Oyo Hasn’t Learnt from 2015 Fiscal Crisis, APC Chieftain Laments

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Mr. Abisoye Fagade yesterday decried the failure of the state governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde to learn form the fiscal crisis necessitated by global economic meltdown.

Fagade, also the Founder of ‘Oyo Si Maa Dun’ Foundation, said the state was blessed with untapped gold mines waiting to be explored by any government that is ready to improve the economy and quality of lives of the residents of the state.

He made these remarks while speaking with THISDAY in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday, lamenting that Makinde and his predecessors to the development of key sectors of the economy of the state.

Fagade pointed out that he thought that the present administration would take a cue from the ugly experience of 2015 when the state government found it extremely difficult to pay workers salaries due to cash crunch necessitated by global economic meltdown.

He said: “Nigeria at that time was badly affected because we had always run a mono-cultural economy which was crude oil sales-dependent. Meanwhile, some states such as Lagos and Ogun in the South West were able to weather the storm because they could fall back on resources coming from international trade opportunities.

“Overtime, a state like Ogun was able to plan ahead. Today, it is better for it. Details of how they do it cannot be shared here but I can say it unequivocally that Oyo can also boast of this same opportunities. The question is: why has it been difficult for successive administrations to look at this direction?”

He, therefore, observed that the enormity of comparative advantage in agribusiness, cultural tourism, road transport and other sectors of the economy, which Oyo has over Lagos and Ogun States cannot be overemphasized.

Just last week, Fagade explained that he attracted a good population of eminent personalities to Ibadan for the final burial programme of his late mother.