Revenues from Cocoa and other prominent farms produce in which Osun has comparative advantages have great capacities to turn around the economy and fortunes of the state if pursued with renewed vigor.
 

 
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who stated this assured that his administration will leave no stone unturned to make the state great again, hence the recent investment and research into Cocoa production and the focus on other areas of agriculture.
The governor stated that for the state to start on a good footing at producing ‘Cocoa Omoluabi’, the state has enumerated and identified sixty million active cocoa trees in the state.
Aregbesola, while meeting with Cocoa Produce Merchants in the state at the Government House Banquet Hall in Osogbo, stated that with new cocoa development initiatives in the state, there will be a new cash inflow making the economy of the state prosperous.
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He stated that the state has also gone further in her bid to boost cocoa production and Agriculture with the signing of Memorandum of under standing with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on the development of agriculture and production of massive food production as alternative to reliance on oil sector.
The agreement according to Aregbesola involved releasing of 204.39 hectares of land in Ago Owu Farm Settlement to IITA for the purposes of conducting research and setting up demonstration farms for best farming practices.
IITA will also carry out cassava, plantain and other crops multiplication including Cocoa as well as train the youths in the state in modern, commercial and profitable farming.
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Aregbesola emphasised that the state in her bid to increase Internally Generated Revenue in Osun, government will establish commodity board that will be supervised directly by the office of the governor to ensure that Osun ranks among the best cocoa producers in Nigeria within the next two years.

He told the produce merchants that the economic situation of the state has been badly affected with the pillaging of the national treasury by the previous administration.

Aregbesola added that the situation with the drop in oil prices and the sharp reduction in the Federation Accounts from N1.2 trillion in 2012 to N369 billion in November allocations shared in December 2015 has reduced the running of government to little or nothing hence the need to look inward in increasing IGR.
The governor noted that the state will soon bounce back‎ with the identification of sixty million Cocoa trees presently in the state, adding that government henceforth will criminalise any action of farmers and merchants that runs afoul of government laws on cocoa.
He pointed out that government will soon be registering all farmers in the state for easy implementation of government policies on agriculture thus giving adequate room for monitoring and giving the necessary support for farmers.
According to him, “to show the people of the state that we are ready to face agriculture squarely in Osun, I am establishing a commodity board that will be supervised directly from the office of the governor.
“Our bags of cocoa in Osun will be branded with this; government will be able to ensure that the quality of cocoa coming out of the state meets international quality. When there was free money coming from oil, no government was looking at what cocoa could bring to the economy; we are back to the days where cocoa will be the main stay of our economy in Osun”. The governor emphasised.
Aregbesola hinted that Produce tribunals will be set up across the state and that special colour will be given to vehicles that will be transporting cocoa within the state.
The governor added that the State Executive Council meetings will be held in rural areas where cocoa farming is thriving in the state for about six months to one year after the formation of his cabinet.
Earlier, the Chairman of All farmers Association of Osun, Chief Raheem Adeniji stated that the association is ready to partner and cooperate with government in her bid to revamp the cocoa farming in the state.
He lamented the poor economic state the country has found it with the neglect of cocoa which he said was the back bone of the economy in the 60s, identifying the cancellation of Cocoa and marketing Board by the then military government as a setback for the industry in Nigeria.
Adeniji commended government for introducing E-payment, adding that government should ensure and maintain that Osun cocoa should not go out of the state.

Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was in Ede, Osun state with high profile members of the state government as they paid an inspection visit to ongoing school projects around the state.
Here are photos of the inspection tour at the Seventh day Adventist High School Ede on Sunday 31-1-2016
 

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in a White attire (2nd right); his Deputy Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (right); the Project Manager, Engr Ajibola Obakin (left). During the inspection of the on going Construction of Seventh day Adventist High School Ede on Sunday 31-1-2016

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in a White attire (2nd right); his Deputy Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (right); the Project Manager, Engr Ajibola Obakin (left). During the inspection of the on going Construction of Seventh day Adventist High School Ede on Sunday 31-1-2016

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in a White attire (2nd right); his Deputy Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori (right); the Project Manager, Engr Ajibola Obakin (left). During the inspection of the on going Construction of Seventh day Adventist High School Ede on Sunday 31-1-2016

Ministry of Education in the State of Osun will register only students that passed four (4) papers including English Language and Mathematics in the last Mock Examination for the West African Senior Secondary Examination for this year(2016).
 

 
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr Lawrence Oyeniran.
According to him, this is sequel to the dwindling resources accruing to the state from the Federation Account hence Government has come to no other conclusion than to share the payment of WAEC  fees with parents and guardians of students.
 
The Permanent Secretary said parents and guardians of students with three papers and below are to pay for the WAEC registration of their children and wards.
 
He therefore urged the parents and wards of the affected students to pay within two weeks in order to meet the extension of time granted by WAEC.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has called on the leadership and members of his political party, All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state on the need to champion his administration’s policies in actualizing an increased revenue base.
 

As he dispelled the allegation that his government was executing capital projects with workers’ salaries, describing it as mischievous, baseless and derogatory.
Governor Aregbesola made the call while inaugurating members of the party’s Elders Forum, at the State Party Secretariat, Osogbo.
He tasked the newly inaugurated members of the Forum to support the government at advocating and reawakening the consciousness of people towards regular tax payment.
Aregbesola who described members of the newly inaugurated Forum as distinguished and accomplished citizens whose wealth of experience had contributed greatly to the lives of their people, urging them to effectively replicate same gestures in the task they are saddled with.
He disclosed that the worrisome economic situation in the country has given an insight towards enhancing agricultural productivity and maximized tax revenues which according to him could only be achieved by collective efforts.
Governor Aregbesola disclosed that the ongoing tax regime policies of his administration has been positively structured so as to be of greater benefit not only to the government but to the entire citizens.
He said, “this inauguration was deemed fit purposefully to serve as driven force of winning elections at grassroots and as well support our government at actualizing its goals towards improved taxation.
“In view of this noble initiative, it is pertinent for the members to specially extend their beneficial support and cooperation towards the success of this administration.
“Obviously, the time has come for all of us as members, followers, leaders and stakeholders to embrace the current economic situation and as well support the government in its bid to maximize its revenue basis.
Governor Aregbesola however used the occasion to debunk the allegation credited to the members of the opposition that his government was using the funds purportedly meant for workers’ salaries to service capital projects, saying on no account does his government perpetrates such inhuman act.
The Governor explained that his government has been prudent in managing the affairs of the state in spite of  the meagre resources, analyzing that it was the Sukuk bond that his administration has been using to finance the ongoing construction of the utra-modern schools.
He also clarified that the ongoing reconstruction of Olaiya-Asubiaro-Itaolokan road is being financed out of the state’s emergency fund.
Governor Aregbesola admitted that  his administration’s commitment and passion in re-positioning the state led him to embark on numerous projects which some of them are still ongoing.
“It is laughable and erroneous for any sane or heartily minded person to conceptualize that our government has been financing capital projects with money meant for workers.
“We have been transparent in all aspects of our activities and all the loans we were granted were not secretive.
“So it is better for mischief makers to face reality and stop spreading unguided rumor against our government”, he warned.
The Governor therefore assured the total completion of the ongoing projects in the state before the expiration of his tenure.

In his genuine quest to change the face of education in the state and turn around its economic fortunes by revamping and driving out the inbuilt potentials of educational sector for the betterment of all, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reassured his administration’s resolve to strategically reshape and resuscitate the dilapidated nature of the public education.
 

He assured that no stone will be left unturned at positioning the state to its rightful vantage of education prosperity.
Governor Aregbesola gave the assurance while touring round the ongoing projects implementing by his government across the state.
However, the train of Governor Aregbesola unscheduled inspection tours took a drastic move at the ongoing construction site of Olaiya-Itaolokan road,   where he was enthusiastically received by the artisans and indigenes of Osogbo who trooped out in large number to demonstrate their wider acceptance of the government’s readiness to reconstruct the road.
Getting to the site, Governor Aregbesola reassured his government’s commitment to continuously turning Osun to a mega city, affirming that the state under his leadership would not hesitate to deliver on its electoral promises made to the people of the state.
The Governor recounted the immense achievements recorded so far, analyzing  that his administration on assumption of office resolved to strategically renew and rehabilitate the multifaceted economic nature of the state by injecting wonders for general improvement.
According to him, the giant strides of the current government in all sectors of the economy had given us a edge above others while our landmark achievements remain a testimony to our assessment.
Governor Aregbesola further disclosed that his administration’s readiness to change the face of urban cities in the state had gone a long way not only in the befitting physiological look of those cities but contributed significantly on the socioeconomic life of the residents of the cities.
The state helmsman also revealed that the reconstruction of Olaiya-Asubiaro-Ita-Olokan road was part of his government’s decisions to restructure the physical look of the state and give the major cities its befitting status so as to facilitate and fast-track the socioeconomic activities in the affected areas.
He described the road under rehabilitation as one of the major roads in the state capital that has a link to several cities and as well hosts major institutions in the state, saying if completed, it would certainly relief the challenges of traffic, expose the region to economic hub and as well add more economic values to the lives of the residents by purposefully  boosting the activities of the institutions on the axis.
As Mr. Governor and entourage trekking from Olaiya junction towards Jaleoyemi and Asubiaro axis amidst encomium, eulogies and commendations while inspecting and evaluating the level of work at the construction site, Governor Aregbesola applauded the contractor for being adherent to the original master plan and template consensually assented to and adopted for the purpose.
He charged the project supervisors on standard and quality output, saying they must live up to the expectation of the masses and prove to the state their capacity and ability to deliver the desired results.
However, the inspection tour of Mr. Governor wore another clothes of dynamic tumultuous emancipation, actualialization and systemic reality while visiting Salvation Army Government Elementary School, Union Government Elementary School, Methodist Elementary School, C.A.C Middle Government School, Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo Government High School, Adventist Government High School, among others.
The residents of those areas were seen raining blessings and prayers on the Governor and his entourage for building what they described as edifice and unprecedented legacy in their respective neighborhoods.
Applauding Governor one after the other, the members of the communities who aligned and displayed positive disposition with the government’s policies on education, reiterating that the current government is building the brighter future required for its citizens.
Apparently, Governor Aregbesola who also called for an accelerated spate of work at those sites, said his government in a shortwhile would commence massive commissioning of the ongoing projects across the state.
It would be recalled that the current government shortly on assumption of office resolved on total overhauling of educational sector with the hope of turning the state to educational paradise and knowledge-based city in the world.
To achieve this lofty sine qua non, Governor Aregbesola having juxtaposed the resolutions on the education summit headed by a renowned play wright and Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, declared emergency on education and called for total rebirth of the crucial  sectors in order to place the state to its rightful position of socioeconomic, political and cultural frontline among its peers in the world.
For this purpose, Governor Aregbesola approved the construction of ultra-modern schools ranging from Elementary, Middle and High schools across the nooks and crannies of the state as the tremendous landmark achievements have been gradually and professionally transforming the state.

The Osun State Investment Company Limited (OSICOL) has cultivated 1,500 hectares of land for cocoa to boost the state’s internal generated revenue (IGR).
Addressing reporters in Osogbo, the state capital, OSICOL’s Managing Director Bola Oyebamiji said 623 hectares of cocoa had been planted at Ibokun and another 523 hectares at Iwo.
 

 
Oyebamiji identified the large scale cultivation of cocoa and palm tree as a long-term panacea to the state’s dwindling economic fortune.
According to him, the state has what it takes to revive its economy, if cocoa and oil palm cultivation is embraced.
Oyebamiji, who urrged Southwest residents to embrace cocoa and oil palm cultivation, noted that apart from the comparative advantage it has over other crops, mix cropping with it would also help to sustain the farmers.

He blamed the present economic downturn on overdependence on oil.

The leadership of Methodist Church Nigeria has openly declared it readiness to support government at all levels in Nigeria especially the State Government of Osun on massive agricultural production in order to salvage the current economic crisis.
The declaration was made by the Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Emeka Uche, while paying a visit to Governor Aregbesola in his office, at Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo.
 

 
The cleric who lamented over the current economic situation in the country said the nation has driven to a stage where government at all levels must tighten their belts in strengthen the economy of the country for the general well being of her citizenry.
The religious leader who attributed the   dwindling revenues to the coffers of the federal, state and local governments, to what he described as negligence of agriculture by the successive government in the country, stressing that if the nation has diligently and prudently explored her potentials in agriculture, the country would have grown beyond her current stage.
Dr. Uche explained further that, the only sustainable alternative to the current economic challenges was for the government and people of Nigeria to develop the required passions at resuscitating and revamping the lost glory of agriculture, which according to him has been ignorantly neglected by the past administrations in the country.
The Methodist Prelate who commended Governor Aregbesola for building an unsurpassable future for the state on all sectors of the economy especially agriculture, saying Governor Aregbesola has successfully proven his weights as a responsive and responsible Governor whose passion for development can never be measured or estimated.
Dr. Uche who described the allocation of Osun as the least among its peers, commended Governor Aregbesola for aggressively promoting the state within the template of meagre resources.
According to him, Osun has been prudently managing the affairs of the state despite the fact that the state by all standards receives the least allocation from the Federation Accounts.
He stated further that the giant strides of the current administration at building a self-sufficient and economic-independent state had been a driven force for economic realities being pursued by the current government.
Dr. Uche who assured total obedience and compliance towards the civic responsibilities of the citizenry in the country said, the time has come for all Nigerians to demonstrate high sense of commitment and seriousness towards taxation.
The spiritual father who described Nigeria as the only country where citizens display sense of adamancy towards taxation, saying if Nigeria must truly develop, her citizens must support the government with prompt tax payment.
“The purpose of our visit is to establish our staunch support and collaboration for Nigerian government in a bid to strengthen the nation’s economy and serve as helping hands in repositioning the country for all round development.
“We have identified agriculture as the only sustainable means of continuous existence of Nigeria. Our focus is to partner with government at all levels in the area of agriculture to enhance its production capacity and boost the revenues accruable to Nigeria and states of the federation.
“Methodist Church of Nigeria is not only committed to spiritual work but to be part of the process that will strengthen the economy of Nigeria and increase its revenue basis.
“In view of this, we have resolved as a religious institution to engage our members especially the youths on farming as we strongly believe that with the support of government, we shall succeed.
“We are appealing to your excellency to give us the needed supports most importantly enough lands for cultivation and plantation.
“The only way to rescue the country out of the present economic situation is to show our support and collaborate with government on agriculture”, Dr. Uche stated.
In his remarks, Governor Rauf Aregbesola who expressed delight over the economic foresight of the leadership of Methodist Church said their resolution to support the government efforts on agriculture and taxation was a testimony to present economic reality.
Governor Aregbesola also commended the leadership of the Methodist church for identifying with the state on its present economic challenges, promising to render whatever support requires to aid members of the church actualizing its dreams.
The Governor who lamented over the continuous reduction in the global prices of crude oil said, his government would not be distracted in its efforts to uplift the state.
He said, “The declaration of the leadership of methodist church Nigeria to support us in agriculture and taxation is an indication to the fact that everyone in the state should engage in agriculture not only for consumption but for commercialization.
“Massive agricultural production remains the most sustainable alternative to success and progress in any country of the world especially Nigeria that is blessed with fertile soil.
“The wayout to our economic crisis is agriculture. Humanity has never found alternative to consumption of food as a means of survival.
“Science and technology has never found a replacement for food as a means of survival and it is quite idiotic for any nation or society to depend on others for the basic means of existence.
“It is also abnormal for any nation, country, society or community to depend externally on other for food production.
“The starting point of our economic recovery is the capacity to feed ourselves.
“For this reason, on hands must be deck to resuscitate the potentials in agriculture and explore its value for the betterment of all.
Governor Aregbesola further assured the leadership of the church of his administration’s collaborative gestures to ensure that all agricultural ventures in the state collaborate most effectively with the church to actualize its dreams as the state was ready to give it whatever size of land required to ensure that the church dreams come to past.
“This is important because the era of crude oil to me has gone. Any nation that based their wealth on digging the earth have ended up in penury.
“The only successful nations are those that simply believe in teeming the soil for the purpose of planting, cultivating and living on the produce of the land, none of such nations who had adopted farming had ever recorded penury.
“For your church to have openly declared your partnership with government in massive agricultural production apart from evangelism, is a testimony to the progressive nature of Methodist church in the world.
“This declaration by the Methodist church of Nigeria is a reflective signal to bring back our senses fully autonomous- independent nation because wealth is simply the capacity to feed oneself, individuals, community, state and nation as well as saving surplus for the future and for exportation.
“I commend you for your foresight, for your cleared objectives and unflinching support to aid our efforts on economic recovery.
“We will support you with extension services not only on land but in all ramifications to actualize your dreams.

The State of Osun House of Assembly has said that it would give priority to its oversight function by strengthening its monitoring mechanisms in 2016.?
 

 
It said this paradigm shift was necessary to ensure that the state government increases its internally generated revenue and judiciously use the same for the completion of all ongoing projects and execution of new ones.
The Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye dropped the hint during an interview with journalists.
According to him, the resolution of the Assembly was borne out of the fact that what the state needs at this critical period of the economic downturn was to strengthen monitoring mechanisms, especially for the completion of ongoing projects and pending programmes in line with the policy of the state government.

”The situation in Osun in this critical period requires that all stakeholders play their role through the blockage of waste and the improvement of internally generated revenue.
”If you look at the 2016 budget before the house, it is essentially revenue-driven and the Speaker, Honorable Najeem Salaam has stresses it on Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to develop ways to generate more revenue without imposing an unnecessary burden on the people”

”Also, there are many projects that are still being delayed due to the financial crunch and the house is optimistic that after the completion of these projects there would be a positive impact on the economy and life of the people.
”To achieve all these, Mr Speaker has decentralised the monitoring mechanism by mandating all the standing committees of the house to beam their searchlights on every activity of relevant MDAs”, he said.
Oyintiloye also said the Assembly would from time to time ensure effective review, monitoring, and supervision of government programmes, activities, and policy implementation.
In the process of this monitoring, he said, any policy of any MDA that would not be in tandem with the present economic reality would be reviewed by the house.?
He, however, stressed that legislative business of the house would not be compromised and expressed the hope that these measures would go a long way to better the lots of the people.
The lawmaker then urged the people of the state to support the government by paying their dues to enable the government to perform its obligations.

…Says State has identified 60 million active cocoa trees

The General Manager of Osun Waste Management Agency (OWMA), Alhaji Ganiyu Oyeladun, has commended people of the state for their cooperation during the month environmental exercise.
 

 
He said by making the environment clean, people were “creating wealth technically by upholding high hygiene”.
He gave the commendation shortly after the monthly sanitation exercise on Saturday.
Some residents of Osogbo area of the state who participated in the event, urged the state government to ensure proper evacuation of refuse cleared after the monthly sanitation exercise.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the residents were seen as early as 6:30am in some areas of the state capital cleaning their surroundings during the monthly sanitation exercise.

An environmental health officer, Mr Tiamiyu Alade said residents of Osogbo were always prompt in cleaning their surroundings.
Alade said the cleaning culture of the people in the area and the state in general, had been protecting them from any major diseases and epidemic.
NAN observed that there was total restriction of vehicular movement, as major roads in the states were blocked to ensure compliance with the state sanitation law.
At the popular Mayfair junction in Ile-Ife, environmental health officers were seen monitoring the exercise while the major road that led to Osogbo was blocked.
It was the same scenario that played out in Ikirun, Ilesa and Ede.