Oyo government approves N100b private bond for road, airport projects, others

State plans to recruit 3,000 as Amotekun corps

The Oyo State Executive Council has approved the issuance of an N100 billion private bond tagged, “Oyo Prosperity Bond,” to facilitate the execution of priority projects for economic development in the state.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun, who disclosed this to journalists in Ibadan after the state’s weekly executive council’s virtual meeting, said that the fund would be raised in two tranches of N50 billion each for the construction of the 50-kilometre Iseyin-Ogbomoso Road, the Ibadan Circular Ring Road and Ibadan Airport upgrade.

The fund, he also said, would cover the development of Ibadan Dry Port and rail corridor that would serve as an economic hub of the state.

The commissioner further stated that the state would construct and upgrade, with modern equipment, one government hospital in each of the three senatorial districts of the state.

The state executive council has also approved the establishment of the Oyo State Development Agency for Socio-Economic Advancement (OYODASA) to give room for the residents of the state to have a better understanding of government’s goals and help establish a shared vision between communities and the state government.

Olatubosun said the purpose of the agency was to boost participation in governance at the grassroots levels, adding that the government will establish offices for the agency in seven zones and in all the local councils.

Meanwhile, the Western Nigeria Security Network, code-named Operation Amotekun, in Oyo State, has received an approval to recruit 3,000 personnel ahead of its formal take-off.

Chairman of the security outfit in the state, Gen. Kunle Togun (rtd), who disclosed this yesterday, said that interested applicants were expected to apply online.

Togun, who was a Director of Military Intelligence and Deputy Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), disclosed that the state had been divided into five zones to ensure effective mobilisation and training of men for the security job.

He said those to be recruited were hunters, vigilante groups and Agbekoya members who are residents in various communities and whose age ranges between 18 and 60.