A statement signed by the state’s Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Professor Raphael Afonja, on Sunday noted that the government  would bring the full weight of the law to bear on anyone caught disturbing peace and order in the state.

The government further called on the residents of the state to ignore the empty threats by leaders of the suspended union and go about their lawful businesses, noting that the state government and all the security agencies in the state remained alert and on top of the security situation.

The government maintained that though the leaders of the NURTW might have misinterpreted the Park Management System, which is aimed at rebranding the management of motor parks in the state, it would not sit idly and watch some individuals threaten the peace of the state.

The statement reads in part: “The attention of the Honourable Commissioner for Public Works and Infrastructure, Professor Raphael Afonja has been drawn to a video that has gone viral in the last 24 hours, in which some members of the banned Oyo State Chapter of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) were seen threatening to unleash violence in the state.

“It has come to the knowledge of the Ministry that a number of commentators and some of those who were seen threatening mayhem have misinterpreted the initiative that has yielded the planned rebranding of the Motor Parks in the State under the aegis of the Park Management System(PMS) introduced by the current administration in Oyo State.

“The Ministry therefore wishes to place on record that the government of the day in Oyo State will not open its eyes and allow unwarranted activities threaten the peace of the good people of Oyo State.

“The Ministry wishes to urge the peace-loving residents of the state to go about their lawful duties without fear and intimidation.

“Let it, however, be known to any agents of violence or purveyours of trouble that the state would not hesitate to deal decisively against any threat of violence within the ambits of the law.
“Those seeking to throw the state into confusion have been at it for a long while with the series of traps that have continued to fail.

“It should also be noted that the laws of the land, including the Anti-Terrorism Act, fully and clearly denominate acts of violence and threats to instigate the same. Those who stand accused of accessories after the facts of treason and Treasonable felony are in no way excusable under the law.

“The Ministry would therefore urge everyone who do business around the Motor Parks in Oyo State to continue to abide by the laws of the land. Anything to the contrary would bring the full weight of the law to bear on the accused.”
The statement further explained that new Park Management Systems (PMS) initiative, apart from being introduced to sanitise the poor state of the parks across the state, would also assist in boosting the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and also provide employment to the teaming youths across the state who would be recruited by the Park Managers.

“In another breath, the Ministry wishes to bring to the notice of the residents and the good people of Oyo State that the new Park Management Systems (PMS) that the initiative is aimed at sanitising the poor state of the parks spread around the state.

“Besides being a way of boosting the State’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the PMS will also provide employment to the teaming youths across the state who would be recruited by the Park Managers.

“The fear of job loss by those currently involved in the Park systems is unfounded because every able-bodied, and law-abiding person willing to contribute to the proper management of the parks would be gainfully engaged.

“The Honourable Commissioner also wishes to reiterate the ban on activities of the NURTW at the Parks in the state, pending the resolution of the Union’s internal conflicts.”

The post ‘Foment trouble, go to jail’, Makinde tells  NURTW members first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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The call, which was made through the State Commissioner for Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation, Professor Raphael Afonja at a meeting with Directors of Works of the thirty-three Local Government areas in the State on Wednesday, reinstated the administration’s poise to make quality road construction a culture in the State for sustainability.

“The government has called for the submission of list of roads that need urgent repair or reconstruction in each local government, so as to make lives of the people at the rural communities meaningful and reduce urban drift as good road network in each community will aid commerce and empower the populace.

The post Oyo: Makinde Calls For List of Community Roads For Urgent Repair first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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Prof. Afonja disclosed this while speaking with newsmen after an inspection of the Oyo-Iseyin road for a detailed assessment necessitated by the rising complaints from the public.

The Commissioner noted that  it was impossible for the State to fix the road because of paucity of funds,  saying that the federal government has declared that it has stopped reimbursing States for such purpose.

“We are currently working on the Moniya-Iseyin road which also needs prompt attention, on Iseyin-Oyo road, we have been monitoring public outcry on this road and the State does not have much financial muscle to embark on reconstruction of Oyo-Iseyin road now. Our concern is on Moniya-Iseyin road.

“The federal government recently announced that it was not refunding States that constructed federal roads, you know Oyo State had done that and we have not been refunded yet, so we cannot expend fund on that road.

“We can only work on having a more efforts on lobbying to attract federal government attention to the road among other federal roads in the State for maintenance and reconstruction,” he said.

He asserted  that the State government would open a channel of communication with the federal government to ensure that roads in Oyo State make the priority list of those the Federal Government intended to fix soon.

He added that the State would also reach out to the State representatives at the National Assembly to ensure that they guarantee that some of the federal roads that were death traps were added to the priority list of the federal government.

The post Oyo Govt To Lobby FG On Rehabilitation Of Oyo-Iseyin Road first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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