Arise News Town Hall: APC’s Oyebamiji Pledges to Revamp Agriculture, Education, Health Sectors

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the August 15 Osun State governorship election, Bola Oyebamiji, has pledged to prioritise agriculture, education, healthcare and human capital development if elected governor of the state.

Oyebamiji, who spoke during an Arise News Town Hall programme broadcast live, said his administration would focus on improving the welfare of the people, tackling hunger and poverty, strengthening security and investing in sectors capable of expanding the state’s economic base.

He said his experience in banking, public finance and investment management had equipped him with the expertise required to manage the state’s resources and attract investment.

“I want to invest seriously on agriculture, education, and health. Apart from that, our human assets are very important to us. I’m going to invest in the human assets. We are going to look at their welfare. We are going to increase their welfare. Training is very important. Capital development is very important,” he said.

Pledges Inclusive Approach to Governance
Oyebamiji, a former Commissioner for Finance in Osun State and former Managing Director of the state-owned Osun State Investment Company, said his administration would pursue an inclusive approach to governance, stressing that government should be concerned with the welfare of the entire population rather than particular segments or locations.

“Governance is about people. It’s not about segments. It’s not about an area. It’s not about a city. It’s not about a town. It’s the entirety and the entire people of Osun that I want to serve,” he said.

Agriculture, My Priority
The APC candidate said agriculture would be his top priority because of its potential to drive economic activity, create employment and support industrial development in the state.

Asked which sectors he would prioritise under his prosperity agenda, Oyebamiji said, “I will prioritise agriculture. That’s my number one.”

He said the state could attract investment into agriculture processing and other businesses by creating an environment that encouraged investors to establish enterprises within Osun.

“As an investment banker, it won’t be difficult for me to actually attract funds, work on e-surfing business to attract investors to Osun so that our people can enjoy the dividend of the state,” he said.

Healthcare, Education, Workers’ Welfare to Receive Attention
Oyebamiji also promised to improve the state’s healthcare system, which he said was suffering from inadequate equipment.

“Our health care now is more important in Osun. There is no single MRI. There is no single… Let me just say that there is no such equipment,” he said.

He equally identified education as a major area requiring urgent attention, citing what he described as a shortage of teachers across the state.

“As of today, we have 28,000 deficits of teachers in Osun. And education is just the bedrock of any form of achievement in the world,” he said.

The candidate further pledged to improve the welfare of workers across different sectors, arguing that better conditions of service and training were necessary for effective public service delivery.

To Leverage Banking Experience
Oyebamiji, who spent 28 years in the banking industry before moving into public service, also cited his previous experience managing the Osun State Investment Company as evidence of his capacity to turn around distressed institutions.

He said when he assumed office as managing director of the company, it was moribund and had negative shareholders’ funds of about N300 million, but that he was able to raise the shareholders’ funds to N6 billion before leaving.

He also recalled his tenure as Commissioner for Finance under former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, when he said the state secured N16 billion following an intervention involving funds withheld under the Paris Club debt arrangement.

According to him, he conducted a cash flow analysis and advised the administration on how the funds could be used to address salary and pension obligations.

“I did a cash flow analysis that would bring Osun to us to pay salaries, to pay outstanding pensions. And that is how we started paying full salary until we left the government in 2022,” he said.

High Revenue, Low Performance of Adeleke’s Govt
Oyebamiji also criticised the current administration in the state over its management of increased revenues, contrasting the resources available to the government today with those available during the period he served as commissioner.

He said Osun had received significantly higher allocations in recent years, arguing that the increased revenue should translate into greater investment and improved public services.

“At the time I left the government as a commissioner for finance, I know that our last revenue from Abuja was 3.5 billion. At that time, our wage bill was about 3.7 or 3.8 billion. As of today, the least revenue that is accrued to the state every month is in the region of 17 and 20 billion,” he said.

“Every month to Osun. That is more than enough to take a serious step to have value to invest in so many businesses that can bring in revenue to Osun and to better the life of our people in Osun,” he added.

The APC candidate also said his administration would operate within established institutions, processes and regulations, stressing that governance should be conducted as a serious and accountable enterprise.

“At this point, in governance, it is always about the institution. It is about process. It is about rules. It is about regulations. Whatever is embedded in that process, we are going to abide with it and we are going to work on it,” he said.

Oyebamiji said he would run a transparent and accountable government and ensure that communities across the state benefited from government programmes.

“I’m going to run a very serious business. You know governance is a serious business. And I’m going to give my people serious and rewarding business of governance. I’m going to be transparent. And I’m going to be accountable to my people,” he said.

He also defended his political record and rejected allegations of links to political violence, saying he had consistently relied on security agencies and the courts whenever conflicts arose.

Oyebamiji said his campaign had involved extensive consultations across the state, including engagements with party members, community leaders, artisans, market participants, civil servants and other groups.

He said the consultations had reinforced his belief that the people of Osun were ready for a change in government.

Not Tied to Oyetola’s Apron Strings
The APC candidate also dismissed suggestions that his political activities were being directed by former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, under whom he previously served, saying he had been allowed to conduct his political activities independently.

“I was the one that took that political advocacy to myself,” he said.

Oyebamiji expressed confidence that he would win the governorship election, saying he had received endorsements from several groups across the state.

Asked whether he would congratulate the winner if he lost the election, he did not directly address the possibility of defeat, insisting instead that he was confident of victory.

“I can tell you categorically that by that grace I will win this election,” he said.