The Permanent Secretary, Osun State Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyelade Oyeniran has disclosed that the Government of the state of Osun under the leadership of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, has registered and paid for over 11,000 students seeking to seat for this year’s West African Examination Council, WAEC, West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
 

 
His submission was contrary to report of a section of the media which reported that Osun has placed an embargo on the payment of WAEC fee for the final year students of public Secondary School in the state.
Debunking the allegation while addressing the journalists in Osogbo, Mr. Oyeniran who described Osun education policy as one of the best in the world, said the state has recorded greater achievements in education sector.
He stressed that the education initiatives and policies introduced by the current government in the state has contributed meaningfully to pupils in all the public schools across the state.
Analyzing the selection procedures and criteria adopted by government in picking those students that were paid for, Mr. Oyeniran opined that the step was taken to restore seriousness among the students, saying with the new development, the students would see greater need for them to sit tight for any examination.
Mr. Oyeniran recalled the state under the Ministry of Education had initially conducted prerequisite examination called “Mock exams” for those students in S.S.3 which according to him was aimed at selecting the best to be enrolled to write WAEC free of charge.
According to him, the criteria includes compulsory pass mark in four subjects, of which Mathematics and English were mandatory for all candidates.
He stated further, “As I am talking to you now, the State Government of Osun has paid WAEC fee for 11,394 students across the state.
“The students that benefited from this scheme are those that passed the state pre-WAEC exams known as Mock examinations conducted recently.
“This action was taken because out of the nine subjects that were written by the students, each of them must at least pass four subjects before such a student could be qualified for the government scholarship.
“Any candidate who is able to pass four papers including English and Mathematics, such candidate would be fully registered by government and as a matter of fact they have been registered.
“It is those candidates who were unable to pass English and Mathematics that their parents were asked to pay to register for the WAEC examination.
Mr. Oyeniran stated that the purpose for the exams was to build the needed confidence in the students and ensure government is only spending resources on those students who are ready to learn.
The Permanent Secretary also frowned at what he described as gross indiscipline and violation of law, saying those students that were allegedly caught while destroying government property at the Ile-Ife branch of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation should be legally punished.
“The students involved were misled in their thinking and as a matter of fact, these are the students who wrote the Mock Exams but failed to pass the required four subjects or perform as expected.
“If you look at the neighboring states, many of them are no longer registering their students free of charge for WAEC.
“What the protesting students have done was nothing but a criminal offence and they should be held responsible, prosecuted and properly dealt with for the action”, Mr. Oyeniran stated.
He debunked the rumours making the round that the government motive on the Mock Exams was to serve as discriminatory measures, saying the exams was totally conducted with utmost sincerity, transparency and accountability while the students were selected on merit.
The Permanent Secretary said the current government successfully registered students free of charge in the past five years, adding that, in 2011, over 26,000 students were registered and paid for.
According to him, “in 2012, over 32,000 students were registered. In 2013, over 34,000 students were registered. In 2014, over 36,000 students were registered and last year, over 32,000 students were registered.
He said Osun government has so far expended over N2billion on the payment of West Africa Examination Council, WAEC for Secondary School Students.

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to fulfill its commitment to the MKO Abiola International Airport by making available its counterpart funds to the project.
This was even as the Minister for Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, promised that having seen the level of work at the Osun State airport, he would brief the Presidency on the request by the state for the Federal Government’s commitment on the project.
 

 
Amaechi, after the tour of Federal Government projects in Osun State, commended Aregbesola for the judicious use of meagre resources accruing to the state.
He stated he was in the state to ascertain the level of work done on federal roads and federal facilities located in the state.
The Minister hinted that the Federal Government decided to embark on inspection of its projects across the country so as to know the level of works done by states that are claiming refunds for federal projects executed by them.
Lauding Aregbesola’s government, Amaechi said: “Initially, when the economic meltdown started, I was very worried for states like Osun because of the availability of resources.
“Am I still worried?
“The answer is yes, because the economy hasn’t improved.
“But I commend him for he has been able to manage gradually to continue what he started.
“I thank God for the kind of leaders Osun has in him and his deputy for their being able to manage the little resources.”
Amaechi promised that the committee set up by the Federal Executive Council to inspect Federal Government’s projects in various states will afterwards submit its report to the Council for adequate action.
He said: “I would take back to the President what I have seen.

“I would take that to the President and the he will make a decision based on the information the Council passes on to him.
“We are inspecting federal roads.
“Some of the states have constructed federal roads and are asking for refund.
“So we are going round.
“We have a committee set up by Federal Executive Council headed by Raji Fashola, who is in charge of South South.
“I am in charge of South West.
“There are others too going round the country.”
On his part, the governor disclosed that the Federal Government made the commitment to share the cost of the airport project with the the state on a 50-50 basis when it gave the approval in 2010.
Aregbesola stated that construction of the airport predated his administration, hence the need for Federal Government to see that the project is completed in record time.
Aregbesola stated that the airport, when completed, will be one of the most lucrative in the country because of its cargo and hanger facilities, which is the first in Nigeria.
He said: “We want you to convey our message to the Federal Government on its commitment to jointly fund the airport with our state base on 50-50 sharing of the cost of the project.
“We believe that the airport has huge economic and aviation value to both the country and the state.
“In this regard, we want you to intimate the Federal Government to assist the state with its counterpart funds for the speedy completion of the project.”
In his presentation to the Minister, the Consultant Engineer to the State ‎Government on the project, Engineer Wemimo Adebajo, the airport, when completed, will rank among airports with the longest runways in Nigeria.

On the level of work done at the airport, Adebajo noted that the government, having spent N2.7 billion out of the revised total cost of N11 billion for the project, work could be said to have reached 25 per cent stage.
According to the Consultant, the runway of the airport waiting to be laid with 500 mm asphalt is 3.5 kilometres in length, 12.3 meters excavation and re-filling with laterite.
He added that both sides of the runway are equipped from the foundation with water pipes, which will be the first of its kind in Nigeria.
Adebajo stated that with such a feature, the airport would have been equipped with facilities that will make emergency fire fighting readily available near the runway in case of any emergency landing or fire outbreaks.
He said: “I believe the airport is good for the state.
“The main delay right now is a question of funding and the state is seeking ways on how to make it available.
“When completed, the airport will have the longest runway in the country, width of 70cm and and 3.5km in length.
“The runway is going to take about 60 per cent of the cost of any airport project.
“A lot of work has been done on the runway and there are about eight streams in the path of the runway.
“It therefore became necessary to excavate and build box covets so that the water in the streams will flow unhindered under the runway.
“Besides, the airport will have other facilities built to world standards when completed.”

Speaker, State of Osun House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam has deplored the unruly attitude displayed by students of St. Johns High school Ile- Ife after failing to make the privileged list of free WAEC examination list proposed by the state government.
 

 
Speaker Salaam in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butikakuro asserted that the magnitude of violence displayed by the pupils has shown that the school management and the security agents were complacent, a situation that put the lives of staff and properties of vandalized radio station located in Ile Ife in great danger.
Speaker Salaam stressed that the school management ought to have laid a moral template for the pupils on the consequence of failing the mock examination used to sift the unserious ones, and the wrath of law awaiting
the deviants among them, while the security agents around the affected radio station ought to have called for reinforcement if overwhelmed; noting that paying for WAEC of indigent students was a privilege not a right,
because, the examination body does not belong to the state.
He then called on the Commissioner of Police to smoke out the students involved and their instigators, for the law to take its course, noting that such miscreants who visited violence on radio station are not supposed to be in conventional schools, but juvenile homes, saying that the state parliament would soon deliberate on what would be the fate of the school management concerned.
Speaker Salaam further said that the parliament has now been compelled to come up with a legislation that would recommend severe punishment for violent attitude in public schools.

The Government of Osun on Friday described as shameful Thursday’s violent conducts of some students of High Schools in Ife, Iwo and Ikire over their failure to qualify for state government’s sponsorship of the registration for the West African Examination Council WAEC fees.
The government said it was unthinkable that students who failed examinations and should be remorseful, face the challenges of correcting their academic poor performances could go out and vandalise government property in the name of protests.
‎

 
 
In a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, government said the refusal of government to register them for West African School Certificate Examination (WASCE) was because of their performance saying it would be irresponsible to continue to fund examination registrations of students who didn’t demonstrate readiness to pass.
 
“The Government of Osun, in the unmistakeable resolve and determination to bring the best out of the students, has said it ‎will henceforth register only final year students for external examination after the conduct of the in-house mock examination.
“Students who fail to demonstrate their potential success at the final examination by scoring credits in at least four subjects will not be paid for by the government. Any parent who wants to gamble can register their children.”
 
‎The statement added that it is a verifiable fact that Osun under Aregbesola has turned around the education sector with the provision of a conducive environment, building of the state- of-the- art schools and the investment in training and retraining of teacher‎s.
‎
The statement noted that against this backdrop, government expected ‎significant improvement in the average performance of its registered students in both WASCE and National Examination Council (NECO).
 
The statement said, “It is this decision of government that some disgruntled few among the students ‎went to the streets to protest against in Ile-Ife and Iwo.
‎
“Whereas government decision was first and foremost informed on ‎the need to seek better performance of the students. Besides, the economic realities no longer permits wastage of resources.
 
“Thus government wanted only those who will excel after its investment on them and not those who will fritter away the meagre resources‎ by performing abysmally in the examination.”
‎
‎The statement noted that when the Aregbesola administration took over in November 2010, the performance of students in May/June WASCE result for that year was 15.68%.
 
It added that the average performance for the three years (2011-2013) of Aregbesola administration was 21.32%, representing an improvement of 36% compared with the result of 2010.
 
Government stressed that, compared with the average performance (13.26%) of the three years that preceded Aregbesola, the percentage improvement in performance of the Aregbesola years is a whopping 61%.
‎
‎The statement described this as a significant achievement considering the challenges the state had to contend with, especially with regard to low morale among teachers, students’ indiscipline and parents that were largely lacking in discharging their parental responsibilities.
 
Government warned that it will no longer condone any act of indiscipline and irresponsibility on the part of the young ones, warning that full weight of the law will be applied if such lawless repeats itself.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has assured investors and residents in Osun speedy process of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to legitimately acquired property within ninety days of commencement of processing.
 

 
 
The Governor stated this at the presentation of N50m cheque in support of Osun Certificate of Occupancy Fast track project (OCOFO) by Sterling Bank PLC at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Osogbo.
Aregbesola commended the bank for its partnership with the state, noting that the support from Sterling Bank will go a long way in strengthening the resolve of his administration to fast track the issuance of C of O in the state.
He added that with the OCOFO project, the 90 days of getting a Certificate of Occupancy for legitimately acquired property will be made possible as opposed to the old regime where it may take eternity to obtain a C of O.
The Governor called on investors, residents and citizens of the state to take the opportunity of the new C of O regime and get titles for their landed property within the stipulated 90 days.
Aregbesola assured Sterling Bank that the state will account for every Naira the bank has given to support the scheme, saying the relationship shall be a win-win situation.
He said, “I want to use the occasion to call on our people to take this opportunity to have title for their property, a land gets value because of its title.
“A government title on a land is the only way you can identify your property. We have put up this scheme to fast track the issuance of your Certificate of Occupancy like never before.
“With the scheme, you should rest assure that your title will be ready after 90 days of the commencement of the procedure”. Aregbesola pointed out.
He highlighted some of the areas in which the bank has partnered with government such as support for the on-going construction of Oba Adesoji  Aderemi Road; building of some schools and providing backbone for the school feeding system.
He added that support for his government by the bank is a support for the people of the state as well as for a turnaround of the economic situation of the state.
Speaking earlier, the Regional Director of Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi, said the bank is living up to its promise of supporting the state to give people the dividend of democracy.
He stated that the bank, out of promise, to support the state to succeed has increased the support to the OCOFO project from the initial sum of N20million to the present N50million.
According to Adeyemi, “What we are doing today is as a result of the promise of our bank to this state at inception, we have promised and living to our promise to partner with the government to give dividend of democracy to our people.
“We are willing to help the state considering the relationship that we have with the present government that we approached our management to increase the grant from N20 million and we are here today to present a cheque of N50million for the scheme”.

The Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, on Thursday inspected some federal projects in Osun State and the MKO Abiola International Airport, Ido Osun, which is a joint project of the Federal Government and the state.
The minister lauded Governor Rauf Aregbesola, for prudently managing the meager resources available to the state due to the steady fall in the price of crude oil.

 
Amaechi said, “Initially, when the economic meltdown started, I was very worried for states like Osun because of the of meagre resources.
“Am I still worried? The answer is yes, because the economy hasn’t improved. But I commend him for he has been able to manage  to continue what he started.
“I thank God for the kind of leaders Osun has in him and his deputy for their being able to manage their  little resources.”
The minister said he would inform President Muhammdu Buhari about what he saw, adding that the President would  make a decision based on the information the council passes on to him.
“We are inspecting federal roads. Some of the states have constructed federal roads and are asking for refund. So we are going round. We have a committee set up by Federal Executive Council headed by Raji Fashola, who is in charge of South South. I am in charge of South West. There are others too going round the country,” he added.
Aregbesola  appealed to the Federal Government to pay its 50 per cent commitment on the airport project.
He said the airport, when completed, would be one of the lucrative ones in the country because of its cargo and hanger facilities, which was the first of its kind  in Nigeria.
The governor said, “We want you to convey our message to the Federal Government on its commitment to jointly fund the airport with our state base on 50/50 sharing of the cost of the project.
“We believe that the airport has huge economic and aviational value to both the country and the state.
“In this regard, we want you to intimate the Federal Government to assist the state with its counterpart funds for the speedy completion of the project.”
Source: Punch Newspaper

Osun state Government through the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs in collaboration with Osun Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, OSACA has distributed educational and nutritional materials to 250 orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in the state.
 

 
The distribution programme which was made possible with the World Bank Assisted project was held at the Moremi Creche of the Ministry with the orphans and vulnerable children selected from across the
state of Osun.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Mrs. Adebimpe Ogunlumade (mni), in her speech stated that, such a programme will save the vulnerable children from family and community abuse, sexual exploitation, insufficient food and lack of proper education or poor care.
Mrs. Ogunlumade emphasized that the support of orphans and vulnerable children in the state will improve the standard of living of these children and help them to have a sense of belonging in the communities where they live and the society at large.
She  defined the objective of the distribution as boosting the morale of the children on one hand, as well as easing the burden of the children on the other hand.
The Permanent Secretary went further to appreciate the Civil Society Organizations for their cooperation and support to these children under their care, and used the forum to call on well meaning Nigerians to assist vulnerable and less privileged children, so that they can have equal opportunities like others in the society.
The Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of Osun state Action against HIV/Aids, Mr. Gabriel Olatunji in his remarks charged the orphans and vulnerable children not to see themselves in pitiable light but to believe in their destiny and see the best out of what life has to offer them.
Mr. Olatunji also stated that the gesture of OSACA in collaboration with World Bank assisted project is to reckon with the orphans and vulnerable children in the state for them to have confidence in themselves and not be limited by what life have thrown at them, but to forge ahead and be steadfast in their education.
Tope Fakeye, speaking on behalf of the Civil Society Organizations showed his amazement at the volume of materials prepared for distribution to the children.
He appreciated the state government of Osun and Osun Agency for the control of HIV/Aids for the social intervention given to the orphans and vulnerable children in the state, and charged the society not to stigmatize these children but to show them love.
Items distributed included, Rice, Beans, Beverages, Mathematical Sets, Big notes, Biros, School bags and money

Foremost Nigerian financial institution, Sterling Bank on Wednesday presented a cheque of N50 million naira to the government of the state of Osun to facilitate the state’s C of O Fast Track Scheme.
Find photos from the presentation below
 

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right) and Regional Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Ademola Adeyemi ( left)

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (left); Regional Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Ademola Adeyemi (2nd left); Osogbo Business Manager, Mr Abiodun Jegede (2nd right) and Chairman, Osun Certificate of Occupancy, Mr Deji Akinsola, during the presentation of 50 million naira cheque in support of Osun Certificate of Occupancy Fast Track Scheme at government house, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 04-02-2016

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); the Regional Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Ademola Adeyemi (left) and Osogbo Business Manager, Mr Abiodun Jegede, during the presentation of 50 million naira cheque in support of Osun Certificate of Occupancy Fast Track Scheme at government house, Osogbo, State of Osun on Thursday 04-02-2016

A call has gone out to farmers in the State of Osun to embrace latest initiative of the state government by focusing on mass production of cocoa and other farm produce which are viable alternatives to ameliorating the present economic challenges bedevilling the state and the nation at large.
The State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, made this call while speaking at the launch of medical equipments facilitated through AD King Foundation, Atlanta, USA by the authorities of Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
 

 
Mrs. Laoye-Tomori, who noted the continuous nose-diving in revenue accruable to the nation arising from acute shortfall in oil price, said it is imperative for states in Nigeria, state of Osun in particular, to look inwardly for potentials inherent in agricultural practice.
According to the State Deputy Governor, the present administration in the state under Governor Rauf Aregbesola has taken some measures which include establishment of Cocoa Marketing Board to resuscitate cocoa production in the state as well as other agricultural produce such as coffee and plantain among others.
Mrs. Laoye-Tomori recalled the days of Western Region when cocoa was the mainstay of economy of the region and how it was exploited for overall development especially in the area of education, social and infrastructural development.
The State Deputy Governor also used the opportunity to appeal to residents of the state to join hands with the state government in developing the state through prompt payment of taxes by all taxable individuals adding that all should see to the current efforts to revive the economy of the state as a collective responsibility. Earlier, the Executive Secretary of Odo-Otin Local Government, Mr. Tope Adejumo, said his administration procured the equipment with a view to ensuring qualitative health care delivery in the local government in line with the cardinal objective of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

The Minister for Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has commended the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for building an unbeatable legacy in the state.
Hon. Amaechi noted that in spite the current economic meltdown, the State of Osun has continued to move graciously on the path of economic sustainability and prosperity.
 

 
The Hon. Minister stated this in Osogbo, the state capital during an inspection tour to the state.
Hon. Amaechi who was on a transitional trip to the state was reportedly saddled with the responsibility of touring and inspecting all ongoing construction of federal roads in the state.
Addressing  journalists shortly after the inspection, Hon. Amaechi disclosed that the purpose of his visitation to the state was to inspect and assess all ongoing federal roads projects as directed by the Federal Roads Inspection Committee setup by the members of Federal Executive Council.
Hon. Amaechi who commenced his inspection tour from Gbongan down to Osogbo, where the roads are still under construction, said the level of financial commitment incurred by the State Government under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola was an indication and testimony to the fact that the state has blessed with a governor whose love for development and transformation can never be measured or estimated.
The Minister of transport who said he was directed to inspect the ongoing federal roads from Gbongan to Ila-Odo, said the financial commitment of the state government on the roads implies that the current government has invested hugely on capital project.
Hon. Amaechi who lamented the current economic situation, said the tremendous achievements he met in Osun has really changed his impression to conclude that despite the adverse effects of the economic challenges, the state is  able to thrive with little resources.
He affirmed that even with meagre available resources, the giant strides recorded by the government of Governor Aregbesola would remain an indelible landmark for the generations to come.
He said, “Initially when the economic meltdown started I was wondering for states like Osun because of the availability of resources.”
“But despite the economic situation, Governor Aregbesola has able to improve and develop the state with the little resources.”
“For this purpose, he needs to be commended and applauded for all he has been doing over the years because hardly will one will see a state with meager resources like Osun performing this tremendously”
“With what I have seen, i believe that all the giant strides recorded in Osun so far by the current administration are an indication to the fact that Aregbesola is a good leader whose passion for development can never be distorted.”
“He has seriously developed the capacity to move the state towards the economic buoyancy, prosperity and sustainability.”
Hon. Amaechi who used the opportunity of the visit to inspect the ongoing construction of MKO Abiola International Airport, Ido-Osun in Osun State in company of Governor Aregbesola, his Deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and other government functionaries, however said the Federal Government would look into what it could to assist the state on the laudable project.
On the Federal Government Assistance to the state, Mr. Amaechi reassured the state government of continuous support, cooperation and assistance, saying the Federal Government would ensure that the state of Osun benefit immensely.
Speaking on the significance of the visit, Mr. Amaechi said his visit to Osun was imperative sequel to the resolution made by the Federal Executive Council after setting up a committee headed by the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola to oversee and inspect all the ongoing construction of federal roads across the six geo-political zones.
He stated further that his visit to Osun was to tour all ongoing federal roads under construction and write a comprehensive report to the chairman and members of the Committee, according to him after which a recommendation would be forwarded to the Federal Executive Council for full implementation.
Hon. Amaechi also said the visit was found mostly important as some state governors according to him have approached  the Federal Government on the need to reimburse them the monies spent on federal roads in their respective states.
“Speaking on the blueprint of revamping the transportation in the country, Mr. Amaechi said the Federal Government has commenced massive resuscitation of railway, saying the motive was to ensure that the nation brings back to limelight the country’s once vibrant and effective rail transportation.
He stated further that the purpose of kick-starting with railway as a means of transportation was to reduce to the barest minimum the rate of road accident and the influx of trailers, trucks and containers plying major roads in the country.
He revealed that the current government has already prioritized railway, stressing that the collective focus now is to bring back railway to the economic limelight in Nigeria and ensure that it comes to stay permanently as one of the greatest means of transportation not only in Nigeria or Africa but in the whole world.
“Our focus is to strengthen transportation and banish the stress and pains confronting Nigerians on transportation.
“We are working assiduously on this in order to ensure that our roads are eased from the the adverse effects of trailers, trucks and other containers that have taken over our roads.”
“We equally wish to reduce to the barest minimum, the rate of road crashes majorly caused by the countless numbers of long vehicles and containers that often ply our major roads in the country.”
“For these lofty reasons, we believe that once all these are achieved, our roads will be well-maintained, will also experience a reduced accident rate, while the life-span of our roads would also be on the increase”, he stressed.
The Minister for Transportation also frowned at what he described undue pains on the maritime sector, saying the current government would ensure all round transformation of the nation’s seaports.
He said,  “We will also undertake major reforms in our maritime sector, we will ensure massive expansion of our seaports across the nooks and crannies of our country because I wonder why Nigerian seaports as big as Nigeria is, competing with Benin Republic seaports.”
“This is embarrassing, and for this reason, we will reposition our maritime sector for better improvement, upliftment and general well being of Nigerians.”
“We will not relax until we achieve all the reforms and changes in all aspects of the economy.”
“Though we have a lot to do on transportation, but by God’s grace we will do our best to enhance and strengthen the sector for the benefit of all.”
On the invention of new light rail , Hon. Amaechi assured Nigerians that the current government would invest meaningfully on light rail which according to him would be channeled for transportation from Lagos to Kano and Lagos to Calabar respectively.