Subsidy removal: Oyo begins second phase of SAfER Intervention
By Stephen Gbadamosi
The Oyo State government began the second phase of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) Intervention in the state with distribution of foodstuff across all local government areas, provision of easy-to-access loans for small entrepreneurs and provision of inputs for farmers, among other initiatives.
According to a statement signed and given to journalists by the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the exercise was in continuation of the SAfER plan of the Oyo State government.
Oyelade said the exercise was in fulfillment of Governor Seyi Makinde’s promise to soften the hardship on the citizens as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.
The commissioner quoted the governor as having directed interest groups, the 33 council chairmen and their councilors to demonstrate integrity in the distribution of the foodstuff and ensure that it cut across political tendencies.
The state government, in the statement, also warned the coordinators of the food distribution exercise to ensure that the foodstuff got to the less privileged and vulnerable people in the state.
The government spokesperson added that the exercise was going on smoothly all over the state, “as targetted beneficiaries were seen carrying bags of the different food items in orderly manner.”
Oyelade seized the opportunity to reiterate that the state had begun the process of distribution of free Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) loan forms simultaneously from seven microfinance banks in the state.
Prince Oyelade said as of was the last time, the second phase saw the distribution of another 25 per cent of the 200,000 promised by the governor, “which means that at the conclusion of the second phase in a few days, 100,000 bags of rice, beans and other food items would have been distributed.”
He reiterated that on the whole, Oyo State government had earmarked 20,000 of the 200, 000 SAfER food items for personnel of security apparatus, media houses and a few other considered groups.
According to the commissioner, what Oyo State does differently was that other critical areas that would reduce hardship on the people were being addressed side-by-side with the food distribution.
“For instance, small scale enterprises, under the supervision of the commissioner for budget and economic planning, Professor Musibau Babatunde, is empowering traders, artisans and other small business owners with N500 million as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of subsidy removal on the residents of the state.
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“The forms are free and can be collected in the following microfinance banks: Full Range Microfinance Bank, Iwo Road, Ibadan; Isale Oyo Microfinance Bank, Oyo town; Excel Microfinance Bank, Eruwa; NUT Oke Bola Microfinance Bank, Oke Ado, Ibadan; Caretakers MicroFinance Bank, Caretaker, Ogbomoso; and Kadupe Microfinance Bank, Shaki; Ebedi Microfinance Bank, Iseyin,” he said.
The commissioner stressed that the loan exercise, which is for low and medium scale entrepreneurs, would cost the state government the sum of N500 million.
On food security, the state government, he said, would commence the first phase of food security through the distribution of grains and feeds to poultry farmers this week.
“According to the commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, Olasunkanmi Olaleye, who heads the sub-committee, this will cater for 1,000 poultry farmers, for a start. A total of N1 billion has been earmarked for farmers and beneficiaries of the Youth Entrepreneurship in Agribusiness Project (YEAP) and the loans can be easily accessed,” he said.
Oyelade added that all these were in fulfillment of Governor Makinde’s promise that the SAfER Intervention would go beyond mere distribution of foods to the populace.
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