Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has rolled out palliative measures to mitigate the rise in the cost of living caused by the petrol subsidy removal by the federal government.
In a statewide broadcast, the governor shared what he called “short-term plans which will play a huge role in alleviating the effects of the removal of fuel subsidy and the resultant economic difficulties being faced by our people”.
Governor Makinde said he had given directives that the number of government buses on various routes in Ibadan, the capital city, should be increased while commuters would enjoy the reduced fares.
He further said he has made consultations and taken decisions that will benefit Oyo residents, adding that the government decided to use “economic packages to stimulate the state’s economy and bring about sustainable development”.
“Therefore, the Oyo state government has resolved to take the following actions tagged sustainable actions for economic recovery (SAfER),” he said.
“Our SAfER package will ensure a softer landing for the poorest of the poor and the most vulnerable in our society.
“It will also address the need for food security through direct intervention to our farmers. Additionally, we shall be making provisions that will ease the transportation pains of our civil servants and other residents of Oyo state.”
Makinde said the government has updated the state’s social register to include 200,000 of the “poorest of the poor” who would be provided with immediate food relief packages.
“We will be providing health insurance for 100,000 of our most vulnerable households. We will be paying their one-year health insurance premium under the Oyo State Health Insurance Agency (OYSHIA) scheme so that they have access to quality healthcare without paying out of pocket,” he said.
“The Omituntun bus service will be extended to cover inter-city routes from Ibadan to all other zones of Oyo state. So, we will have the buses going from Ibadan to Ibarapa, Ibadan to Ogbomoso, Ibadan to Oke-Ogun and Ibadan to Oyo.
“The fares will be kept at low rates, while our senior citizens and students will board the buses at half price,” he added.
