As part of efforts to support students and improve their mobility, the Oyo State Government has handed over electric bikes to student bodies across the state.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, held on Friday, Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, charged the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items and sustain the partnership between the government and the student community.
Governor Makinde, represented at the event by his Senior Special Assistant on Students’ Affairs, Victor Olojede, said the intervention was part of the administration’s commitment to supporting students and improving their welfare.
Olojede noted that the state government had been supporting the student community through various interventions, stressing that the electric bikes should be regarded as a privilege approved by the government for students to benefit from, rather than an entitlement.
He urged the beneficiaries to appreciate the gesture and continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with the government on initiatives capable of advancing the interests and welfare of students across the state.
He also appealed to the community to continue to support the Makinde led-administration, saying sustained cooperation between the government and students would create room for further meaningful interventions.
Speaking on behalf of the students, the Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Students’ Joint Campus Council, Oyo State Axis, Uthman Abdulazeez, lauded the state government for the initiative and its various interventions targeted at students.
Abdulazeez said the provision of the electric bikes would contribute to addressing some of the transportation and mobility challenges faced by students, particularly those who require easier movement in the course of their academic activities.
He also called for continued engagement between the government and student leaders to identify other areas where interventions could further improve the welfare and academic experience of students in the state.
Also speaking at the ceremony, the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the Accord Party, Open Salawu, urged the students not to take opportunities aimed at improving their welfare for granted.
Salawu encouraged the students to take an active interest in the future of the country, saying they had a responsibility to contribute to shaping the society they would eventually inherit.
“Let us not take our future for granted. We must take the future of the country into our own hands,” he said.
He commended the state government for providing buses and other equipment for students, describing the interventions as examples of what could be achieved when people entrusted with leadership positions prioritised the needs of young people.
Salawu said the provision of such facilities demonstrated that similar interventions could be achieved by individuals given the opportunity to serve, urging the students to recognise the importance of leadership and responsible citizenship.
He further urged the beneficiaries to recognise the value of the items and use them responsibly for the benefit of the wider student community.
The ceremony brought together government officials, local government chairmen, student leaders and other key stakeholders in educational matters.
