The Oyo State Government has appealed to the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) to allow pupils and students return to school and discontinue the disruption of the academic calendar occasioned by recent security concerns in Oriire Local Government Area.
The appeal was made after the State Executive Council meeting held on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade.
Oyelade acknowledged the concerns that prompted the union’s action but urged the NUT to consider the broader implications of prolonged school closures.
“While the reasons for the withdrawal of the students from school by the NUT are understandable, the collateral implications, both social and economic, are raising unintended concerns and should equally be considered by the NUT,” he said.
The commissioner stated that the government was taking strategic steps to ensure the safe resolution of the kidnapping incident in Oriire Local Government and expressed optimism that the matter would soon be brought to a close.
In a major boost to the education sector, the Executive Council approved the release of ₦8.77 billion as the first tranche of funding for the procurement of teaching and learning materials for primary and junior secondary schools across the state. The total project cost stands at ₦23.01 billion.
The textbooks, to be procured in line with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and World Bank-supported programme, will cover Numeracy, Literacy, Mathematics, English Language and Basic Science.
According to Oyelade, successful procurement and distribution of the materials would make Oyo State eligible for a performance-based reward of $2 per student per subject under the programme’s financing arrangement.
The Council also approved a supplementary budget and realignment of the 2026 fiscal plan, increasing the state’s budget from ₦892.09 billion to ₦1.102 trillion to accommodate additional funding requests from ministries, departments and agencies and ensure completion of ongoing projects before the end of the administration.
On trade and investment, the Council approved the payment of $250,000 to support African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) implementation programmes in the state.
Oyelade said the approval followed commendation by the AfCFTA Secretary-General, who praised Governor Seyi Makinde for the progress recorded in implementing the initiative and positioning Oyo State for increased investment opportunities in industrialisation, agribusiness and export-oriented enterprises.
The Executive Council further approved ₦5.91 billion for the implementation of the 2026 work plan of the Health Insurance and Food Security components of the Sustainable Action for Economic Recovery (SAfER) programme.
The commissioner recalled that SAfER was introduced in 2023 to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal and had provided transportation support, food distribution, health insurance for pensioners and assistance to small-scale businesses.
According to him, the Council agreed that the intervention should continue as economic hardship remains a challenge for many residents.
The Council also congratulated Governor Makinde on the qualification of Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) for continental football competition after a 27-year absence. The governor assured that the Lekan Salami Stadium would be ready to host the matches.
