Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state Wednesday said his government is determined to do more to ease economic burden of the people in 2025.
The governor stated this in his New Year Message aired on the state-owned Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS).
He said his administration would embark on decisive actions that would increase Oyo state residents’ spending powers and ease their economic strains.
He added that he would remain focused and ensure that residents of the state get value for the mandate given to him.
He stated further that his administration would enforce the rule of law across different sectors and more stringent measures would be taken against traffic offences in the state.
“As an administration, we look forward to doing more for our people. We are determined to take actions that will increase your spending power and ease the economic strain you are currently facing.
“We commit to being less reactive and more proactive. That is why we have mandated appropriate agencies to sensitise our people more about their duties and responsibilities that will lower the possibility of these avoidable disasters,” he said.
Speaking further, Governor Makinde said 2024 tested the resilience of Oyo state residents to the limit, as the state and its people faced so many difficult situations including economic hardship and tragedies in Ibadan.
Governor Makinde added that the Bodija explosion and the Islamic High School stampede deaths also made the administration to become more proactive and take a second look at its strategies, policies and programmes.
He said, “What a year 2024 was! Our resilience as a people has been tested almost to the limit.”
Emphasising that the people of Oyo state still had everything to be thankful to God , he declared that as a result of the economic difficulties, his government took further actions to move people from poverty to prosperity by investing in making Oyo state an economic hub and making the environment more ideal for the private sector to thrive.
Governor Makinde added that through these initiatives, the state attracted huge investors such as Africorp Consortium and Shell Nigeria Gas, completed and commissioned the first phase of its Independent Power Project and flagged off the second agribusiness industrial hub construction in Eruwa.
The governor listed the upgrading of the Ibadan Airport, Alakia to an international status, the first segment of the Ibadan Circular Road and further education and enlightenment of residents as some of the projects the government would embark upon in the New Year.