Oyo State governor, ’Seyi Makinde, has explained that the state government's determination to encourage healthy living among the teeming civil/public servants and visitors to the Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, led to its partnership with AwaBikeNG, a bike-sharing and lifestyle start-up platform.

The governor, who stated this on Thursday, shortly after taking a ride on one of the bicycles nicknamed ‘Keke Seyi’ from the Governor’s Office to the Water Corporation Building inside the Secretariat, said that the initiative would also help to promote a green environment.

According to the governor, if explored by those within the Secretariat, the initiative would promote healthy living and fitness and also reduce the carbon footprint of the state, as emissions from vehicles would be reduced in the long run.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the initiative involves AwaBikeNG bringing in 60 bicycles to the Secretariat in a pilot scheme in which individuals willing and capable of riding bicycles, could use them as a voluntary means of transportation within the Secretariat.

The statement maintained that contrary to insinuations that the governor is distributing bicycles to civil servants or that the state government is procuring bicycles, the partnership only involves AwaBikeNG bringing in its bicycles while the state only paid a sum of N750,000 as service charge.

While speaking, shortly after riding the bicycle, the governor explained the benefits of exercises such as bicycle-riding, stating that he wanted people to be fit and to also reduce the carbon footprint.

He added that bicycle-riding has immense benefits.

He said: “First, we are trying to promote a green environment. I rode this bike from my office to the Water Corporation Building and I burnt some calories. You have your fitness being tested.

“Also, it is a zero-carbon footprint and that is what we want to encourage here. We want people to be fit and we also want to reduce our carbon footprint.”

He explained that the state government has only spent N750,000 as service charge for the 60 bicycles involved in the pilot scheme.

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