Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, has carried out a cabinet reshuffle.
Governor Makinde made this disclosure on Monday via a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi.
According to the letter, the reshuffle will see the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Barrister Seun Ashamu, move to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, while the current Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Honourable Abdulmojeed Mogbonjubola, will move to the Ministry of Public Works, Infrastructure and Transport.
The Commissioner for Public Works, Professor Dahud Shangodoyin, has been moved to the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Solihu Adelabu, has been moved to the Ministry of Establishments and Training, while the current Commissioner for Establishments, Honourable Segun Olayiwola, will now man the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
The letter indicated that the movements are with immediate effect, as the governor charged the commissioners to continue to discharge their duties with utmost loyalty and commitment to the state.
Oyo State Government, on Saturday, sealed off some houses and shops within the Academy Market, Ibadan over unhygienic practices.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Abiodun Oni said residents and owners of the shop violated environmental laws and failed to comply with the laid down hygienic practices.
Speaking through the Special Adviser on Environment, Engineer Ademola Aderinto, the commissioner said the buildings were sealed off during the ongoing sensitisation and enforcement campaign of the Oyo State government to commemorate this year’s World Clean-up Day.
He said the exercise was done to ensure total compliance with environmental hygiene and prevent the possible outbreak of any disease, pointing out that Environmental Health Officers had earlier visited the affected buildings and told the owners to do the needful but they failed to do so.
One of the sealed buildings
Waste thrown on the roof of one the sealed buildings
The commissioner, who said the affected buildings are responsible for heaps of waste dumped in the market and along the main roads, added that they do not have adequate waste bins for the waste being generated in their compounds.
Also, as part of activities marking this year’s World Clean-up Day, the Oyo State Government and Mottainai Recycling Ltd, recovered Five-thousand, One-hundred and seventy (5, 170) kilograms of plastic wastes in the clean-up activities carried out in the Academy Community market in Ibadan.
The team also recovered One Thousand, One Hundred (1,100) kilograms of cartons from the market.
According to Mr Aderinto, the exercise, which was carried out in conjunction with Waste Management Authority in the State and Mottainai Recycling Ltd, was also used to sensitize and educate market women on how a waste-free environment can foster better customer relations and increase sales.
He also appealed to residents to key into the Oyo State Government’s environmental blueprint.
“Marketplaces are by nature unkempt with practices that are harmful to the ecosystem, but Oyo State Government believes that with continuous sensitisation and enforcement, we can make the traders understand the importance of a neat location for business”, Aderinto said.
Speaking on the campaign, Managing Director, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, Mr Adey Adewuyi explained that the initiative was borne out of the need to ensure Oyo State is clean.
Mr Adewuyi who spoke through the Chief Sustainability Officer, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, Ms Deborah Fadeyi said, “We are commemorating the World Clean-up Day in a very unconventional way, with the market people.” “We are here to show them how waste can be turned into wealth”.
Also speaking on the campaign, the Chief Operating Officer, Mottainai Recycling Ltd, Ms Oluwaseun Fashukanmi explained that besides drawing the attention of the public to the immense financial opportunities of waste recycling, the public also needs to be aware of the threats of waste and pollution to human life and the survival of the ecosystem.
Oyo State government says from Friday 5th November 2021 indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roadsides, waterways, drainages and other open spaces will attract stiffer penalties.
A statement by the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Abiodun Oni, notes that the recalcitrant attitude of residents towards waste disposal necessitated the action, stressing that the era of indiscriminate dumping of refuse and open defecation has come to an end.
The statement reiterates that perpetrators would be sanctioned and dealt with according to the environmental laws of the state.
The commissioner further emphasized that the Ministry of Environment would be working in tandem with the Environmental Task Force to sanction all offenders while also admonishing residents particularly traders and roadside users to make use of waste bins and make prompt payment of the disposal of their wastes through the designated government’s account.
The statement admonishes residents to key into the vision of ensuring zero tolerance to a filthy and unhealthy environment which would go a long way in eliminating environmental nuisance, the spread of communicable diseases that may cut short individuals lives, epidemic and havoc in the state.
“In as much as there was no corresponding adherence to the guidelines of proper waste disposal in the state, the government has no other option than to embark on enforcement on waste control and other environmental regulations adding that the government was not aimed at witch-hunting anyone but to secure the safety of lives and properties of the citizens”.
“It is part of residents civic responsibility in ensuring a clean and safe environment, not only will it attract investors that will boost the economy in the state but also prevent against any avoidable man-made destruction” the statement adds.
Consequently, considering the pacesetting status of Oyo State, Mr. Oni further urged residents to constantly strive to be pacesetting in safe environmental practices and to always ensure that they support the efforts of the government in ensuring a clean and safe environment for all inhabitants of Oyo State.
Oyo State Deputy Governor, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan has led the state delegation on a condolence visit to the family of the State Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Kehinde Ayoola who died on Thursday morning.
The Deputy Governor while condoling with the wife of the deceased, Professor Olukemi Ayoola, described the demise of Ayoola as a great loss to the state.
Representative of Oyo State Governor, his deputy, Engr Rauf Olaniyan signing the condolence register during the condolence visit to the Late family of Commissioner of Environment and Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola in Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.
Representative of Oyo State Governor, his deputy, Engr Rauf Olaniyan (right) and the widow, Prof Olukemi Ayoola during the condolence visit to the Late family of Commissioner of Environment and Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola in Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government
Representative of Oyo State Governor, his deputy, Engr Rauf Olaniyan (middle); his wife, Prof Amudalat Olaniyan (second right); Head of Service, Alhaja Ololade Agboola (right) and the widow, Prof Olukemi Ayoola during the condolence visit to the Late family of Commissioner of Environment and Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola in Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.
From left, Representative of Oyo State Governor, his deputy, Engr Rauf Olaniyan; his wife, Prof Amudalat Olaniyan and the widow, Prof Olukemi Ayoola during the condolence visit to the Late family of Commissioner of Environment and Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola in Ibadan. PHOTO: Oyo State Government.
Engineer Olaniyan said late Ayoola was never a dormant member of the state executive but a resourceful and active contributor during state executive meetings.
The deputy governor lamented that Mr Ayoola died when Governor Makinde and his team were trying to reshape and reset Oyo state from where they met it.
Responding on behalf of the family, the son of the deceased, Beel’Oluwawi Ayoola appreciated the government delegation for the visit.
The Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Olubanwo Adeosun, Head of Service, Mrs Amidat Agboola and the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Taiwo Adisa were part of the delegation that paid the visit.
Meanwhile, the government of Oyo State, on Friday, honoured the late Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Kehinde Ayoola, by flying its flag at half-mast.
Oyo State Flag flown at half mast in mourning of the late Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Hon Kehinde Ayoola
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, gave the directive on behalf of the governor.
The statement further indicated that all state activities were at low-key as a mark of honour to the departed Commissioner.
Oyo State Government has revoked its contractual agreement
with West Africa Energy, due to breach of the contractual terms.
The Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr.
Kehinde Ayoola said the company has failed in its performance under the
contract it signed with Oyo State Government, which is significant enough for
the state to terminate the contract.
The Commissioner cited instances where the state capital,
Ibadan, has experienced unbearable heaps of refuse in the last four weeks,
saying the company has not lived up to expectation in cleaning the city.
Mr. Ayoola said, being the main employer of the contractor,
Oyo State Government has deemed it fit to relieve West Africa Energy of its
duties, so as to ensure efficient waste management in the state.
He assured residents that the state government was taking holistic measures to ensure the state experiences a turn-around in the environmental sector, as well as, creating wealth from waste.
Oyo State Government has appealed to residents in flood prone areas to temporarily relocate to avoid any disaster as government intensifies effort to forestall flood within those areas.
Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr Kehinde Ayoola made the appeal during an inspection exercise to areas of flood scare following yesterday’s downpour.
The commissioner enjoined residents to desist from any act capable of blocking drainage and water channels while assuring that government would put drastic measures in place to abate flood threat in the state.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of
Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Bashir Olarenwaju also urged people to
be proactive in ensuring that property and lives were not lost based on
the report by the Nigeria Hydrological Service Agency (NIHSA), that heavy
down pour should be expected in the state.
Some community leaders and
residents of Olodo, Wofun and environs, appreciated the concern and appealed to
the state government to expedite actions on planned interventions to address
the challenges .
Places visited included
Olodo, Wofun, Kute ,Jerinyin and other suburb within Ibadan metroplolis.
Commissioner for works, Professor Raphael Afonja and officials from the state emergency management agency and other government functionaries were on the inspection tour.
