Seyi Makinde

By Solomon Odejinmi

When news filtered around town that Engineer Seyi Makinde had emerged winner of the April 9, 2019, governorship election in Oyo State, it was no doubt a huge sense of relief for many of the people of the state who were genuinely desirous of a change of the narrative.

Seyi Makinde

Despite the announcement, the governor and his huge supporters across the state were not carried away by the euphoria of the victory.

Indeed, the governor is not oblivious of the reality on the ground as to how tough it would be for him to make the desired impact.

But, Governor Seyi Makinde, also given the sobriquet, GSM, was well prepared and ready to hit the ground running from the first blast of the whistle on May 29, 2019.

Two months down the line, GSM has proved bookmakers wrong on his readiness and his genuine intentions at lifting the state from the doldrums and reign of impunity unleashed on the state in the last eight years of the immediate past administration.

Interestingly, many of what could be described as booby-traps set for the incoming administration of GSM has in the last 60 days turned to stepping stones and ladder to greatness.

What many thought would be his undoing have through years of thorough preparation for service, private sector secrets of success and willingness to do things right, have helped him stabilise his government.

Virtually all the areas that can make a direct impact on the lives of the people have within the last two months of being in the office received a sort of attention, with prospects of him doing better as time goes on.

Many political observers who saw the landmines planted on the path of the new government are today shocked to see how a supposed first time political office holder has succeeded in navigating the path expertly, thereby leaving many in awe of his political and administrative wizardry.

One good thing about GSM is his insistence on fulfilling his campaign promises. Unlike many before him who immediately forget all electioneering promises, just because they want to occupy political office, the soft-spoken Makinde does not only remind his teeming supporters across the state, he also keeps telling himself at any public function that he will not forget his words to his people.

From education to economy to security to health to infrastructure to administration, GSM has made bold statements and intentions clear as to the direction he is piloting the state affairs.

Truthfully, to many observers and residents of the Pacesetter State, the return of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government, comes with its own fears and uncertainty. Many had thought, it would be business as usual for charlatans, political thugs, brigandage and reign of violence.

But, indeed, the GSM has been able to take the bull by the horn and tackle the challenge headlong. Indeed, he had not only shown his knowledge of the situation on the ground in the state, but he has also demonstrated that he is in the know of what the people want.

Many who had thought they would take ‘advantage’ of the governors mien and cool looks have been left disappointed as the governor has again and again warned both friends and foe that he will not compromise the security and safety of the state and the people on the ground of personal relationship and rapport.

The proscription of the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state has, till date, been described as the bold and decisive step to be taken by any governor in the state. The decision came despite the perceived closeness of some factional members of the group to some party chieftains. But, the governor made it clear that he will not compromise fulfilling his campaign promises to his people.

READ ALSO: El-Zakzaky trial: Police beef up security in Kaduna

He has also restated his commitment to the safety and security of the entire state by paying a visit to the office of the Oyo State Security Trust Fund with a promise to review and unveil new security architecture in the state within the first 100 days in office, which is less than 40 days to go.

Bookmakers are still left in awe of the magic wand adopted by GSM to stabilize and institute peace all around the state.

In the area of education, from the day of his inauguration, GSM cancelled the N3,000 being paid by students in all public secondary schools in the state. While some see the decision as too quick, he has not stopped telling the people his plans on how he hoped to raise and channel funds into the sector with immediate effect.

He has also put machinery in motion to ensure strict compliance with the directive and ready to sanction any school leader who flouts the directive and exploits the people. This is in addition to making entrance form to all public primary schools free.

No doubt, those two key decisions, among others, have helped to restore the peoples hope in the government of GSM, two months into the administration.

A decision that will not leave the minds of the people early is the choice of the governor to openly declare his asset. Making such private information public willfully did not only boost the image of the governor but that of the party as a whole, being the only PDP governor in the whole of the Southwest region of the country.

Areas of administration that were left in turmoil and disarray by the immediate past administration has also received the attention of the two-month-old governor.

The Ibadan Central Abattoir and silo construction project, among others, have been visited by the Governor. Unlike others before him. GSM will not leave project assessment in the hands of any individual or committee, not because he has no one to saddle with the responsibilities, but he has shown his love to see things for himself and make a verdict and not just rely on peoples’ comments.

Notably, the visit to the Central Abattoir was not only lauded by the butchers and stakeholders in the sector, it also afforded the stakeholders the opportunity to ventilate their grievance, hurt, anger and how the execution of the project has torn apart the once united group of stakeholders, and how many of them are almost thrown out of business by the government’s insistence on the execution of the project.

But at the meeting, GSM made it clear that he is not out to destroy any known project of the past administrations before him but would do the needful to ensure that the public funds expended on them yield the desired value to the people. The view is unlike that of many politicians in the history of the present political dispensation.

In the areas of healthcare service delivery, twice in two months, he has visited the state-owned hospital, Adeoyo, for assessment of the facilities on ground. Indeed, the governor has expressed his disappointment in the state of the facility.   From the first visit, GSM has directed the Chief Medical Director to supply him with a shopping list of items to be procured to upgrade the hospital.

Not done, the governor has also vowed to provide a functional radiography unit in the unit before his first 100 days in office. This is coming as part of measures to make the hospital an international reference medical point to address the issues of medical tourism.

The state workforce which he has described as the engine room has also not been left in the dark. Interestingly, when politicians were making political statements about the issue of payment of N30,000 minimum wage, Governor Seyi Makinde came out clear and bold to tell the people of his desire to pay more than the FG’s approved minimum wage but solicited for more time and support of the workers.

To the surprise of many, the vows to pay workers salary latest by the 25th  of every month has not failed since Seyi Makinde took over the reigns of affairs. In a state whose monthly wage bill stands at about N5.5billion and Federal Allocation at about N4billion monthly, shopping for the fund to augment for the salary shortfall in the face of embarking on developmental infrastructural agenda is commendable.

Governor Seyi Makinde has never failed to show his respect and passion for the old, aged and retirees. On the day of his inauguration, GSM’s first pronouncement was his promise to donate his 4years salaries as governor to the retired teachers, a decision which did not only put smiles on the faces of the retirees, but also made about 5,000 retirees embark on a ‘Thank you’ solidarity rally to the Agodi Government Secretariat.

In the same spirit, the governor recently paid the pension of 2012 retirees to the tune of N280million. The beneficiaries cover Level 1 to 17. This has gone a long way to raise the hope of others who have been in the line to get their entitlements years after leaving the service of the state government.

Similarly, the issue of about 2,000 sacked workers on the employment of the state government on the ground of various allegations are also receiving Makinde’s attention with the governor setting up a committee to review the sack. Beyond review, the governor has assured all those who were illegally sacked or those who got a kick as a result of vendetta of being restored to service. Tears flow freely when the news got to some of the affected workers who have yet to make anything meaningful out of their lives since the sudden loss of job.

The challenges of generating and increasing the Internally Generated Revenue are, to many, an insurmountable task. But Governor Seyi Makinde has made it clear that his ‘boardroom’ strategy to create wealth and value will now work for the people of the state. One of the ways the governor has said he would address that is the use of agriculture and agricultural value chain system.

The passion recently took him to inspect some private farms and Agric value chain companies in some agrarian communities of the state. This is in a bid to open the doors of partnership, collaborations and or support to private ventures and provide them with enabling environment and incentives to thrive.

In his search for means of generating income for the state, the governor has also led a delegation to the abandoned state-owned quarry and asphalt plant. The project which was put in place by the administration of Ex-Governor Rashidi Ladoja had not gotten any attention from his successors and has been left in ruins.

But, Makinde insisted that he would not allow the hundreds of millions of public funds expended on the project rot away. He recognized the benefits the facility, if functional, could generate for the state government while also addressing the challenges of job creation for the people in the state.

By and large, to say that Governor Seyi Makinde has, in the last two months, surprised many bookmakers is to state the obvious. No doubt, many things that would speak more would be laid bare before the people by the first 100 days of the governor. As it is, GSM’s administrative network is spreading and taking deeper root in Oyo State, and one can only hope that the tempo will never be interrupted, as that would be against the interest of the people and the state.

Odejinmi, a banker, resides in Ibadan

VANGUARD