The Oyo State Government has announced that the two intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft it purchased will arrive before the end of July after delays in their assembly by the Chinese manufacturers.
Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, disclosed this in a statement following the State Executive Council meeting. He explained that although the government had hoped to receive the aircraft earlier, the assembly process took longer than initially expected.
Oyelade recalled that shortly after the Oriire school abduction incident, the government confirmed that the aircraft had arrived at the Nigerian Air Force hangar in Ikeja, Lagos, where they were undergoing assembly.
According to him, Governor Seyi Makinde informed the council that he had wished the aircraft had been operational during the rescue mission in Oriire. However, he noted that the government relied on the technical recommendations of the manufacturers before putting the aircraft into service.
The council maintained that prioritising safety and proper technical procedures was more important than yielding to public pressure. The two DA 42 MNG Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft were acquired at a cost of ₦7.76 billion and will be deployed to monitor Oyo State’s borders with Kwara State and the Republic of Benin.
During the meeting, the council also approved several development projects across different sectors.
An interest-free loan of ₦3 billion was approved for a locally owned cassava processing factory in Ado-Awaye. The initiative is expected to benefit more than 25,000 farmers, create employment opportunities and strengthen Oyo State’s cassava production industry.
The government also approved an additional equity investment of ₦2.46 billion for Oyo Sugar and Derivatives Industries Limited in Iseyin to support the commencement of commercial operations at the sugar processing facility. The state had previously invested ₦850 million in the project.
In the infrastructure sector, approval was granted for the construction of the four-kilometre Idi-Igba/Akinmorin Road in Ilora at a cost of ₦2.9 billion to improve economic activities in the area.
The council further approved an additional ₦26.77 billion for the ongoing upgrade of the Samuel Ladoke Akintola Airport. The funds will cover additional engineering works, including runway safety improvements and other supporting infrastructure.
In the healthcare sector, the state approved the implementation of a €55 million healthcare initiative financed through a French loan guaranteed by the Federal Government. The project will fund the construction and equipping of hospitals, including a cardiac centre, emergency and maternity centres, operating theatres, intensive care units, 39 ambulances, 10 dental centres and 200 primary healthcare centres across the state.
The council also approved a take-off grant of ₦200 million for Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) to support the team’s campaign for success in continental football competitions.
