As Oyo state governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde marks first 100 days in office, Iyabo Adebisi examines the impacts of his Government on lives of the people.
The need to impact positively on the lives of the electorate is one of the primary responsibilities of any responsive government.
While some succeed at this herculean task, others often times derail, leaving those who voted for them questioning the real essence of good governance.
To demonstrate commitment to his electioneering promises, Oyo State governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde shortly after he was sworn-in hit the ground running as he announced the cancellation of the three thousand naira levies in all public secondary schools across the state.
He also announced the donation of his monthly salary to the state pension board for the next four years.
Not only this, Governor Makinde-led government approved over four hundred and forty seven million naira for procurement of exercise books for primary school pupils and secondary school students.
This move is aimed at complementing the free education policy of his government to improve the education sector as well as curb the high rate of out of school children in the state.
The public declaration of forty-eight billion naira asset as promised during campaign has also earned Governor Makinde positive comments from political analysts and the electorate.
The Health sector has also received a boost with the visit of the governor to two major hospitals in Ibadan, the state capital.
The visit is to see how the Adeoyo Hospital, Ring road and others can be raised to state-of-the-art hospitals to enable it provide quantitative health delivery to the people.
Renovation work has already commenced in the hospitals.
Also, this administration priorities the payment of salary and pension as at when due and it has also set up panel to review the cases of workers who were disengaged unjustly.
On the agricultural sector, Governor Makinde had launched a $5m agric business project in partnership with a private company to boost food security of the state.
Security which is one of the four cardinal programmes of Governor Makinde’s administration is receiving attention as additional 100 patrol vehicles have been procured to be distributed among security agencies for effective policing of the state.
Having enumerated the early steps of this government in just about a hundred days, the question which readily comes to mind is what is the perception of the people to the Engineer Seyi Makinde’s government and their expectations?
While lauding the present administration on prompt payment of salaries and pension, Oyo state secretary of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Mr. Olusegun Abatan enjoined Governor Makinde to harmonise pension with a view to improving the standard of living of retired workers.
According to Mr. Abatan, this became necessary as the state has retirees who still collect about two thousand naira as their monthly pension.
However, the state Deputy Governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan and the Secretary to the state Government, Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun also described the first 100 days as a tip of the iceberg and called for support from the people so as to spread the dividends of democracy across all nooks and crannies of the state.
Similarly, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, OSHA, Mr. Adebo Ogundoyin who lauded the cordial relationship that exists between the legislature and the executive, maintained that the assembly would not be derailed in its role to ensure that the electorate enjoys good governance.
On his plan for the remaining three years and nine months, Oyo State helmsman, Governor Makinde said his government has identified critical areas to develop the state promising that his vision in the next four years is to reverse the negative socio-economic problems facing Oyo state.
Political scientists and social commentators have however posited that one cannot determine the full impact of any administration within just 100 days.
They however advised Governor Makinde-led administration to fulfill his electioneering promises for posterity to judge.
Iyabo Adebisi
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