Oyo To Build Parking Lots For Tanker Drivers

In its bid to address the dangers caused by indiscriminate parking of fuel tankers within the Ibadan metropolis, particularly on the highways, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has disclosed that his administration would build parking lots for tanker drivers in the state.

The governor who disclosed this while receiving a delegation of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), who paid him a courtesy visit at the Governor's Office in Ibadan, said the parking spaces would curb traffic jams on the highways.

He pledged his administration's support to the union through the provision of logistics that would boost the economy, curb oil spillages and pilfering and reduce the health hazard associated with oil spillages, adding that two more buses would be presented to the union very soon.

Governor Ajimobi hailed the collaborative efforts of the union, saying these have helped to boost the socio-economic development of the state. The National President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, Otunba Salmon Akanni, commended Governor Ajimobi for his cooperation with the union through the provision of two new buses to monitor the NNPC right of way from Mosinmi Depot to Ibadan. He said the gesture has helped a lot in curbing pipeline vandalism, stressing that there has been free flow of petroleum products to the Ibadan depot. Governor Ajimobi was later presented with the NUPENG Special Award of Excellence for his outstanding performance as the ``Governor of the Pacesetter State''.

Not relenting in the fight against the use of illicit drugs in the state, Ajimobi has directed the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to embark on the mobilisation of the 33 local governments against cannabis cultivation in rural communities.

He spoke at the destruction of drug exhibits by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Ibadan. The governor said his administration would partner the agency to provide a rehabilitation centre for narcotic users.

According to him, the provision of the centre has become necessary because rehabilitation is a form of prevention since it forestalls further infection of others in the society with the ugly habit.

The exercise, which took place at Akilapa village on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, witnessed the burning of 14,624.664 kg. of cannabis sativa, 69g of cocaine, 603.50g of heroin and 7.050kg of psychotropic substances.

Governor Ajimobi reiterated his commitment to the improvement of the lives of his people, especially in the areas of health, security and their general well-being, stressing that this had necessitated government directly or indirectly preventing drug abuse and trafficking.

He said his administration had always collaborated with and supported the state command of NDLEA in its operations, leading to the donation of one Toyota Hillux bus to assist it in its operations.

 ``Oyo State has one of the most functional drug abuse control committees in the federation and government empowers the committee to execute its mandate. In this regard, the last June 26th United Nations anti-drugs day was the most colourful of its kind ever held,''Ajimobi added.

 He said the Ministry of Education had been partnering NDLEA to train teachers on infused drug abuse prevention education, adding that government had also provided funds for the Ministry of Information to collaborate with the agency in embarking on a grassroots sensitisation campaign.

Governor Ajimobi attributed the increased carnage on the highways to the involvement of motorcyclists and commercial drivers in drug abuse. He said something must be done urgently to prevent drug abuse among youths in view of the danger it posed.

Ajimobi praised the Chairman/Chief Executive of NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade, for his resolve to rid the country of illicit drugs.

He called on all and sundry, especially parents and guardians, to perform their responsibilities towards their children and wards, stressing that teachers should also monitor their students/pupils and the churches/mosques their congregation.

Alhaji Giade said drug control was a share responsibility, which must be embraced by everybody. He urged royal fathers, teachers, opinion leaders, parents, corporate organisations and individuals to support the anti-drug campaign.

Alhaji Giade, who had earlier paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ajimobi, thanked him for the approval of the construction of the rehabilitation centre for drug addicts.

He said the spirit of synergy among security organisations being promoted by the governor through joint operations, had led to the dismantling of drug cells in the state.

The Oyo State Commander of NDLEA, Mrs. Omolade Faboyede, disclosed that within the last two months, the command had destroyed large acres of cannabis farm in Ona-Ara, Oluyole and Akinyele local governments.

 Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Oyo State Public Works Department, Engineer Taiwo Akintola, has attributed the free flow of traffic in Ibadan and other parts of the state to the massive road rehabilitation, construction of bridges and the urban renewal programme of the Governor Ajimobi administration.

Akintola, who made this known on an NTA interview programme, ``Ex-ray'', said the good road network in major towns and cities in the state had helped in resolving the traffic jam that used to characterise the state.

``If you look at the traffic situation in Oyo State today, you will discover that we have resolved it through the creation of good road network and this is due to the efforts of Governor Ajimobi as he knows what it means to have a free flow of traffic,'' he said.

The Director-General lauded the governor for his determination and commitment towards implementing his vision of bringing rapid development to all the nooks and crannies of the state.

“what you are seeing today is not an issue of `we came to government, we saw money and we are spending it'. Rather, it is planning that has direction and purpose. We all have seen the newly-constructed Mokola flyover bridge; we have seen how effective that simple solution has been to the traffic situation at that point,'' he said.

Akintola said the present administration has dualised roads in Ibadan, Oyo, Iseyin, Ogbomoso, while road construction work is still going on in other areas of the state.