REBECCA AJANI
GOVERNOR Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Monday, announced that his administration had provided N1 billion to compensate victims of police brutality and injustice and for a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises scheme for youths.
The package, according to him, includes an initial deposit of N500 million for MSMEs and another N500 million as compensation to victims of police brutality and injustice.
The governor made the disclosure while addressing traditional rulers, local government chairpersons, security operatives and other stakeholders at a meeting on Monday.
He said the state government would also employ 5,000 youths across the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, in order to address the challenge of youth unemployment in the state.
He added that the state would ensure that the 2021 Budget captured a Direct Labour Agency that would allow youths with prerequisite skills to have access to jobs whenever projects were awarded.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Taiwo Adisa, quoted the governor to have said these at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, while meeting with the traditional rulers, security chiefs, religious leaders and chairmen of the 68 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas.
Some of those in attendance include the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji Aje Ogungunniso1; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, and other traditional rulers across the state; the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Kwara and Delta states, Mr. Dawud Makanjuola; the state’s Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Apostle Joshua Akinyemi; the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Leye Oyebade, and service commanders in the state.
He said apart from the platforms already put out by the government for victims of police brutality to report their experiences, the state would inaugurate the judicial panel of inquiry within the next one week, adding that his government would continue to live up to its mantra of putting the people first.
Makinde expressed sadness at the news of the kidnap of an LCDA chairman, saying the government would do everything within its power to get him freed.
He, however, added that local government chairmen also had work to do within the localities – and quickly too.
