In order to mitigate the effects of the removal of fuel subsidies and the resultant economic difficulties, the Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has set up a committee for the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER), for the state indigenes and residents.
Disclosing this in a statement on Monday, August 7, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said that the 15-man committee is headed by the Chief of Staff, Hon. Segun Ogunwuyi, while the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Professor Musibau Babatunde, will serve as its Secretary.
Other members of the committee include the Finance Commissioner, Mr Akinola Ojo; Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Barrister Olasunkanmi Olaleye; Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Mr Segun Olayiwola; Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade; and Special Adviser, Labour Matters, Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo.
Others are Senior Executive Assistant, General Duties, Chief Bayo Lawal; Executive Assistant, Finance, Budget & Economic Planning, Alhaji Kolawole Gafar; Executive Assistant, Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (Retired); Senior Special Assistant, Special Duties, Miss Ololade Ajibola; representative of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Bishop Daniel Oluwajimade; representative of the Muslim Community, Alhaji Muniru Ogundipe; representative of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mr Ademola Babalola and representative of the Civil Society Organisations, Mr Jide Bamgbose.
The governor had, during a broadcast on Saturday, August 5, announced the multi-pronged SAfER intervention to ease the economic burden foisted on the people by the subsidy removal.
According to him, “after wide consultations, we have arrived at decisions that we believe will be of the most benefit to the good people of Oyo State. Our SAfER package will ensure a softer landing for the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable. It will also address the need for food security through direct intervention to our farmers.”
Governor Makinde added that in coming up with the interventions, “we considered the importance of using these economic packages to stimulate our economy and bring about sustainable development.”
The SAfER package comes under six major headings viz;
•Transportation – This includes the extension of bus routes, the introduction of inter-city Omituntun buses to link geo-political zones and fare reduction for students as well as the aged.
•Food Relief Package – This focuses on providing over 200,000 poorest of the poor households in the state with food items.
•Food Security – This intervention is aimed at providing input support for 10,000 farmers in the state.
Agropreneurial support – Through this, young agropreneurs under the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP), who have established businesses, would have access to N500 million loan to improve their agricultural enterprises.
•SMEs Stimulation Package – There will be provision of N500 million low interest rate loan for Small and Micro-Enterprises (SMEs), including traders, artisans and other small business operators, in the state through microfinance banks.
•Healthcare support – Under this scheme, the government will be providing health insurance for 100,000 of the most vulnerable citizens. It will also pay their one-year health insurance premium under the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) scheme. In the same vein, the government will pay the health insurance premium for all pensioners under OYSHIA scheme. Any pensioner who has already made payment will be refunded.
