Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, on Friday, promised the readiness of his administration to partner with an international service organisation, the Lions Club, in checking paediatric cancer, hunger, diabetes, vision impairment and protection of environment.

He disclosed this when he received members of the Lions Club District 404-B1, covering Lagos, Ogun and Oyo State on courtesy call in Ibadan ahead of the installation of Mr. Lekan Babalola as District Governor for District 404-B1 in Lagos, onSaturday.

Babalola, in his address, said the club was on the visit to solicit government’s support for its project such as an outreach to at least 10,000 people living with diabetes, free cataract surgery and distribution of eyeglasses, cornel transplant, eradication of hunger, protection of environment, reduction of paediatric cancer.

Governor Ajimobi, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Dr. Gbade Ojo, stated that “all over the world, there is no society or any human collectivity, where government alone can provide everything that we want. So, I can assure you that Oyo State Government will willingly partner with Lions Club.

“One thing that marks out the developed society with the developing ones like ours is the fact that the rich amongst us are not sufficiently giving back to the society. It is either they are evading tax, or they don’t have the required milk of human kindness.

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“When you look at foundations in Europe and America like Ford Foundation and several others, they have gone far in taking care of people.

“Also, a number of former American presidents have global foundations,  through which they either combat malaria, guinea worm or other health conditions.

“So, the rich among us need to do more people either by joining the Lions Club or whatever other ways. If they join such organisations, they will donate more in taking care of the society.

“No doubt, at all levels of government, we need more influence and appearances of non-state actors. While the society is hungry for infrastructural provisions, which the government alone cannot provide, non-state actors are supposed to fill that gap so that we can live in a better society.”