Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, joined his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde, yesterday to inaugurate the Ojoo and Challenge Bus Terminals in Ibadan.
Governor Obaseki, who was the special guest of honour, commended Makinde for delivering the two massive bus terminals among many others, despite the economic challenges in the country.
He congratulated Makinde for standing firm by his people, saying that the people of the state will appreciate the governor when it is time.
The Edo State helmsman equally hailed the people of the state for supporting Makinde, noting that Governor Makinde is very passionate about the development of Oyo State.
Obaseki said: “Coming here today to see that my brother, His Excellency ‘Seyi Makinde, is inauguration of two bus terminals and the quality of the structure, I am very proud of you.
“I am also surprised about how you got this land, because during my days at the University of Ibadan, I used to go to IITA and I did not know you can get a big land like this here let alone building a good structure like this. We are truly proud of you.
“Listening to you speak a few minutes ago, I said to myself that, indeed, Nigeria still has hope. When we have people like you in government – people who make decisions not on emotions but on data and facts, people who make decisions that affect the majority of the people – we have hope.”
He added that the project is pro-people adding that available statistics show that the total capacity of all airports in Nigeria is less than 41,000 passengers in a day. But that the bus terminals built by Makinde in Ibadan alone will take more than 50,000 people.
So, it is about our people. The purpose of politics and government is to cater for the masses you are elected to govern,” he said.
Speaking further, Obaseki noted that Governor Makinde has done well, saying:
“You have indeed done well and I pray that God will give you the strength to continue well. From what I have seen here today, I know the people of Ibadan are appreciative of this wonderful feat. Oyo people are appreciative people and they know what to do when the time comes.”
Governor Makinde maintained that the Bus Terminal projects mark a new dawn in the transport system of Oyo State.
He explained that the terminals will promote tourism and enhance the socio-economic development of the state.
He said that in his quest to engineer a modern Oyo State, his government had always relied on data, science and logic, saying that data showed that it was time to build a modern alternative to the existing transport system in Oyo State.
The governor added that his administration is committed to redefining good governance in the state with each project being commissioned, reiterating that his government will always ensure that the state gets value for its money.
According to Governor Makinde, the terminals will be managed through the public-private-partnership system and in a sustainable manner.
He said: “Today is an exciting day, and I am delighted to be here, joined by my brother, His Excellency, Governor Godwin Obaseki. I want to especially thank His Excellency for journeying down from Edo State to be with us on this day as we commission two of the four bus terminals that we embarked on building about two years ago.
“One of the things we knew Ibadan needed when we came into office was an effective transportation system. I remember how we went round and spoke to you, the good people of Oyo State, in 2019, just after we came into office. We made a case for having to demolish some buildings around here, and I thank you for listening to us then.
“We could not have accomplished any of these things without your support.
“Of course, not everyone saw the big picture as we did. In fact, some people said the project was a misplaced priority, and they created lists of other projects that they thought we should have prioritised. Well, we knew better because, in our quest to engineer a modern Oyo State, we always relied on data, science, and logic.
“The data showed that it was time to build a modern alternative to the existing transport system in Oyo State. Oyo State receives heavy traffic from all over the country.
“By virtue of its location, Ibadan has always been that town where travellers can layover either on their way out of the South-West or into the South-West. The data said it was time to build on that comparative advantage and science supported the data.
“Oyo State has traditionally been a nodal region, and that geographical fact is not going to change. If anything, the growth in the population of Nigeria was going to further support the need to turn our comparative advantage into a competitive advantage. And when science and data align, logic always follows.
“We knew that we needed funds to carry out some of the other projects we were embarking on. “Federal allocations had been dwindling over the years. We needed reliable ways to ensure that the state’s Internally Generated Revenue remained stable and grew enough to support further development.
“So, we invested in projects that could yield returns into the state coffers, such as the rehabilitation of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, the ongoing Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hubs, and these bus terminals, which we are commissioning today.
“These terminals are not just about boarding buses. What we have done here is build a standard bus terminal that can be obtained anywhere in the world. This is why it comes equipped with amenities that will support economic activities and tourism. We are building a legacy.
“The inauguration of these two bus terminals at Challenge and Ojoo marks a new dawn in transport systems in Oyo State.”
Governor Makinde, who restated his administration’s commitment to redefining good governance in the state, maintained that each project commissioned by his government has successfully raised the bar of governance.