From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
In a bid to stem the spate of rural-urban migration, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has introduced some measures that have been checking the menace successfully, especially for rural dwellers that have tendencies of probably becoming nuisance in the urban centres.
The Executive Assistant to the governor on Administration and General Services, Rev’d Idowu Ogedengbe, made the disclosure when he hosted the management team of MAX NG, Yamaha  and Moto Business Service Nigeria Limited (MBSN) at the Governor’s Office, Secretariat, Ibadan, yesterday.
According to him, the present administration is committed to achieving an even development of all the zones in the state, through infrastructural developments and human capital development. The major zones on the state are Ibadan with 11 local governments, Oke-Ogun with 10 councils, Ogbomoso with five councils, Oyo with four councils,  and Ibarapa with three councils.
Ogedengbe enjoined Max NG to key into the effort of the present administration towards achieving an accelerated and even development of the state, as the company has been diversifying into other areas, like electric motor vehicle leasing in addition to its motorcycle and tricycle leasing businesses. He charged the company to extend its operational base and coverage area beyond Ibadan, the state capital, with a view to complementing the effort of the present administration.
His words: “We want to stem the spate of rural urban migration in the state by taking development to every nook and cranny of Oyo State. When our young people in other zones outside of Ibadan are able to be productively engaged, by having means of livelihood, for example through the transport sector and other sectors of our economy, their proclivity towards moving to Ibadan will significantly be curtailed
“We also want to ensure that our young people are able to have modern technical skills that will enable them to repair any of the Yamaha products in the market by being trained under the Yamaha Technical Academy in addition to the training of drivers under the Yamaha Drivers Academy.”
Ogedengbe stated further that Yamaha should favourably consider having  a plant, where it could manufacture spare parts domestically without having to import every small equipment needed for the maintenance of the various vehicle products. This, he said, would be an added advantage to the establishment of the company’s Motorcycle and Tricycle Assembly Plant in the state.
“We must seek to reduce our reliance on importation, especially where production of materials could be achieved within the country. Our huge importation bill has been a major factor affecting the value of the naira. We would therefore need Yamaha and other companies to seek ways on how we can stem this negative trend,” he said.
The team leader for MAX, Yamaha, and MBSN, Mr. Adetayo Bamiduro, earlier in his address, said the team would collaborate with the state government in creating mass awareness of government policies as well as in the training and re-training of drivers, technicians, and operators in the transportation sector. The company, he stated, would introduce electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and motor vehicles towards promoting a more eco-friendly environment.