A gubernatorial Candidate of People’s Democratic Party in Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde has described Oyo State government policy on agriculture as a ruse which can not guarantee the state self sufficiency in food and cash crops production.
He gave this verdict while hosting party members from across the state who came to congratulate him on his election as the party’s flagbearer.
In a statement issued by his campaign organisation and signed by Prince Dotun Oyelade, the PDP candidate condemned as wasteful, the Agricultural Summit organised by the state government which kicks off in Ibadan today and described it as an irrelevant extravaganza.
The idea of the summit, Makinde said, was borne out of lack of political will and creativity because similar talk shops have taken place at Iseyin, Ibadan and Awe which were heralded with fanfare in the past six years with nothing to show for it.
During past Summit, government promised to provide 3 million jobs through what it called Youth Empowerment in Agric Programme (YEAP) and enhance the status of OkeOgun as the food basket of Oyo State.
Makinde said none of these promises came to reality with the roads in Oke Ogun getting worse and the area suffering neglect like never before. He said it is quite worrisome that the 7 years of APC in the state failed to develop agriculture sector which should be the mainstay of the state Economy.
He argued that instead of spending millions of naira and collecting more from corporate Sponsors which will end up in private pockets, government should have assisted farmers through accessible, payable interest credit facilities and give technical support for production and warehousing.
He said his administration will give heavy financial backing for Agro processing targeting the youths and build processing clusters in the three senatorial districts in the state and resuscitate moribound extension services.
