Makinde’s Ileya Gift: Oyo Workers Receive Subsidized Rams,Rice in Welfare Drive

IBADAN,OYO STATE – In a significant move to alleviate the economic burden on its workforce, the Oyo State Government has commenced the distribution of heavily subsidized festive commodities to civil and public servants ahead of the 2025 Ileya (Eid-el-Kabir) celebration. The initiative, overseen by the state’s Agricultural Credit Corporation, saw 2,500 beneficiaries receive essential food items, including rams and bags of rice, at rates considerably lower than current market prices.

The distribution exercise, held on Saturday at the Agricultural Credit Corporation’s premises in Total Garden, Ibadan, underscores Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration’s commitment to prioritizing the welfare of its employees, particularly during festive periods.

According to Taofeek Akeugbagold, Chairman of the Agricultural Credit Corporation, this latest intervention is part of a broader scheme that has already benefited over 5,000 public workers. He emphasized that the program was necessitated by the recent surge in prices of essential commodities, a challenge faced by many households across the nation.

“Governor Makinde directed the corporation to provide this form of economic relief to workers to ensure they celebrate the festival with ease and joy, despite current economic challenges,” Akeugbagold stated.

Beneficiaries of the scheme will repay the cost of the commodities through a structured repayment plan spread over three months, with deductions made directly from their salaries. This flexible arrangement aims to further ease the financial strain on workers.

The state government has consistently demonstrated its dedication to workers’ welfare. Earlier this year, in January 2025, Oyo State began implementing an N80,000 minimum wage, a significant increase that made it one of the highest-paying state employers in the federation. This is in addition to the consistent payment of salaries on the 25th of each month, pensions, gratuities, and the traditional 13th-month salary.

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Akeugbagold also reaffirmed the corporation’s readiness to expand the scheme in future editions to accommodate more workers, aligning with the government’s broader agenda to promote inclusive economic support and social stability within the state.

Kunle Adeyemo, one of the beneficiaries, expressed profound gratitude to the government for the timely intervention, noting that the initiative would enable his family to “partake in the Ileya celebration in a happy and dignified manner.”

This festive support comes as part of Governor Makinde’s ongoing Sustainable Actions for Economic Recovery (SAfER) initiative, which includes various interventions such as food relief, ease of transportation, and support for farmers and small businesses, all aimed at cushioning the effects of economic challenges on the populace.