…Commissions medical equipment
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Wednesday described the action of the striking doctors in the state as selfish and uncaring about what happens to other citizens and residents of the state in the face of the present economic hardship faced by the country.
 

 
The Governor‎ stated this while delivering an address titled “To the improved health of the People” at the commissioning of new equipment for Boripe Local Government Health Centres  at Boripe Local Government Secretariat in Iragbiji.
Aregbesola admonished the striking doctors to recognise that the state is in a very special time of serious economic challenge and be willing to sacrifice like‎ every other workers in the state who are always at their duty post.
He held that government in spite of the great financial challenges has given the welfare of the people priority attention, saying it is high time that all realised that the state is in a special period where sacrifice must be made.
Aregbesola noted that states in the past used to get money from the federal government every month to run their administration, but since July 2013, that has continued to decrease until today when most states get nothing again.
‎According to the Governor, “There are however some of our health workers at the state level who think only of themselves, who do not care a hoot whatever happens to the rest of us.
“They have refused to recognise that we are in a special time and would insist that we give to them alone all the money in the state, even while other government workers are willing to make sacrifice.
“By their own action of indefinitely abandoning their duty post, they have demonstrated that they have no place in our hospitals and the reasonable thing to do is to fill the void they created. Nature abhors vacuum”. The Governor told the gathering.
‎He pointed out that the restoration of healthy living is one of his administration’s cardinal objectives, stating that it is only healthy people that  can work and be productive to generate revenues to government through tax.
Aregbesola also added that when people are healthy and live longer, they participate in political activities which translates into more votes for politicians, and that it is in the best interest of the people themselves and government to promote good health.
He said, “As you are also aware, the state government provides good healthcare services to the people through teaching hospital, which is the highest level, general hospitals and local government health centres.
“We have also been maintaining our free healthcare policy through constant procurement to ensure availability of free drugs at our hospitals, while there are also free anti-malaria drugs for expectant mothers as part of their ante-natal treatment in government-owned hospitals.
“Furthermore, we have renovated nine state hospitals, upgraded our existing primary healthcare centres while new ones are being built. We have also provided medical equipment, furniture and electrical appliances for some of our health facilities where these are needed.
“Ambulances equipped with first aid equipment were purchased and are now in full operation under the Osun Ambulance Services, which is aimed at improving the quick-response capacity of the health system, in cases of accidents and emergencies”. Aregbesola emphasised.
Speaking earlier, the Executive Secretary, Boripe Local Government, Alhaji Kehinde Moronkeji said the equipment being commissioned were donated by the AD King Foundation of Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States.
The Council boss added that when he took over the administration of the council, the health equipment at hospitals were outdated thus necessitating for modern medical equipment for health centres in the Local Government.
He said, “As we all know that, we are operating Primary Health Centres at the Local Government level while state are operating General hospitals. There are equipment acquire here that are meant for the use of tertiary hospital which will be donated to state to serve as our contribution to the development of the state.
“I want to quickly add that our administration would continue to be committed to programmes and project that would better the lots of our people”. He stressed.
The State Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Olajire Oyebode commended the Governor for what he has done in developing infrastructure in the state.
He noted that with all the road network in Osun that Aregbesola has constructed, there is no meaningful residents and citizens of the state that will not want to pay tax, pledging the commitment of members of his association to the payment of tax.
Oyebode said, “at this point of economic hardship, all in the state should be ready to pay their taxes, government needs money for it to continue the good work it has started, we are all living witness to how the armoured tanks provided for the police by the Governor was able to foil the robbery in Ikirun”. The Union leader stressed.

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The deployed teachers from the civil service with teaching qualifications whose names have been forwarded to the Teacher’s Establishment and Pensions Office (TEPO) have been asked to report for a screening exercise on Wednesday (17th February, 2016).
 

 
This is contained in release signed by the Co-ordinating Director of Teacher’s Establishment and Pensions Office (TEPO), Mr. Adeolu Oyebayo who said the screening will hold at Baptist High School, Gbodofon Area, Osogbo by 8.00am.
According to him, all affected officers are expected to come with the original and photocopies of their documents as well as two recent passport photographs.

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Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has approved the redeployment of Permanent Secretaries in the State with immediate effect.
 

 
The new postings, according to a circular signed by the State Head of Service, Mr. Olayinka Owoeye, became imperative due to the re-organisation of the Civil Service from eighteen to twelve Ministries coupled with the creation of some new Departments and Agencies.
According to the posting instruction, there is need to re-invigorate the Public Service for the challenges ahead especially the effective execution of 2016 Budget.
According to the Head of Service, Mr. Kayode Adegoke will replace Mr. Christopher Fawole of the Parastatal Monitoring Office who is retiring from the service while Mr. Muftau Oluwadare will man the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy, Water Resources, Rural and Community Affairs.
Mr. Sunday Olajide has been deployed to the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology to replace Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran who has retired from the Service while Mr. Ayanleye Aina is now in charge of the Office of Human Resources and Capacity Building as well as overseeing the Public Service Office.
Architect Adewale Ojo is now the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Sanitation and Physical Planning while Engineer Olusegun Aduroja moves to the Hospitals Management Board as the Permanent Secretary.
The letter of posting shows that Mrs Olajumoke Bello is now the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture while Pharmacist Omolara Ajayi has been moved to the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs.
Dr. Adeyinka Eso is now the Permanent Secretary in charge of the State Ministry of Health while Mrs Adebimpe Ogunlumade mni, now takes charge of the Ministry of Finance.

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The Osun State Security Council on Monday commended the police and other security agencies who foiled the bank robbery incident in Ikirun last Friday.

Addressing journalists after the state security council meeting, Osun Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kola Sodipo, held that security agencies in the state needed to be lauded for their gallantry, utmost sense of duty and professionalism.

The Osun CP represented by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) ACP Jesubiyi Taiwo, stated that the police and other security agencies swiftly responded to the security challenge with superior firepower.

He added that the recorded success was the result of the Armoured Personnel Carriers provided the police by the state government, stressing that four of the robbers were killed while four have been arrested.

The police boss assured the people of the state of its readiness to protect lives and property, maintain peace and deter any criminal activity in the state.

He said: “Last Friday, armed bandits attacked three commercial banks in Ikirun, in Ifelodun Local Government area of the state, these bandits came with sophisticated weapons and explosive devices.

“The police responded swiftly with superior firepower, four of the robbers were killed while four others have been arrested. Sums of money were also recovered from the robbers. Every effort is being made to apprehend other members of the gang who are in hiding.
“Regrettably, ‎two police officers and two bank officials lost their lives during the operation. The state security council wishes to commend the police and other security agencies that rose to the occasion for their gallantry.”.
He informed the people of the need for safety precautions in any emergency situation in the nature of armed threat to lives and property involving bandits and other criminals.
The CP stressed‎ that emergencies required special attention, adding that in case of armed robbery and other armed threats, the first reaction expected from people is to run for safety in other to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
Acco‎rding to him, “Emergencies require special response. In cases of armed robbers, insurgents and other armed threats, the first reaction of the people should be to run for safety, lock themselves in and alert security agencies on their emergency numbers, in order to avoid being hit by stray bullets.
“It is most advisable to lie on the floor until it is safe to get up. Please, on no account should people come out to view the engagement of the threat by armed security agencies. It is very dangerous”. The police boss emphasised.
He stated that Police and other security agencies are prepared to keep citizens safe and will do their job to ensure a safer society.
Security agencies whose heads were present at the meeting included the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Prisons Service, the Civil Defence, Nigerian Immigration Services, Federal Roads Safety Corps.

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…Charges Politicians On Honesty, Humility
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reassured his administration’s commitment to ensure total completion of all ongoing projects in the state.
 

 
He pledged that in spite the current economic hardship in the country and Osun in particular, his government would not be derailed on its pro-masses policies calculated to turn around the state for the better of the citizenry.
Governor Aregbesola stated this in Osogbo while speaking as the Special Guest of Honour, at a lecture organized in honour of late Chief Ayo Ojewumi, a Former Commissioner for Agriculture & Natural Resources, in the Old Oyo State, during the administration of Late Chief Bola Ige.
Aregbesola who attributed the slow pace of some of the ongoing projects to what he described as little or no revenue from the Federation Accounts to the state.
In his bid to avert further economic imbroglio, Governor Aregbesola disclosed that his government has taken an effective cost measure which according to him would reduce drastically the cost of governance in aspects of the economy.
He stated further that his administration has successfully implemented belt-tightening mechanism which he described as a panacea to stunted economic growth.
Ogbeni Aregbesola who described politics and democracy as real mirrors for development, however called on politicians in the country to be the symbol of development and demonstrate high sense of commitment to the people’s plights.
He also charged politicians to let honesty and sincerely be their watchword in whatever they do, saying the virtues of “Omoluabi ethos” must be prioritized by any leader.
Speaking further at the lecture which had as its theme :- “The Role of Journalism in Modern Nigeria Politics”, Ogbeni Aregbesola described Late  Chief Ojewumi as an astute politician per excellence, noting that politics is something that should be practiced with the utmost spirit to serve the masses based on loyalty and truthfulness.
Aregbesola said both leaders and followers must demonstrate genuine leadership and followership qualities that would retain and entrench the confidence reposed in them by the people.
He stressed that leadership positions ought to be handled in a way that the person will not be forgotten just like the late Chief Ojewumi.
Aregbesola also described politics as a worthy legacy that could be passed along to the younger ones inasmuch as  the leaders practice it with the spirit of service to humanity and the need to impact positively on the electorates who are looking onto those in government for good life.
He added, ” a good name is the only thing that can not be forgotten, I don’t know the late chief Ojewumi, I have never met him, but I am here today because of the good deeds that I read about him.
“Nobody will ever be forgotten if such person remains loyal and humble to his political leaders. If you want to be remembered for good you need to be truthful and honest.
“If you are not a persevering person, you are not likely to make an headway in politics, politics does not allow for an impatient and over ambitious individual. Whatever responsibility being given to you should be done with all sincerity.
Governor Aregbesola however reiterated that he would not rest on ensuring adequate protection of the people’s lives and property, adding that his government would continue to build much more on the effective and efficient security template which he regarded as a tool for security consciousness.
He therefore urged the residents of the state to be security conscious at all times, advising to always look for protection and cover-up whenever the  sound of gunshot is heard instead of approaching the scene of such incident.
Also Speaking at the event were, the Former Nigerian Ambassador to Philippines, Professor Yemi Farounbi who was the Guest Lecture; the Olufon of Ifon-Osun, Oba Abdumalruf Magbagbeola, among others.

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In Nigeria’s fiscal federalism, the central government’s revenue allocations, with its occasional grants-in-aid, to the lower tiers of governance meant to support the state governments to deliver public services and navigate new areas, has grossly declined.

The central government uses taxing and general welfare power to give financial handouts to the states to pay for the services the states provide, making the central government a partner of the states. But somehow, the reduction in the finances from the federation accounts to the federating states due to global economic meltdown has forced the states to rely on their own revenue sources. By the way, the grants-in-aid, so called bailout, strictly speaking, is a ‘mercy’ grant from the central government and there is no political, legal or constitutional compulsion to continue the mercy.
Yet, state governments have major responsibility of providing the services needed by the governed. They require taxable residents and businesses to provide counter-part funds to finance the cost of the services. Regrettably however, the bastardization of the State of Osun economy by the past government of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had gravely reduced the tax base of Osun with nebulous taxable businesses, loss of tax revenue and paucity of funds as consequences for the state.
Why taxation in Osun, why? Reality time is here and now. Taxes are the best alternative windows to the present day Osun to make up for the short-falls in the federal revenue allocations to the states of the federation. Tax funds will greatly contribute towards financing the development projects of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in education, health, roads, agriculture, mineral resources, security community affairs, environmental and sanitation, rural development, transportation, women, youths and sports, and other vital sectors, bringing unprecedented benefits to individuals and businesses in the state. Tax money will support Aregbesola’s huge physical infrastructure projects, general welfare activities including slum and mud clearance, and social interventionist programmes that fight poverty frontally at all levels. It is Aregbesola’s into urbanization.
Only the deep recognizes the deep. Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr (1841 – 1935), apparently alluding to Aregbesola’s urbanization of Osun, stated that, “taxes are the price we pay for civilization”, urbanization (emphasis mine). Holmes, a literary giant, attended Harvard Law School (1864) and was admitted into Masschusett Bar in 1867. He was editor, Harvard Magazine; editor, American Law Review; author, the Common Law; Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts; Law Lecturer, Harvard University; and Justice of the United States Supreme Court in 1902.
Taxation, as a general obligation of the tax payers to be carried out in exchange for particular benefits covers government expenditures, energizes the economy, and encourages certain personal and corporate activities by tax exemption, or discourages the activities by heavy taxation. And for that, the residents and businesses of Osun ought to contribute towards the support of the government to increase the level of the economy of the state in unrestricted proportions. The urbanization of Osun as the outgrowth of Aregbesola’s completed and on-going development projects and the corresponding level of per capita income, no matter will make it possible to finance the increases in Osun economy.
Such increases in the state economy will generate more than proportionate increases in personal and corporate income tax revenues for the state, putting Osun in a relatively favourable position for the growth of revenues. But before now, the Osun government tax structures from the PDP days in the Bola Ige House Osogbo, the state capital, had depended on less elastic revenue sources and the income taxes were less heavily utilized, the development that generated fiscal deficit for the state, with the expenditures exceeding the revenues. It was a snapshot of Osun government’s financial position especially in the almost out-gone fiscal year.
Governments at all levels, the world-over have always financed their deficits by borrowing, and the borrowed funds are repaid with interest. These repayments usually have first call on government’s revenues and must be made if the government is to remain solvent and credit worthy. In Nigeria, the deficit status of the component states is importantly being remedied, at least fairly, courtesy of the last bailout from the central government in the federal system.
Meanwhile, I have had ample time to study the Osun recent outlay of taxes and levies, right on my table in office. The new taxes will not obstruct the industry of the residents of the state as the taxes only take out something negligible from their pockets. All the taxable objects in the state are treated alike and what the tax payers will pay is certain, not arbitrary. Same tax is not laid twice on the same tax object. And the extent of the income jurisdiction is essentially determined by the residence of the tax object and the source of its income.
As though, there is a minimum connection between the subject of taxation and the taxing power, the law prescribing the taxes enables the Osun government to have a claim on the tax payers to grow the revenues of the state from the taxes levied on the value of such property as farms estates, houses, stores, factories, private schools, business equipment; taxes levied on income from such sources as wages, salaries, dividends, interests, rents and earnings of corporations and estates; and taxes levied on sales of goods and services and on privileges.
Good enough! Aregbesola’s deployment of taxation as instrument of socio-economic control of Osun economy is aimed at using taxation as legitimate exercise of public authority to ensure no excess burden, or disruptive impact is laid on the private sector, to nib in the bud the Justice John Marshall’s off-quoted dictum: “the power of tax is the power to kill”. Marshall (1755-1835), the 4th Chief Justice of United States, died unsung, July 6, 1835. His death and tax nexus cannot exemplify the Osun new tax system.
The Osun governor is neither prepared to allow any replication of taxes by the local governments in the state. Indeed, by legal restrictions, he sets taxation limit for the third tier of governance in the state. Local governments have statutory power to tax although.
Of course, yes. Elements of tax enforcement, jurisdiction, legitimacy, and rules of conduct central to general governance of Osun, are basic to the administration of the new tax system in the state. Why taxation in Osun, why? Aregbesola, the state tax chief executor has sufficiently persuasive grounds to lay out taxes and administer them.
One, constitutionally, Aregbesola is the chief executive of the state with authority to access the assets of Osun, assess the assets, pays valid debts and administer the state prudently. He has a command over the resources of the state; and he receives the financial reports of the state agencies and submits his budget to the state legislature, the budget containing his decisions on raising revenues and on what programmes and projects to spend money, for public benefit. The budget lies at the very core of his decisions.
Two, legally, Aregbesola as the tax chief administrator in the state has power to make taxable objects obey the rules of taxation willingly, or by the threat of punishment for people found guilty of disobedience or evasion of taxes. And the tax regime as specified in the law cannot be nullified by the judiciary, except there is a general judicial review of the tax system.
Three, publically, Aregbesola has the competence and personal integrity to act to discharge his duties as state chief tax collector. And electorally, he has both the will and testament of Osun electorate, implied in their massive votes for him, empowering him to act as official executor of taxes. And four, ethically, Aregbesola has moral ground to ask for taxes from the Osun taxables, the beneficiaries of his laudable development projects in the state to enable him complete his massive public projects out there and everywhere in the state for the blind  to touch and feel, the deaf to see, and the cripple to be attracted.
A well-ordered tax system like Osun’s, will promote social objectives that are deemed worthwhile within a system of public finance. The Osun’s tax structure, if replicated at the national level will contribute to the stabilization of levels of income, promotion of full employment and a stable price level, nationally speaking.
In this way, our nation at large will be better for it. And Osun will be more worthwhile to and work, the ultimate dream of Aregbesola.
The writer Isaac Olusesi is Assistant Director, Directorate of Publicity, Research & Strategy, All Progressives Congress (APC), State of Osun.

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Residents of Ikirun, the headquarters of Ifelodun Local Government Area on Saturday February 13, 2016, commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for security measures put in place to reduce crime rate in the state.
A cross section of the people sojourning in the sleepy community also expressed their gratitude to the police for the work well done during a bank robbery attack on Friday where 5 suspected armed robbers were gunned down. The sojourners eulogized Aregbesola for boosting security in the state.
Speaking with our correspondents at the scene of the incident on Saturday, Mr Bola Olaifa said if not for the quick intervention of the Armored Personnel Carrier APC, the robbers would have succeeded in their operation.
Olaifa noted that the robbers in their previous attacks on the bank; succeeded about two times, carting away millions of naira and killing innocent people.
He therefore appealed to the state governor to continue investing on security so the state can remain crime free.
Echoing a similar view, Mr Wahab also known as Olo, lauded the quick intervention of policemen.
Olo further explained it is now that they know the usefulness and the important Armored Personnel Carriers placed in some strategy places in the state.
“When Governor Aregbesola was donating the APCs some of the residents of the state especially those who didn’t appreciate the good work of the governor were condemning the gesture tagging it as an avenue to loot the state treasury but we can now see the usefulness of the APCs and its effectiveness”. He said.

He however charged the governor on the need for him not to relent in his effort in making the state crime free.
He also sympathized with the family of the police man who lost his life during the gun battle and urged the Nigeria Police to redouble their effort in ensuring security of lives and properties.
It would be recalled that Governor Aregbesola in 2013 donated Armored Personnel Carriers and hundreds of patrol vehicles to security agencies such as army, FRSC, NDLEA and the Civil Defence to enhance security of lives and properties in the state.

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The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that no fewer than 5.3 million youths are jobless, while 1.8 million graduates enter the labour market every year. This figure could be a conservative estimate of the actual number of unemployed youths in the country, going by previous statistics released by NBS, which put the number of jobless Nigerians at 20.3 million.

 
The above is a reflection of previous governments’ inability to design policies that will create more jobs, or provide enabling environment that could encourage both individuals and the private sector to expand employment opportunities without let or hindrance.
It is in line with the above that the Osun State Government established an office known asOsun Job Centre. This is in pursuance of a key component of Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola-led administration’s Six Point Integral Action Plan which is banishment of unemployment from the state. The Job Centre is established as a State Government-funded one-stop employment agency with desk offices located at each of the 30 local government areas.
The Centre will act as a facilitator between job seekers and employers by providing employment information and services to a wide range of people, from the unemployed looking for employment, the underemployed looking for better jobs, to employers advertising job openings. It is aimed at eradicating barriers to employment by promoting education, training and business enterprise. It will contribute to the personal development of the labour force through the creation of opportunities for their productive engagement and utilisation.
The centre provides employment service tools such as an infrastructure for the business community to post its skills needs as well as in-house computers with free access to the internet.

However, the private sector also has a role to play in creating employment, as experience has shown that government alone cannot provide all the needed jobs.  Unemployed persons will also have to start working towards self-employment, through which they may even provide jobs for others.
Unemployment and poverty have become serious problems that all levels of government must tackle with sincerity of purpose to keep the nation’s youths productively engaged and out of avoidable trouble.
These efforts by Osun government are worthy of emulation by other states of the federation. Governor Aregbesola once declared that Osun, out of the 36 states, has the lowest rate of unemployed people, particularly among her teeming youths, due to the determination of his administration to banish poverty and unemployment among its people.
This new move at establishing a job centre is just one of them. These efforts were recently corroborated by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, when he declared that Osun is one of the states with lowest in poverty.
“The indication (in Osun) is that because there is a lot of investment on the people, poverty has been reduced and that is what we (the Federal Government) are trying to achieve in Nigeria,” Osinbajo said.
Aregbesola was quoted as saying: “The development of micro and small businesses forms a core component of our poverty alleviation and economic empowerment strategy.
“This is part of our six-point integral action plan that, among others, seeks to banish poverty, unemployment and hunger.
“We have designed programmes aimed at unlocking our people’s creativity and genuinely set them on the path of self-employment and self-reliance.
“I am certain that our people are hard-working and would at all time take pride in working to earn a decent living.
“With the numerous programmes we are implementing, we are on the road to change the fortune of our state and lives of our people for better.
“Many of these programmes such as OYES, O’REAP, O’YESTECH, O’MEALs, O’Schools, O’Beef and O’BOPS, among others, have offered many of our youths self-reliant job opportunities.”

• Ayo Akinola, is a publisher and media consultant based in Lagos and Bola Akande is a former commissioner for Human Resources and Capacity Building, Osun State

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