The government of the State of Osun has pledged its unflinching support for National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).

The State of Osun Commissioner for Women, Children and Social Affairs, Barr. Olubukola Olaboopo, today, disclosed the readiness of the State government to support and collaborate with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons. She said this while addressing the hierarchy of the Agency during a courtesy call to her office. The team was headed by the Zonal Commander of the Osogbo zone of the Agency, Mr. Mustapha.

Mr. Mustapha appreciated the Commissioner for her zeal and passion at ensuring that a stop is put at women and children trafficking in the State. He emphasised that since NAPTIP, Osogbo Zone was established in the state, the Honourable Commissioner is the first Commissioner to be personally involved in the fight against human trafficking and more importantly to hand a victim over.

He further recalled the efforts of the Honourable Commissioner within weeks of assuming office, at rescuing an eight year old girl who was a victim of child trafficking. He mentioned that her passion to protect and assist women and children is contagious, saying that this endeared the hierarchy of the Agency to her, hence, the thought to pay her a courtesy call.

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Kingsley Omoyeni

The state of Osun Development Plan (SDP) has been described as one of the best in the country which is capable of placing the state on the threshold of meaningful development if well implemented.

These were the submission of delegates from the South-Western states of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Ekiti and Ondo who were in the state of Osun on a study tour and learn from the state of Osun Development Plan.

The tour which is aimed at putting all the South-Western states of Nigeria on the same pedestal of development, was facilitated by the Development Agenda Of Western Nigeria(DAWN Commision), the Department For International Development(DFID) and the Partnership to Engage, Reform and Learn(PERL).

Speaking at a forum shortly after their tour, the Director General of DAWN commission, Mr Seye Oyeleye said all the efforts of development in Osun is expected rub-off on other South-west states, hence the need for the tour of the state.

The D.G who was represented by the head of administration of DAWN commission, said it is nice that Osun is integrating the citizens needs acessment in the formulation of the budget to boost the state development plan.

He said, “Osun is a state that knows what they want to achieve in terms of development and that is the way to go. We should not just leave everything to chance.

“The reason why the DAWN commission together with other partners have brought other southwest states to Oṣùn is because we have studied the Development Plan of Osun and we have seen that they have done a good job.

“By December of 2020, the DAWN commission will want to see a situation whereby all the Southwest states will have a clear vision of development, that is why we have come to Oṣùn, Osun already have clear vision of what they want to achieve and they are going about it passionately”. He stated.

Speaking on behalf of DFID and PERL, Mr Wale Agboju, a senior data analyst at (PERL) who thanked Osun for allowing other southwest states to come and study its development plan said they are happy about what is going on in the state.

He said he is delighted that other Southwestern states have shown the desire and readiness to learn what the state of Osun is doing right in terms of having a State Development Plan which he said has been properly done.

“I must tell you that Osun has done something remarkable and we are proud of what the state has achieved in such a short period of time. Osun has integrated the people in the state development and that’s why it is working.

“I commend the people and the government of the state of Osun for the willingness to share experiences on how they have done it. I believe delegates from other states have been enriched greatly.

“At PERL, we saw that Osun was doing something right and we feel other states should learn from it to aid a spread of the development across especially the southwest states and that’s why we collaborated with the DAWN to bring other southwest to Oṣùn and its been worthwhile”. Mr Agboju stated.

Earlier in a welcome adddres, Commissioner for Economic Planning, Budget and Development, Prof. Olalekan Yinusa told the delegates that the reform that the state has made has put the state on the world map to qualify her for a world Bank grant.

He advised that every development plan must be made to be all inclusive and fully participatory because it is being made for the people, stressing that the masses should be allowed to own it.

According to the Commissioner, “I can tell you that the secret behind what we have done is that we have made everything fully participatory and all inclusive for the people, we allowed them to say what they want and that is why it is seamless”. Yinusa emphasized.

Kingsley Omoyeni

Commissioner for Finance in Osun, Mr Bola Oyebami says the target of the state is to be able generate at least 3billion naira per month to enable government deliver on its campaign promises to the people of the state.

This is just as the Commissioner directed all partner banks of the state government in revenue generation to fully comply with the Treasury Single Account policy of the state in an effort to block all leakages and further boost the revenue of the state.

The Commissioner stated this during a meeting with partner banks and other financial institutions on their business relationships with the state government so as maintain a steady growth in the state’s IGR.

Mr Oyebamiji who described the banks working with the state government on revenue collection as the first level of marketing for the state added that the banks should be ready to put themselves in position where they will add value to the state for the benefit of all.

The financial expert said any of the bank working with the state government on revenue collection who fails to comply with the TSA policy of the State Government will no longer be regarded as a partner.

According to the Commissioner, “this is the time we need the cooperation of all our revenue collection banks. We just must improve and boost the revenue of this state to at least 3billiin every month. This is the only way government can deliver on its promises to the people of the state.

“we need to make our relationship mutually beneficial, you should strive to add value to the state and in the long run it will be beneficial to you when the state grows economically.

“you should realise that it is very important for all banks to comply fully with the TSA policy, it is the most honourable thing to do or else you will no longer be seen as a partner in the quest to boost the revenue of the state.

“Henceforth, a target will be set for all our revenue collection banks, and if those targets are met, we will compensate you with incensives to further encourage you”. The Commissioner stated.

Also speaking at the meeting, the state Accountant General, Mr Sunday Igbaroola urged all the banks to ensure that they close every other accounts outside the TSA account so that all funds can be strictly monitored and accounted for.

“we want a situation whereby we can be able to view all accounts belonging to the state government at a glance. Thus will aid transperency and accountability”. Mr Igbaroola stressed.

In his own remark, Chairman of the Osun Internal Revenue Service(OIRS), Mr Gbite Ademikanra charged the banks to work with the internal revenue service so that the state can get to the level which it ought to be in terms of revenue generation.

“we must be realistic and deliver on what we ought to deliver at the right time, we can’t continue to do things the old way and expect a different result, we must boost the revenue of this state and we can only do it together when we are transparent and prudent in our dealings”. The OIRS boss stressed.

Others present at the meeting include: the Special Assistant to the Governor on Finance, Dr Wale Tijani, Technical Assistant to the Governor on TSA, Mr Adetona Adefokun among others.

LAUTECH: We’ve never defaulted in payi ng salaries of workers –Osun Govt
The Government of the State of Osun has described the comments by Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on the running of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) that tended to suggest that Osun has abandoned payment of workers of the institution as a product of misinformation.
 
It said to the contrary, the state has always been alive to its responsibility with regard to its obligations to LAUTECH despite the obvious lopsidedness in the distribution of infrastructure between the two owner states.
 
A statement from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prince Wole Oyebamiji, on Tuesday, noted that Osun has never defaulted in the payment of salaries of workers in both the university and the Teaching Hospital in Osogbo.
 
It added that in 2017 alone, while Oyo contributed N717, 888, 795.00, Osun contributed N1, 292, 000, 000.00. In 2018, Oyo contributed N443, 865,554.00; Osun contributed N500, 000,000.
 
The government was however quick to add that in addition to contributing regularly to LAUTECH in Ogbomoso, as indicated above, Osun State alone has been responsible for paying the salaries of workers at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, from 2013 to date, amounting to N16, 369, 953, 830.48.
 
For instance, from January to June this year, while Oyo had paid about N1.1billion to the university, Osun on the other hand had paid about N1.7 billion from January to July this year to LAUTECH Teaching Hospital. This is in addition to the N300million it released to the university in July.  
 
“Effectively, what this implies is that while Osun had cumulatively spent about N2billion on the institution from January to date, Oyo had only spent a little over N1billion.
 
“From the foregoing, who has defaulted? Rather than attempt to vilify our government, we should be commended. The university is a joint responsibility.  Whatever decision that needs to be taken on its future must be mutually agreed upon.
 
“Again, for emphasis, we are committed to the joint ownership of LAUTECH and we will never shy away from our responsibilities, just as we will never sacrifice the future of the students of the university on the altar of partisan politics,” the government added.
 

Kingsley Omoyeni

The board of the Osun Internal Revenue Service(OIRS) have been charged to design a strategy that will help the state get an enhanced revenue as a means of further boosting the economy of the state.

Supervisor for Finance and Commerce, Mr Bola Oyebamiji gave the charge during the weekly meeting of the finance conglomerate held at the conference room of the ministry of finance.

Oyebamiji said it is time that government be taken as a commercial entity without attaching sentiments in a bid to get all what is due to government in terms of revenue.

The Supervisor directed that henceforth the OIRS should be fully in charge of everyone money that comes in as revenue for the state, stressing that they need to take over from every revenue generating agency of government in a bid to avoid leakages.

He said there is no reason why any government agency should still maintain any account for collection of revenue except it is reported and endorsed by the board of the Internal Revenue Service.

According to Oyebamiji, “I don’t want us to relent in the move to continue to block financial leakages and boost our revenue as a state. We are not there yet, we need to continue to work hard to boost our revenue, we are not where we want to be yet, there is still a lot of ground to cover.

“The way forward is to commercialize government activities, don’t get me wrong, it is different from privatising it, in my opinion this is the only way for us to move forward as a state. As individuals and as stake holders in the Osun Project, we need to take away sentiments from governance and begin to do things the right way.

“if we take away sentiments from governance we will get every revenue that is due to the state, the days of sitting back and do nothing is long gone, we must take over revenue generating activities from any ministry, department or agency that is still involved in it.

“The Osun Internal Revenue Service is the only body saddled under the law with the responsibility of collecting taxes and other levies on behalf of the state, I believe we can generate a lot more revenue than what we currently do, we just need to tie some loose ends.

“Mr Governor believes we have the capacity to do better than this and he wants us to improve”. He stressed.