THE year 2011 started on a high note in Oyo State, with high-wire politics ahead the April polls. Political parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) battled to outshine each other, as they embarked on aggressive campaigns. By the time the election finally took place, the incumbent governor Adebayo Alao-Akala of the PDP lost roundly to his ACN counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, which led to a change of baton at the Agodi Government House.But the ACN government, a day after assuming office witnessed a baptism of fire, as rival factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state engaged themselves in a bloody clash, which led several persons, including a 500-level medical student, Ibrahim Shanono dead and several vehicles destroyed.The wanton destruction of lives and property created fear and panic in the minds of the people. Ajimobi then proscribed the transport union, while the state Police Command declared leaders of the two factional groups, Alhaji Lateef Salako (a.k.a Tokyo) and Mukaila Lamidi (a.k.a Auxilliary) wanted, in connection with the mayhem.The development forced governor Abiola Ajimobi to set up a five-man judicial commission of enquiry to investigate the remote cause of the crisis.The panel had since submitted its report and came up with a recommendation that the state government should take over the running of motor parks as well as the collection of dues, which it identified as the main cause of the fracas in the union.For better performance and efficiency, Ajimobi created additional four ministries to the already existing 16.The governor's unwritten pact with former Governor Rashidi Ladoja's Accord Party (AP),over the control of the state House of Assembly almost caused a fracas within the CAN, as party leaders objected to the inclusion of AP Members in his cabinet composition. While the ACN has 14 members in the House, the PDP has 12 and AP Seven. Since the ACN did not have the required two-thirds majority, the governor was left with no choice, than to align with Accord Party for the ACN to produce the Speaker. After much political manoeuvrings, history was made in the state with the emergence of the first female Speaker, Monsurat Sunmonu.On August 26, the city of Ibadan was ravaged with flood, which led to about 300 deaths, 250 houses and bridges were washed away, while about 5,000 people were rendered homeless. The incident, which brought back the sad memories of 'Ogunpa flooding of 1980' threw the state into mourning.To avert future disaster, government introduced a weekly sanitation exercise to be observed every Thursday, to enable people, particularly traders clear their stalls to prevent blockage of waterways and drainages.It also signed a memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the federal government on the take-off of the Okerete trans-border market in Saki, while arrangements were made with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for the breeding of cassava.The governor has also flagged off free health services for all residents in the state, in line with his electioneering campaign, while also announcing plans to do samein the state primary health care system, to enable patients who patronise health centres enjoy free health services.The governor also set up an eight- man committee to investigate all contracts awarded by the immediate past administration of Adebayo Alao-Akala with a mandate to ascertain the level of commitment of the past administration to various contractors handling various projects across the state.The terms of reference included identifying all outstanding contracts; examining the extent of compliance with due process, while awarding the contracts; as well as establishing or verifying the extent of completion of each contract.Shortly after his swearing in, Ajimobi reviewed fees paid in the state-owned tertiary institutions, as he ordered a 50 percent reduction in the tuition fees. His predecessor, Adebayo Alao-Akala had increased the fees during his tenure, an action, which was roundly condemned by students and parents.In terms of road construction, Ajimobi had embarked on the rehabilitation of about 16 roads, which cuts across the four zones in the state, while the second phase of the exercise, which cuts across the state has also commenced.To actualize the poverty alleviation programme of his administration, the government also inaugurated the state Youth Empowerment Scheme, (YES-O) with20,000 youths offered immediate employment.And to address the transportation problem particularly the increased cases of accidents by Okada riders, the governor has launched 1,000 units of tricycles. He said the scheme was not only an emblem of his administration's vision of poverty alleviation, but also an integral part of its transportation policy. Ajimobi said that the launch of the tricycles nicknamed ``Keke Ajumose,'' was a strand of his administration's tripartite vision in the transportation sector.To boost the morale of civil servants, the governor has also announced his administration's readiness to pay 13th month salary for workers in the state while assuring residents that the good times are here. But the opposition thinks the government is a non-starter.
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