People’s Democratic Party, PDP, gubernatorial aspirant in Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde has challenged Governor Abiola Ajimobi to name at least 10 of the 36 foreign companies which he claimed have been attracted to the state through the efforts of his administration in the last seven years to justify the huge public fund wasted on over 57 foreign trips the governor had embarked on to UK, US, Middle East and Scandinavian countries ostensibly to woo foreign investors.
Ajimobi, has in a statement to mark this year’s Democracy Day and 7th year in office, listed a number of achievements but Makinde said his painstaking research reflects the very opposite of the governor’s claims as most medium and small scale industries have closed down due to unfavourable business climate in the last seven years.
In a statement issued by his organisation and signed by Prince Dotun Oyelade, Makinde debunked as straight forward lies, the claim that 4000 Oyo State indigenes were employed by the fairy tale 36 companies and that N22.46bn direct foreign investment was recorded.
According to the release, “government is exposing itself to ridicule if unsubstantiated claims are made when the masses who should feel the direct impact of such magnitude are wondering if the governor was talking about another state.
“How come that N22.46bn was infused into the state economy and 4000 of our people were employed and government kept quiet either in budgetary conversations or the numerous fora available to it,” the statement added.
He went further: “The claim of floating a N50bn Health Fund and Insurance Scheme is equally ridiculous as the latter can aptly be described as adding salt to injury because the civil servants whose money are being deducted have no access to basic healthcare services in contrary to the objective of the scheme. He pointed out that the government should come out to say how much was realised and how has it been used to upgrade our healthcare system which is in tatters.”
Makinde said ” I think the people of Oyo State are being governed by academic politicians who have no clue as to what the people need. ”
He advised the APC government to stop taking people for granted as there is a limit to what masses can take.
