The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has commended the efforts of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria Armed forces and other security organisations in subduing the activities of Boko Haram group in the North-Eastern part of the country.
The Governor while addressing the people at the grand finale of the 2017 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, at the Military Cenotaph, Osogbo lauded security agencies in the country for destroying the Sambisa forest base of the group.
Aregbesola stated that the nation will not forget the gallant soldiers and security officials whose lives have been lost in the cause of putting down the Boko Haram uprising.
He commiserated with the Government and people of the Northern States of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba and others caught in the throes of the group, whose people have been brutalised, killed or kidnapped and many who are now in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps.
Aregbesola who described peace as the indispensable means of existence, said the roles being played by the security agents in the country to continuously engender peaceful coexistence among Nigerians can never be over-emphasized since the discovery of Nigeria.
He held that the impacts of the armed forces towards the realisation of peace, unity and stability of Nigerian society had been a driven force in placing the country towards the path of greatness.
Governor Aregbesola added that the annual remembrance of fallen heroes and survivors of the Nigeria Army will be incomplete, if the country fails to retrace its past and device popular means of living in unity.
Aregbesola said, “Boko Haram represents clear and unmitigated evil and is unreservedly condemned. Of course, any group that embrace violence cannot be regarded as representing Islam or any religion.
“Every religion preaches peace, love and good neighbourliness. We must not forget however the roles of extra-judicial killing and disregard for due process of law in the emergence of this group and the havoc it wreaked on our nation and people.
“Law enforcement agencies must therefore shun arbitrariness, impunity and disregard for the laws of the land.
“I must commend the efforts of our armed forces and other security organisations, particularly the commander-in-chief, President Muhammadu Buhari, the service chiefs, every soldier and security operative in the region, in subduing this group and for destroying its base in the Sambisa forest.
“There are those who still daily fan the embers of religious discord, inciting one religious group against another. Even ordinary cases of law infraction requiring law enforcement action must be projected to fit into the narrative of ethno-regional and religious division in a way that promote mutual antagonism and distrust.
“We must all in our little (or big) ways refrain from anything capable of inciting one group against another and precipitate or exacerbate conflict”.
Aregbesola stated that the best way to honour the memory of the country’s departed heroes and making sure their efforts are not in vain is for all Nigerians to prevent the outbreak of conflicts and hostilities.
He also noted that all governments, institutions and agencies, must guard the constitution jealously to prevent its breakdown.
According to him, “We must protect our federalism, defend the right of opposition and minorities in our midst.
“We must all embrace the democratic method and means for pressing demands and conflict resolution. May the peace of God reign in our land and may our soldiers death never be in vain”. The governor emphasised.
Over 3,000 Members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in Osun State under the aegis of Triangular Group of Pensioners have lauded the state governor, Rauf Aregbesola for paying the arrears of their pension up to December 2016.
The pensioners staged a peaceful procession in Osogbo, the state capital at the weekend to demonstrate their supports to Aregbesola’s administration and assured the governor of their unalloyed loyalty.
The NUP Chairman, Prince Rotimi Adelugba said the pensioners were grateful to Aregbesola for his magnanimity and cautioned other retired civil servants in the state not to play dirty politics with the issue of the payment of their pension by the state government.
He said “The state government has set up a committee headed by a veteran labour leader and former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Hassan Sumonu to fine-tune the issue of salary and pension payment in the state and suggest the best approach to the salary and pension issues in the state”.
Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has described a section of retired workers who addressed themselves as Internally Displaced Pensioners (IDP) in the state as bunch of ingrates.
Aregbesola spoke at the weekend when the Triangular Group of Pensioners held peaceful procession in Osogbo, to demonstrate their support to his government and assured him of their unalloyed loyalty.
He said his administration gave priority attention to retired workers and multiplied money for payment of pension by five times and paid as and when due until November 2014 when recession set in.
Aregbesola reiterated that his government borrowed as much as 25 billion Naira from banks to pay workers’ salaries and pension and stop it when it could no longer cope with the huge wage and pension.
About 3,000 members of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) under the aegis of Triangular Group of Pensioners lauded Aregbesola for paying the arrears of their pension up to December 2016.
Governor Aregbesola who justified his love to workers and retired ones explained that Osun state is the only state in the federation that implement 142% pension increment approved by the Abacha military regime, adding that between 2015 and 2016, his administration had paid N9.6billion to retired workers alone.
“We implemented 142% increase in pension which other rich and buoyant states including Lagos has not implemented. No state government has paid as much as we have paid pensioners in Osun. We paid 9.5 billion to pensioners alone.
“We shall never experience IDP in Osun. We will keep praying for those states where there are IDP camps to overcome their problem because it is not a good thing to be displaced in one’s state. I can assure you that a better day has come.
“Our Pensioners would be well catered for. Their gratuities would be sorted out once there are resources to do so. Just bear with us and show understanding for now.
“The workers and pensioners are on my priority lists, In fact, we made N12 billion in Osun in 2016 and I paid N20.4 b to workers and pensioners alone. And that notwithstanding, we are working and there are infrastructural development all over the state.
“We are building schools and we are constructing roads across the state. We are doing our best within the available resources. Our opponents should stop playing dirty politics with this pension issue,” Aregbesola explained.
Earlier, the NUP Chairman, Prince Rotimi Adelugba said the pensioners were grateful to Aregbesola for his magnanimity and cautioned other retired civil servants in the state not to play politics with the issue of the payment of the pension by the state government.
He said: “The state government set up a committee headed by a veteran labour leader and former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Hassan Sumonu to fine-tune the issue of salary and pension payment in the state and suggest the best approach to the salary and pension issues in the state.
Osun Internally Displaced Pensioners Are Ingrates – Aregbesola
A section of pensioners held peaceful procession in Osogbo to demonstrate their support for Gov. Aregbesola
“The committee comprised leaders of labour unions in the state and after a comprehensive analysis of the financial situation of the state, the committee proffered a way forward and we all saw reasons to accept the recommendation of the committee in the best interest of the generality of the workers, pensioners and the good people of our dear state.
“We all agree that the state government should not downsize because we didn’t want any worker in the state to be sacked. Therefore, the only option we had was to agree with the modulated salary scheme in which the junior officers from level 01 to level 07 would get their full salary but the senior staff from level 08 and above would be earning half of their salary and the same thing applicable to the pensioners.
“It was agreed that the modulated salary would be revisited once the economy of the state improves and that was exactly what Governor Aregbesola did recently when the modulated salary scheme was reviewed upward. The Governor has never reneged in this arrangement but some retirees allowed politicians to use them to embarrass the state and that was unfortunate”.
“Though, we also need the money but we realised that we must show understanding since we also know the financial status of Osun State government. The state government has paid up our pension up till December 2016. We are aware that the payment of pension gulp N9.4 from the coffers of the state government and this is commendable.”
He said the retirees in the state want more from the state government and urged the Governor to sustain the payment of their monthly pension.
He also urged the Governor to create special units in all state hospital where senior citizens including the pensioners would be attended to when they need medical attention.
He condemned the action of some pensioners who claimed that they set up Internally Displaced Pensioners camp whereas they were not displaced. He warned that such action could send a wrong signal about the state.
He said NUP sympathised with Nigerians who are in IDP camp in some Northern states and prayed God to give them succour.
“We also commend our dear Governor Aregbesola for his love for the workers and the pensioners in the state.
“The Governor paid the backlog of the arrears of 142% of pension increase to eligible pensioners. We are grateful to Governor Aregbesola for jacking up the monthly pension bill from N200 million to 600 million,” the NUP chairman said.
The retirees terminated the procession at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park and held special prayers in Islamic and Christianity ways.
They offered prayers for Osun State and Nigeria and sought the intervention of God on the economic recession that has bedevilled the nation in which Osun state was not exempted.
The Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has paraded three cattle herdsmen, allegedly terrorising a farm settlement in Ikoui, Isokan Local Government Area of the state.
The arrest, which was made at about 5:30 am on Thursday, followed a tip-off from the community.
Two of the suspects, Hamisu and Lawal are said to be from Gbangudu Local Government, while Musa is from Gusau Local Government all in Zamfara state.
According to the State Commandant of the NSCDC, Philips Ayodele, information got to the operatives from the office of the kabiyesi (king), which intelligence officers acted upon.
He said the rustlers, who were five in number, were armed with charms, guns and some weapons, invaded and destroyed the crops on the Onikoyi farm settlement.
Mr Ayodele told reporters that the farmers had on several occasions, been attacked by the rustlers.
Ayodele said: “We recovered a lot of weapons, charms, locally made guns with gun powders and local bullets. The farmers in that area have no peace. They don’t allow them to rest due to their heinous activities on the farm. We thank God we are able to apprehend these notorious persons, ”he said.
The NSCDC commandant also stated that the rustlers, who claimed to be hunters, could not be identified by the Osun State leader of Miyeti Allah, an association for the Fulani Herdsmen after he was briefed by the security outfit.
“Before you can be a hunter you must know the terrain of the area you are operating in, but these people are not from Osun and they still insist they are hunters.
“The Miyeti Allah in this state cannot recognise them after we spoke to them about the arrest and we have also warned them to always report rustlers who are not from Osun State so that we would be able to identify those who have invaded the state,” Mr Ayodele emphasised.
He urged members of the community to always supply the corps with vital information that would help them rid the society of people with criminal intent, lauding the supports they have received from sister agencies in the state.
Over 3000 Pensioners yesterday held a prayer session for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola at the Freedom Park, Osogbo.
The pensioners had before starting their programme held a walk between Fakunle High School down to Olaiya junction and towards the freedom park sing solidarity songs with the governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbeosla who they revealed has tried and shown much sympathy towards the cause of the pensioners.
Recall the state governor had paid the sum of 14.3bn naira to clear salary and pension arrears in last week of December 2016. A large chunk of that fund went into paying the 21,000 strong pensioners in the state of Osun.
As part of efforts of the present administration to provide water in all parts of the state, the state government has signed contract papers for the execution of priority works of water supply for vocal communities in EU supported Local Government Areas in the state.
The contract to be done in collaboration with the European Union Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme (EU-WSSSRP -II) is expected to be completed within six months.
Speaking shortly after signing the contract papers at the government secretariat, the Project Coordinator, Water Resources, Rural Development and Community Affairs, Engr. Adelere Oriolowo expressed delight at the commencement of the project, saying the process have been ongoing for a long time.
He said the present administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has been committed to the provision of adequate and clean water to all the nooks and crannies of the state.
While congratulating the contractor in charge of the project, Engr. Oriolowo charged them to follow the guidelines of the project and ensure proper documentation.
He added that they should ensure that they deliver a quality job and endeavour to be time conscious as stipulated in the contract agreement.
Also speaking, the Institutional and Policy Expert for the European Union in the State, Mr. Adebayo Alao explained that the E.U is supporting Osun in the area of adequate water supply because the present administration has always shown total commitment to the implementation of the project.
He said the commitment demonstrated by the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola has made it easy for the contract to be signed with the contractors.
In an address, the Project Director for European Union, Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Reform Programme, (EUWSSSRP-II), Mr. Demola Olanrewaju commended the efforts of the state government of Osun and that of the European Union for seeing the project through, saying that the project when completed will go a long way in easing
the sufferings of the people in terms of adequate water supply.
In his own remarks, the Director, Geo-Expert Engineering Services Limited, Engr. James Adebayo promised that his company will deliver a good job and at the stipulated time.
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on the media to be the best promoter of programmes and policies of government that have mass benefits to the society.
He also described as exaggerated and uncalled for the action of few elements, who called themselves pensioners, to have tagged themselves as “internally displaced persons” in their own peaceful territory.
The Governor stated these at an investiture and award ceremony where members of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Osun Chapter, made him their Grand Patron.
Aregbesola stated that media organizations have the duty to support and promote any programme that is good and valuable to the general well being of the society.
He stated that based on the beneficial impact of government programmes, journalists should always strive to support and encourage it so as to bring out the positive values to the people.
Aregbesola singled out two such beneficial programmes – Walk to Live and Calisthenic – as such impactful sporting programmes his government introduced for the benefit of both young and old in the state.
According to the Governor, such programmes, which ensures healthy living, promote team work, unity of purpose and develop cognitive ability of school children are too important to be ignored by the media and sports journalists in particular.
“Sporting activities promote healthy living and drive away boredom as well as promote spirit of organisation and team work. In recognition of this, we introduced two key programmes: Walk to Live and Calisthenic.
“But sports journalists did not give these two mass participatory and beneficial programmes enough coverage they deserved. Such programmes are too important and helpful to turn a blind eye to.
“In particular, as sports journalists and in general, as media practitioners, I think we have the enormous duty of informing the people about what government is doing.
“Besides, let us encourage government to do things that have positive values to the generality of the people.
“We should also challenge government on the need to continue programmes that have positive impacts on our people.
“Whatever is good; whatever has values, must be promoted and supported. Whatever will raise and develop the society should not at all be neglected or ignored by the media,” Aregbesola said.
The governor said such sporting activities also involved coordination, saying coordination is very essential for communal development and success.
He said his government would continue to encourage people to engage in sporting exercise so as to eliminate stress, numbness and promote sound and healthy living.
He stressed that government has also expanded the scope and coverage of calisthenics to include both public and private schools, adding that what government wanted is mass participation by all stakeholders.
Aregbesola also said the pensioners have no cause to curry unnecessary sympathy for themselves as they have just received accumulated four months pension arrears.
He noted that apart from Lagos State, no state has paid such amounts, saying the nation’s is just going through what he called “a special period.”
He noted that though government owed them gratuity which will be paid when the economy improves, he added that with the four months of pensions cleared, his government should be commended.
“It was very funny and shameful when some people said they are pensioners and that they are displaced in the own territory. They can never say they are protesting because of money or unpaid arrears.
“It should be to my eternal credit no matter what my traducers may want to say, just two weeks ago, we paid accumulated four months arrears, we are not saying it is the best that can happen but it is a major relief to those who received it,” he said.
Earlier in his address, the Chairman, Osun Sports Writers Association, Mr. Yemi Aboderin, commended Governor Aregbesola for initiating the monthly Walk-to-live programme for the promotion of healthy living development agenda among the people of the state.
He stated that it is also worthy of commendation the declaration of the government of Osun that sporting activities should be made compulsory in all public schools in the state.
The SWAN chairman held that the financing and renaming of Prime Football Club to Osun United will now allow the people of the state to see the football club as Osun rather than the perception of the club as that of Osogbo.
He said, “We cannot afford to look the other way the honour the school calisthenics display has brought to the state.
“We are aware of the government policy which brought the state sports council under the direct supervision of the office of the Governor for effective supervision and performance.
“Your Excellency, let me put it on record that since the state was created over 25years back and since the coming of SWAN, our amiable governor will be the first beneficiary of this mark of honour as Grand patron of SWAN in the state”. He stressed.
The Sport Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Osun state chapter, has inducted the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola as the first Grand Patron of the association in the state.
The Governor, while giving his acceptance speech, said that he was honoured being installed as the first grand patron of the association.
Aregbesola tasked the journalists to be more active in sports reportage by asking questions when necessary.
Aregbesola said the honour and investiture was more of an assignment and said he was willing to take up the position and challenges attached.
“I am willing to be the grand patron of your association, though the economic situation now in the country is not palatable, I will play my part to support the association.
“Count me as a worthy member of the association because I will do everything I can to support you.” he said
He said sports could be used as a means of promoting social development and engagement, and tasked sport writers to contribute more as a tool of restructuring the society.
He reinstated his administration’s commitment to sporting activities like calisthenics in public and private schools in the state and the re-commencement of the “Walk to Live” programme.Osun SWAN Inducts Gov. Aregbesola As Grand Patron
Speaking at the investiture at the Governor’s office, Abeere, the state chairman of
SWAN, Mr Adeyemi Aboderin, said that the Governor was being honoured and inducted, as recognition of his numerous contributions to the development of sports and healthy living in the state.
Aboderin described Aregbesola as the best sports loving governor in the country.
According to Aboderin, the tradition was that a performing governor should be inducted as Grand Patron of SWAN and that the governor would be the first beneficiary of such an honour in the history of the state.
He said the synergy created by this investiture means that a stronger relationship would be formed between the state SWAN and state government, which would create possible ways of moving sports forward in the state.
Speaking at the induction event, the National President of SWAN, Mr Honour Sirawoo, who was represented by the South-West Vice President of SWAN, Mr Boye Ajayi, said that the association was proud to have the Governor as the grand patron of the association in the state.
He said the Governor was being appreciated as a performing sports governor. He congratulated and also thanked him for taking up the role and position.
He said the association was waxing stronger in the state and stated that having the governor as the grand patron would boost the association’s strength.
The highlight of the event was the presentation of a plaque and medal by the National President and State Chairmen of SWAN to the Governor as the association’s state grand patron.
Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of his government to further cooperate with the police and other security agencies in the interest of peace and security in the state.
He said a modern life can only be guaranteed and sustained by an organised security institution, adding that without security, development would not be possible.
Ogbeni Aregbesola stated this while playing host to the new Assistant Inspector General of police, Zone 11 in charge of Osun, Ondo and Oyo who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Osogbo.
He described the police as a unique arm of security because they are part of the people in the community who are only separated by their uniform in the process of ensuring law and order in the society.
“The police is unique because they are seen as part of the people they protect, the live in a friendly manner among the people, they are only separated by the uniforms to put on in the course of doing their job which is to ensure the security of lives and properties.
“Despite the fact that there is still a lot of room for improvement, the police force have shown a lot efficiency in the discharge of their duties.
“The Nigerian police have to a great extent helped to reduce tension to the nearest minimum even in the face of the economic recession hitting the country.” He said.
Governor Aregbesola, who commended members of the state command of the Nigeria Police Force for their efforts in keeping the state secured since the inception of the present administration.
“In our state, we have been having a wonderful experience of a police force that have been quite efficient and effective in the job of building a safe and secured environment.
“All the officers of the force that have worked in the state of Osun have been men of great integrity and have been very cooperative.
He assured that the present administration in the state will continue to support the police because they are partners in the process of ensuring that Osun remains the safest state in the country.
According to Aregbesola, “We will do our best to continue to assist the police in our state because we know that we are partners in the move to keep our state secured.
“It is only after guaranteed secure environment that any form of development can take place.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Assistant Inspector General of police, Zone 11, Mr. Paul Okafor, stated that the Command in Osun and the zone will continue to ensure the security of the state.
He said a peaceful Osun will translate to a peaceful zone 11, because the state of Osun is the headquarters of the zone.
“I will do my best to ensure that Osun and environs continue to remain peaceful and secured, by the grace of God we will not fail.
“Being the headquarters of the zone, if we succeed in keeping Osun secured, it means we have succeeded in the zone as a whole.” Mr. Okafor said.
Details have emerged on the true state of payment for pensioners in the State of Osun, showing that senior citizens in the state have received their monthly entitlements up till December 2016. This is contrary to the claims of a curious group that claimed that it was out to get the governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
Prince Rotimi Adelugba, Chairman of Triangular Pensioners Association of Osun, stated that pensioners in the state has been paid up till December 2016, just like the state government said. He further explained that “Osun State is still paying according to the Memorandum of Understanding reached between Labour and the Government. Imo State is owing 72 months”.
About the protesting pensioners, Prince Adelugba said without mincing words that he believed they were being sponsored. ” Osun State is a peaceful state, so I don’t understand why some people will go on rampage. At least by December last year, we collected three months. Then in late December, we collected the December pension as agreed upon”, he said.
It would be recalled that at the last Pensioners prayer meeting and medical checkup held at the recently renovated Freedom Park Osogbo, pensioners appreciated governor Rauf Aregbesola for the payment of their pensions in December and called on him to pay their outstanding gratuities.
A handful however formed a group and raised a banner that the group claimed was ‘Osun IDP Camp’. This, the group claimed was to “expose Governor Aregbesola”.
Other individuals have also condemned the group as fraudulent and revealed it’s leaders as a former judge who was sacked and the leader of a ” rogue CSO who is under investigation by the EFCC”.
Indigenes of the state such as, Demola Dekunle also debunked the group’s antics, explaining that his retired parent was paid till December 2016. In a comment made on an online news site, Demola called the story a fraud, stating that “Punch displayed IDP canopy wit (sic) less 20 people. Osun has over 10,000 retirees, my father, Mr. Yaya Kasali Adebayo, inclusive, who got N161,000 among the least, for Sept, Oct, Nov & Dec. less than 2wks ago. Level 1-7 got full pay; 8-10 got 75%; and 12 above got 50% like those who are still in the service. This kind of crass negative political propagandum does not merit Punch edification”.
At the prayer meeting, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners in the state, Comrade Omoniyi Ilesanmi alleged the state government owed the retired workers half of their pension between July 2014 and December, 2016. This would apply to pensioners who retired on Level 12 and above and the payment arrangement was for them to get 50% while levels 8-10 got 75% and Levels 1-7 got their full payments.
Osun Defender recalls Governor Aregbesola had in a statement last week, stated the sum of N14.2bn was used to clear staff salaries and pensions arrears for September 2016 to December 2016.
