We are open to criticism – Makinde

Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde has said his government is not opposed to criticism but such must be constructive so that he could be better.

He also promised adequate and proper maintenance of all medical and health facilities put in place in the bid to fight the novel coronavirus pandemic in the state, post Covid-19.

Makinde made the remarks on Saturday while commissioning an upgraded Agbami Isolation Centre, Jericho, Ibadan.

The Governor, who explained the new facility is to encourage private individuals self-isolate, enjoined residents not to be negligent of the virus or afraid to either take the test or confirm their COVID-19 status because it is not a death sentence.

Makinde said: “This facility was commissioned at the twilight of the last administration before we came in, it was a Tuberculosis (TB) Centre at that, we didn’t know that there will be Covid-19 pandemic but here we are dealing with Covid-19.

“Before the naysayers will go to town and say again that Seyi Makinde is commissioning something they did, well we give you credit for putting this together even though it was commissioned when it wasn’t ready. I came here and went inside, there was nothing, absolute nothing inside.

“Now because we have the pandemic in our hand and we also have high earned individuals in Oyo State that are not comfortable going to Olodo because they want individual room and privacy.

“For those individuals, we know some of you have aged parents at home and because we have to give concession for such individuals to self isolate at home and monitor them, now we don’t have to do much of that anymore. With facilities here you can self isolate privately, just drive in, we will give you the treatment and we will ensure that you don’t infect others, once you have been properly manage you will go back to various homes.

“I battled COVID-19, so it is not a death sentence and it is not something to be ashamed of. The virus is here with us and it will be here for some times to come it is not going to disappear two or three weeks from now, so we have to learn to live with it. So, if any of us is sick, we have the facilities, we have taken the opportunity of COVID-19 to strengthen our health care facilities.

“So, if COVID-19 is no longer here our facilities will remain, we will maintain them, it is no big deal that anyone tested positive to Covid-19. You don’t need to go and hide at private hospitals where they don’t really have the facilities and also the resources, the personnel to ensure that you access to adequate care.

“This has been upgraded now, we have oxygen concentrator here, you will get the type of care that you truly deserved. If you look at where we are coming from it is a really challenging environment because when we started the year we had high hope but now we have to sheave off almost 35 percent of our budget for the year simply because we are facing the pandemic and we are also facing the economic meltdown, but in spite off all of that with the support of the good people of Oyo State we have been able to keep moving on.

“So, we did not take that support for granted, keep criticizing us, this criticizing you are doing but let it be constructive criticism. Anything we are doing and you think we can do better bring it up and we will make a necessary action.”