Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has denied allegations of land grabbing, addressing public issues surrounding the Round Street undertaking and different new developments throughout the state.
Talking to journalists in Ibadan on Sunday, Makinde emphasised that the accusations stem from misunderstanding and misinformation.
“Have a look at the problem of the Round Street and among the locations we’re opening up for growth,” Makinde acknowledged.
“Some persons are describing me as a land grabber. I’m not a land grabber. I’m a agency believer within the saying that it’s only an fool who will proceed to do one thing the identical means and count on a special end result. I consider that our leaders up to now tried their greatest.”
He additional revealed that the true land grabbers are those levelling accusations in opposition to him.
“It’s even the land grabbers which can be calling me a land grabber. Some persons are being investigated proper now,” he added.
Clarifying the imaginative and prescient behind the Round Street undertaking, the governor highlighted its uniqueness, noting that it will likely be Nigeria’s first motorway.
“The idea of the Round Street—folks could not perceive it. They thought it will be like Iwo Street to Beere. No. It is going to be the very first motorway in Nigeria.
“The 32km stretch from Tech U to Badeku solely has two exit factors. How we need to develop the place requires that there should be a hall.”
Makinde underscored his administration’s dedication to sustained growth over the previous 5 years, attributing progress to improved finances efficiency.
“We realigned the finances instantly after we got here in 2019. With that, we have been capable of obtain about 48 per cent finances efficiency. Our first full finances was in 2020 earlier than COVID-19 hit the world, and, on the finish of the yr, we nonetheless did nicely to realize about 60 per cent.
“Proper now, we’re nicely over 70 per cent. That’s the reason, for us, you’ll discover that we’ve got had stability by way of how initiatives are executed and the folks’s liveability within the state.”
On the controversial Tax Reform Invoice, Makinde clarified his stance, expressing the necessity for broader consultations.
“On the stage of the Nationwide Financial Council, we requested the Chairman of the Presidential Job Power a query on the whereabouts of the invoice, and he stated it was already on the Nationwide Meeting.
“I stated if that was the case, why are you simply coming right here for us to debate and provide the approval as prayed? It amounted to placing the cart earlier than the horse.”
He recounted the council’s collective decision to halt the invoice’s progress pending wider stakeholder engagement.
“It was an settlement reached unanimously on the NEC assembly; withdraw this invoice from the Nationwide Meeting, and allow us to have a wider session. If folks have reservations right here and there, it’s one thing that’s nationwide, and you may search alignment.
“And once you align, it might be within the authentic type, or you could have to tweak it to accommodate regardless of the stakeholders are going to say.”
Makinde concluded by addressing misconceptions about his function within the matter.
“I used to be requested to be a part of the folks that may transient the press, and my bit was to elucidate our choice on why the Invoice must be withdrawn in order that session may occur with stakeholders.
“However some folks simply targeted on the messenger versus specializing in the message.”
