Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that times are hard and Nigerians are currently hungry and angry.
Makinde made this declaration on Wednesday while performing the ground-breaking ceremony for the upgrading of Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport, Alakia, Ibadan, to international standards.
The governor, while addressing the gathering, said that his government will not implement policies that will increase the hardship the citizens are facing currently.
Makinde affirmed that his government had paid due compensation to landowners in Ajia who lost their property to the new Air Force Base being constructed in the area.
He said: “We took an important decision yesterday at the Executive Council Meeting. We know times are hard and Nigerians are hungry and angry. But I hope this will not boil over. But in Oyo State, we have control over what we can do here.
“I can see that the House has passed the Presumptive Tax Bill. Yes, it came from us because if we need to expand the economy, we need to generate money. I will sign it into law but we will not implement it for now.
“Let me especially thank the members of the committee who worked on the project in the last six weeks to make it possible for the official groundbreaking ceremony to take place today.
“Some people do not think that upgrading this airport at this time is a good idea, but the decision to upgrade this airport to international standard is based on data and logic. In the next twelve months, this project will be delivered. I will push the envelope.
“This airport will connect Oyo State to a global market. It will improve ease of doing business, bringing investments into agribusiness, manufacturing and technology sectors and positioning Ibadan as a true regional business hub.”
According to him, it is a strategic investment that includes a first and second phase that will culminate in the upgrading of the airport, the runway, airfield lighting, terminal and other critical facilities.