our cattle.
“Having Fulani among the outfit will make it easier for Amotekun men to distinguish between genuine herdsmen and the criminals while on patrol.
“A Fulani man can also serve as an interpreter while interrogating any suspected herdsman,” Bello said.
He admitted that the major objective of the initiative was to curb criminal activities in the society and not to witch hunt any particular body or ethnic group.
Describing his members as law abiding, he said that none of them had been involved in any form of criminal activity, adding that rather, they had been carrying out their legitimate business, that is, cattle rearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that other speakers at the public hearing included representative of the Nigerian Police Force, the Peace Corps and the Agbekoya Farmers’ Association.
Others were the Local Hunters’ Group, Vigilante Group of Nigeria, Political Awareness Group and representatives of Chief Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba land.
Mrs Funke Fawole, who represented the Commissioner of Police, Mr Sina Olukolu, said that the outfit should act in accordance with the provision of the Fire Arms Acts, if the personnel must carry arms.
Fawole also said that men of the outfit should be properly trained on the use of arms and ammunition to avoid its misuse.
In his contribution, Chief Gboyega Adejumo, who represented Gani Adams, said issuance of license for firearms was very vital for the operations of the security outfit.
He said that the use of Dane gun would not be effective for their operations, saying hoodlums and criminal-minded persons might use the chance of not carrying arms to attack the operatives.
Also, Prof Abideen Olaiya, representative of the Muslim community in the state, urged the operatives of Amotekun not to use it to settle political scores or as an avenue for jungle justice.
Earlier, Prof Oyelowo Oyewo, the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said part of the objectives of the security outfit was to share intelligence report about crime, crime in progress, suspicious activities and other criminal activities.
“Others include collaboration with similar security agency, particularly in Ogun, Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Ekiti states to deter kidnapping, terrorism, cattle rustling, cultism, highway robbery and other offences, and also to assist the police in apprehending such criminals.
“It is also meant to protect lives and property within the state and ensure that people travelling on the highways, major roads, remote areas, hinterland, forest and inland waterways carry out their normal socio-economic activities without fear or hindrance,” Oyewo stated.
NAN reports that the Amotekun bill committee, headed by Mr Akeem Obadara, the State House of Assembly Committee Chairman on Security and Strategy, received 22 memoranda.
NAN also reports that Mr Abiodun Fadeyi, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, presided over the public hearing. (NAN)
DAK/KOLE/WAS
Edited by Remi Koleoso and ‘Wale Sadeeq