By Dipo Olowookere
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism of Oyo State, Mr Wasiu Olatunbosun, has said the state is on the verge of economic redemption.
Mr Olatunbosun said this when he appeared in an interview on King’s FM, Ibadan, the state capital, recently.
According to him, the state governor, Mr Seyi Makinde, has put in place strategies to achieve this goal, noting that the state governments needed the cooperation of the residents to make it a reality in the shortest possible time.
The Commissioner said all that the people of the state need to do is to put aside their faith, political and ethnic affiliations and forge a common front towards defeating various forms of criminal activities that pose serious threats to the state.
Mr Olatunbosun said insecurity will chase away investors from Oyo State, emphasising that unless this issue was collectively and roundly tackled, development and peace would be threatened.
He warned those who have vowed to threaten the peaceful coexistence in the state and cause crisis in the state, saying the state government has started tackling insecurity challenges headlong.
“As a state, we need prayers particularly at this time where we are facing a lot of challenges especially insecurity,” the Commissioner said on the radio show.
Speaking further on the state government’s architecture to curb insecurity, Mr Olatunbosun asserted that efforts have been made to engage non-state actors and relevant stakeholders, including all religious leaders whose roles in ensuring peace returns to the state cannot be overemphasized.
He, therefore, appealed to residents of the state to be involved in the overhauling of security architecture by reporting criminal elements within their communities and vicinity.
On health, Mr Olatunbosun said the Oyo State government was making concerted efforts to establish primary health centres at each ward in the state before 2023.
While he added that the State Government is presently rehabilitating hospitals, the Commissioner also assured residents of the Soka area in Ibadan that government will ensure speedy completion of the abandoned community health centre.
