The interim Chairman of the Osun State chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Elder Adelowo Adebiyi has attributed the laudable achievements of the Rauf Aregbesola administration in the state to the training and experience he gathered over the years from administrative icons.
Declaring open a three-day workshop on the theme: ‘Political Party Renewal and Organization’ organized for the leadership of APC in the state by Comrade Ola Oni Center for Research and Development in Osogbo on Tuesday, Adebiyi noted that politicking has gone beyond political meetings organized under a politician’s confinement.
Adebiyi said the challenges posed by various happenings in the political terrain this day called for training for practitioners so that the larger populace may enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The state APC boss noted that Governor Aregbesola has introduced civility into governance, the result of which the people of Osun State are enjoying today adding that no government can achieve any success in an environment devoid of peace.
He urged participants to make the best use of the opportunity provided by the workshop so that the society would not only benefit from the training but the participants can leave a legacy worthy of emulation politically by upcoming politicians.
In his keynote address, Dr.Abayomi Ferreira regretted that all the political parties in Nigeria lack the necessary factors for national development adding that the essential elements for a purposeful political party development are lacking.
According to him, “the story of Nigeria is one that emphasizes the need for a change in strategy and tactics, a change in policy and programme, a change in orientation. The political parties, including the APC I am sorry to say, lack the necessary factors for national development.
“For Nigerians to enjoy the dividends of democracy, there is the need to dismantle the ongoing self-seeking foreign designed programme of deregulation, privatization, and downsizing that the right wing politicians are using to put the nation’s wealth in their own pockets”.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Millennium Development Goals (SSP-MDGs), Dr. Precious Gbeneol, has disclosed that the three tiers of government spend about N3 trillion annually as against the total sum of N4.3 trillion required to achieve the MDGs targets before the 2015 deadline.
She singled out  Osun,  Lagos and Imo States for their remarkable poverty reduction rates
Gbeneol stated this yesterday, when the team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) visited the Office of SSAP-MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs) to find out the country’s performance track towards achieving the MDGs.
She said the country had done remarkably well in meeting the targets of some of the MDGs, despite the shortfall of N1.3 trillion needed annually to achieve the goals.
According to her, the outcome of the Needs Assessment projected cost of meeting the MDGs from 2010 to 2015 at the exchange rate of N150 to $1 would require N4,259,550.
She said: “Based on the 2012 budget analysis…, the three tiers of government spend more than N3.0 trillion on the MDGs with an annual gap of about N1.0 trillion. The budget total for 774 local government areas (LGAs) is N1.75 trillion with MDGs component of N791 billion; while the total spending across the country is N3 trillion, with about N872 billion being spent by the federal government.
However, a fund-gap of N1 trillion will be needed every year to achieving the targets of MDGs.”
The SSAP-MDGs listed the target areas where the annual budget of N4.3 trillion would be required to include education N282 million, health N743 million, agriculture N1.1 billion, energy N810,500 million, water N418,500, housing N126,750 million, roads N733 million and environment N31,500 million.
Gbeneol commended the IMF Team, saying their (IMF) yearly evaluation visits helps to keep focused and on track.
She, who said the intervention measures put on ground by the OSSAP-MDGs have been able to achieve some of the targets of the Goal 1, most of Goal 5 and 4, disclosed the Conditional Grant Scheme/Cash transfer, where the sum of N10billion were spent last year on 112,000 households in 24 states have been helpful in addressing issue of poverty and hunger, adding that the amount will be expanded to N20billion across 30 states in 2014.
She singled out Lagos, Osun and Imo States for their remarkable poverty reduction rates, while the states of the he North-east, North-west belt of Jigawa-Gombe-Yobe-Sokoto performed badly.
She said: “Child mortality rate is worse in the North, so also women literacy rate, especially as a country, we have done remarkably well to reduce the population suffering from hunger drastically from 19.1 per cent in 1981 to 8.62 per cent in 2012.  Poverty reduction is also on the downward trend.
“Taking stock on what we have done so far, the progress we have made, the level of accomplishment in the achievement of the MDGs; and in consonance with the data provided the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), we can say that poverty is actually on the downward slide.
“If we pay due consideration to the available data, there is evidence that the MDGs framework has had impact on Nigeria development, having attained key targets of Gaols 1, 3 and 6 with the potential to achieve MDGs 4, 5 and 8,” she added.
Responding, the team leader and Senior Economist with IMF, Mr. Cheikh Anta Gueye, expressed concern over noticeable developmental disparity between the North and Southern part of the country.
Gueye commended the progress made by the country, but warned that achieving the MDGs target might not be possible if the North continues to lag behind in all the important indices.
“How do we address the regional differences and bridge the noticeable inequality between the north-south divide. We support the effort of the FG towards achieving the MDGs targets. We think that they are making a lot of progress and we appreciate what they are doing towards reducing poverty. I think its in line with the goal of IMF to achieve macro-economic stability. We think the federal government are on the right track going forward to high economic growth and we will provide technical assistance,” he assured.
The team, however, demanded integration of data and  list of major intervention programmes towards achieving the MDGs across the country.
THISDAY

Photos from the 5th edition of the interactive programme with Gov. Aregbesola and the Public “Gban-gba Dekun” in Boripe/Ifelodun and Odo-Otin Federal Constituency, at Akin-Orun Grammar School, Ikirun the State of Osun on Tuesday 19-11-2013

 

Government of the State of Osun and International Brewery Plc, Ilesa, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Governor Rauf Aregbesola calling on the management of the company to consider backward integration to it’s production of beverages and drinks.
Aregbesola, who gave the advice at the Governor’s Exco Chamber in Osogbo on Wednesday, said backward integration would assist farmers grow raw materials for the company.
The governor also urged the brewery to help in the area of capacity building for the state manpower.
Aregbesola disclosed that 10 years before his assumption of office as governor he and his team conducted a study to know the critical needs of the people of the state, saying poverty, hunger and unemployment were top on the list.
He said, “So during our campaign, we promised to work on their needs which we had already known through the survey. Since we came into power, we have been waging a war to banish poverty, hunger, unemployment. That is why education is among our cardinal programmes so as to get our people educated and informed.
“We realize that no society can help itself without education. And as well some of our programmes promote healthy living so that we can raise the level of our productivity.”
The governor promised to support the company because of the multiplier effect of its operation on the economy of the state.
He said: “We are looking at economic activity that has potential to galvanize the economy of the state. And before we sought for mandate, we did a thorough study of the state environment and came out with Six Integral Action Plan as the major objective of our administration. Thus, waging war on poverty, banishment of hunger and unemployment, among others. Beyond these three monsters, we make commitment to functional education and promotion of healthy living while a critical factor in modern life is guarantee of peace and security.”
Earlier, the state Commissioner for Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro, explained that the essence of signing the MoU was to industrialize the state.
He said that rather than going around the globe looking for investors, the Aregbesola administration had commissioned the Growth Investment and Development Limited to look internally for industrial captains to assist the state.
Bolorunduro disclosed that it was the company that identified five investment models that snowballed into the MoU.
He assured that the state government would assist the company to acquire land, take care of resettlement cost, title and other encumbrances.
He also said that if the company increases production, employment would rise to over 15,000 people, saying that the immediate plan of the company was to increase production from 1 million hectolitres to 3 million hectolitres.
He said the state government was assisting the company so that it would not be lured away by neighbouring states.
The Chief Operating Officer of IBL Plc, Mr. Carlos Gomez, disclosed that the company’s presence in Osun State meant that it has some social responsibility to the people.
Also, the company chairman, Otunba Michael Daramola, disclosed that the brewery’s expansion would run for about four years, but lamented that loan interest rate was killing.
WORLDSTAGE

Photos from the signing of Memorandum of understanding between the Government of Osun and International Breweries at the Governor’s office, Abere via Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 20-11-2013

Mr Oladepo Amudah, the Special Adviser to Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Works, on Thursday in Osogbo said the state government could terminate the Ikirun township road contract.
Amudah handed down the threat while briefing members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents Chapel at a programme tagged “News-Point’’ and organised by the chapel.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contract was awarded to Hajaig Nigeria Ltd.
“The contract is to be terminated because Hajaig has performed poorly, having failed to deliver the project as planned in the terms of agreement.
“The contract was inherited from the immediate past administration, yet the contractor has not completed work three years after Gov. Aregbesola assumed office,’’ he said.
The governor’s aide, however, assured the people of Ikirun in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state that the contract would be re-awarded two weeks after termination.
“This will enhance its speedy completion,’’ he said.
The Special Adviser said further that most of the roads under construction in the state had been finally re-scheduled to be completed in January 2014 due to the rains.
Amudah said some of the road contracts were being executed on the basis of government/contractor partnership, whereby the contractors were involved in the financing of the projects.
“This understanding is as a result of the confidence the contractors have in the leadership of the governor, even as re-payment to them would last between four and eight years,” he said.
The governor’s aide said the state government was working hard to boost its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), which had gone up from N300 million to N1.6 billion monthly.
He expressed the hope that improved infrastructure, such as the Freedom Park at Aje and Ayegbaju markets, being put in place by government would further shoot up the accruable revenue.
ELOTTV

Federal Civil Servants have been enjoined to keep abreast of the various reforms being carried out by the Federal Government in their various Ministries in order to key into it for optimum performance.
The Permanent Secretary, Career Management Office, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Ezekiel Oyeyomi stated this at a one day Interactive Session with staff of Federal establishments in the State of Osun.
Oyeyomi who highlighted some of the developmental programmes carried out by the Federal Government to make life more meaningful for the people urged the civil servants to reciprocate the gesture by being loyal to their employer.
While calling on them to joining  hands with the federal government in the fight against corruption, he promised to take all the complaints raised to their various ministries, departments and agencies for prompt action.
In his address of welcome, Secretary, Head of Federal Governments parastatals in the state, Mr Jide Asagodogbo said the event has nothing to do with politics but an avenue to meet minds with the representative from the Federal Civil Service.
Participants like Mr. Oye Subuloye from the National Orientation Agency and Mr Falode Olumuyiwa from the National Health Insurance Scheme  described the programme as timely and interesting.
Representatives of ninety-two Federal establishments in the state attended the programme.
BIOREPORTS

Governor Rauf Aregbesola has promised students in the state public schools that they will soon get school buses to ease transportation in line with the school reform agenda of his administration.
The governor gave his word at the 5th edition of ‘Gbangbadekun’, a town hall meeting programme held at Ikirun, headquarters of Ifelodun Local Council. The event was witnessed by a mammoth crowd made up of students market men and women, farmers, traditional rulers.
The remarkable thing about the programme held on Tuesday at the Akinorun Grammar School Playing Field was the students of secondary Schools in the constituency who trooped out en masse to express their appreciation to the governor over what they described as landmark development in the education sector of the state.
A cross section of the students gave kudos to Aregbesola for the on-going education reforms and reclassification aimed at securing their future.
The traditional rulers praised Aregbesola for his numerous achievements in the last thre years, just as they unanimously assured him of their support to continue beyond 2014.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola in his response charged all sectors of the community to take advantage of the various innovations in the state, by subscribing to the various projects of the state and key into it saying that the purpose of the gathering is to let the governed have their say in governance.
While thanking the people of Ikirun and other communities that made the Ifelodun/Odo Otin Federal Constituency for the love shown him and their warm reception, Aregbesola assured that all the requests and observations of all residents of the constituency who spoke at the event has been noted and will be taken care of.
On how to actualize the good plans of his administration in terms of developmental programmes in the State, the governor appealed to the people of the state especially private organizations to pay their tax as means of contribution to the rebuilding process of the state government.
Aregbesola who said Federal allocation being received from the Federal Government recently was not encouraging noted that his administration now generates 1.6 billion naira monthly as against the 300 million naira his administration met.
According to him, his target is to increase the State’s internally generated revenue to five million naira monthly which he said would reduce dependence on Federal allocation.
He disclosed that buses that would convey public schools students across the state would be released before the end of the month, and also pledged to pay bursary of the state’s indigenes who are in higher institutions across the country.
Aregbesola threatened to cancel the contract of any contractor working on road project in the area who fails to hasten his work in the next one week.
The governor said he would not rest on his oars on finding ways to to promote communal peace among the various communities in the state, while assuring the people that efforts are on to make sure that violence engendered by boundary and land disputes become a thing of the past in the state.
The event which was attended by members of the state’s executive council also afforded people of the area including traditional rulers to express their minds.
BIOREPORTS

Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Thursday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the management of International Breweries in Ilesa aimed at expanding the company’s activities.
Aregbesola, while signing the MoU in Osogbo, said that the MoU would boost the operations of the company in the state.
He promised that the state government would create enabling environment for willing investors from within and outside to industrialise the state.
“Our administration has taken different steps to turn around the fortunes of the state economically which I considered as a giant step.
“ We thank the management of International Breweries Plc for selecting the state for the investment over all other states of the federation,’’ he said.

“The collaboration of the IB Plc will help to create about 150,000 direct and indirect jobs in the state.’’
The Chairman of the company, Mr Michael Daramola, commended the efforts of Aregbesola to transform the state industrially.
Daramola said that this informed the decision of the company to expand its scope of operations in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Aregbesola signed the MoU on behalf of the state government, while Daramola signed on behalf of the company.
BUSINESSNEWS

Rural dwellers in Osun State  have been advised to maintain hygienic and healthy living by drinking potable water always, do away with open defecation and wash their hands with soap and water before eating.
Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, stated this while receiving a team of the European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme (EU-WSSSRP), who were on a monitoring mission of some EU projects in the state.
Represented by his deputy, Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, Governor Aregbesola expressed his pleasure to have team in the state at this time when his administration was working relentlessly to open up accessible roads in the rural areas for easy transportation of farm produce from rural to urban centres so as to make life conducive to all and sundry.
While appreciating  EU for its efforts in bettering the lot of Africans, he implored the team to improve on their impact in the state through the provision of toilet facilities, potable water, good laboratory equipment and sensitisation on the importance of hand washing.
In his response, leader of the delegation, Mr Uiaus Sautsch, commended the state government for the creation of the Ministry of Water Resources, Rural Development and Community Affairs together with the prompt payment of its counterpart funding for EU-Unicef programmes in the state.
He assured that EU was poised at assisting more communities in the state, saying Odo-Otin and Ayedaade local government areas of the state had been selected to benefit from the provision of water and sanitation projects, coupled with Hilux vehicle, which had been donated to each of the council.
The team later carried out an inspection work to sites of some completed boreholes with a pledge for new ones and fixed N3 million for EU projects in Olokuku’s palace, Ekoosin and Igbaye communities all in Odo-Otin Local Government Area of the state.
TRIBUNE