We are not discouraged with results in Education Sector, Makinde says
By Adewale Owoade
Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State says his administration will not be discouraged with the seemingly slow results the state is getting in Education Sector.
Governor Makinde made this known while receiving a Sweden delegation led by the Ambassador of Sweden to Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and ECOWAS, Her Excellency Ms Annika Hahn-Englund, at his Ikolaba residence in Ibadan.
He expressed the readiness of the state to provide necessary support in the areas of education infrastructure and the recruitment of more teachers in order to improve the quality of education.
“As an administration, when we came in in 2019, we put together a roadmap for accelerated development of Oyo State. We focused on four major pillars – Health, Education, Security and also expansion of our economy through agribusiness and development of our infrastructure.
“That was why in my first budget we ensured that we met the UNESCO recommended standard, and since then we’ve tried to improve on that.
“If the result has not been commensurate with the investment, but we are not discouraged, because we know that if we have to treat something that has been on for so many years, we don’t expect that we will get a quick turnaround.
“But surely we know the gap that we have in terms of infrastructure
“I look forward to us having some breakthrough with the discussion we had,” Makinde said.
Speaking to Journalists, Hahn-Englund said the Swedish Government is interested in partnering with and complementing the efforts of Gov. Makinde in developing the state.
She added that Sweden is also ready to learn from Oyo State on ways to better improve the economy.
“The purpose of the visit is looking to possibilities to collaborate with Oyo state. So, with me I have a delegation of Swedish businesses, business in the urban transport sector, renewable energy, agriculture and education.
“These are all areas that we think we can do more together. It was a very good meeting with the governor, am very happy and honored that he made it possible to meet with us,” she said.
Similarly, the Regional Director, West Africa & Transport Industry Lead- Africa, Ms. Anthonia Adenaya Huard, said Nigeria was becoming a major interest of Swedish companies, indicating their
interest in working more with Oyo State in several sectors.
“Nigeria is becoming one of the major interests of Swedish companies in Africa and a major hub for West Africa. We see more and more interest, and for us, it’s not just looking at Nigeria, we are looking at proactive states.
“We are quite interested in working more with Oyo State in several sectors that the State is focusing on, like; sustainable urban transport, renewable energy, agriculture, education, and we have several companies today represented in this areas.
“We are also interested in other areas that we see we can share experiences from Sweden and learn from Oyo state as well on how we can better improve our relationship, trade wise, but also socially and environmentally,” She said.
The Executive Adviser to Gov Makinde on Agribusiness, International Cooperation and Development, Dr Debo Akande, reiterated the effort of Gov Makinde in growing the economy of the state.
“Responsibility of a government is to create enabling environment, develop infrastructure, and bring in right programmes and then allow private sector to drive it.
“This government under Gov Makinde is actually doing all those three.
“This is a big thing for us in the state the more of this, the better it is for the economy of the state and for the growth of the state as well, both at short and long term.
“In my new role as the International Development and corporation adviser for Gov Makinde is why we are bringing all these people,” Akande stated. (NAN)
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