Makinde inaugurates, gives three mandates to 68 Caretaker Chairmen

With mandates to ensure that no child is out of school, boost local businesses and advance ways to guarantee effective solid waste disposal in Oyo state, Governor Seyi Makinde, on Monday, inaugurated caretaker Chairpersons for the 33 local government areas and 35 local council development areas in the state.

Expatiating on the mandates at the event held at House of Chiefs, state Secretariat, Ibadan, Makinde tasked the Chairpersons to come up with plans to ensure that children are taken off the streets into classrooms, and, report issues that may be working against the state’s free education policy.

“I would be happy to see your plans to make sure that children get off the streets and into the classrooms. I know you will have more opportunities to liaise with the parents in a bid to implement our free education policies.

“You will also be in a better position to report any issues that may be working against this policy. In this, we need you to be our eyes, ears and mouth. So, see what is going on, listen to the complaints and challenges the parents have and talk to them about our plans,”

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Furthermore, he enjoined the Chairmen to engage their constituents to discover the challenges facing waste management so as to gather relevant data as the state plans to develop effective solid waste management architecture.

Noting that the data will assist the state in costing and implementation, Makinde, therefore, said it was imperative for the Chairmen to work with the state Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and State Waste Management Authority.

He reiterated his resolve to have in place a system for refuse disposal and waste removal by the first quarter of 2020.

Before pronouncing the 68 Chairpersons, Makinde also charged them to discover challenges facing local businesses with to view to ensuring that market and small businesses thrive.

Identifying thriving local businesses as critical to improving the state’s Internally Generated Revenue, Makinde urged the Chairmen to coalesce with the state government towards removing all roadblocks to business growth.

Speaking at another event, tagged 2019 Public Service Forum, Makinde has attributed his ability to regularly pay salaries, purchase 100 security patrol vehicles and carry out other demands of governance, despite an earlier declaration of bankruptcy, to prudent management of the state’s resources.

“When we came in, we said Oyo state was bankrupt. So people have asked how we have had money to do what we have been doing. In my private capacity, I started a business with N50,000 and it yielded millions of naira.

“So, in the management of resources, the key factor is being prudent and that is exactly what we have been doing. On regular payment of salaries, I am not doing outside what we as government should be doing,” Makinde said.

In her remarks at the forum held at Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, Ibadan, state Head of Service, Mrs Amidat Agboola tasked civil servants to reciprocate the current government’s commitment to workers by being loyal, diligent, steadfast and faithful in dealing with state’s resources within their disposal.