In a bid to make its students more productive and self-dependent in their chosen fields of study, the management of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree has commenced Vocational and Technical Education Programmes in the institution.
 

 
In a statement made available to newsmen by the institution’s spokesperson, Mr. Tope Abiola, the Rector of the school, Dr. Olusola Agboola. pledged to do his best to make his students good ambassadors of the institution anywhere they find themselves.
The statement said: “The commencement of the programme was part of the institution’s drive to complement the efforts of the government of the State of Osun in its bid to improve the Vocational and Entrepreneurship Skills of the people in the State”

Becoming governor was not, for Rauf Aregbesola, the fulfillment of an ambition. It was for him, the beginning of a mission: a mission to transform his beloved state, Osun to its Eldorado. Prior to his assumption of office on November 27, 2010, the scandalous performance of successive governments, with the rare exception of Akande administration is better imagined than real.
 
 
 
As a result of poor governance by successive governments and the inherent institutionalized corrupt tendencies of public office holders, the state Infrastructural facilities were in a state of terrible decay and needing urgent attention and rehabilitation.
 
The level of rot, particularly, the degree of moral decadence he met on ground was totally unacceptable to him. Consequently, he embarked on far –reaching reforms to make the state measure up to the standard of what a modern state should be and put it on the path of irreversible posterity.
 
The arrested development of the state a result of the maladministration of his immediate predecessor in office explains why Aregbesola was in a hurry to develop the 25 year old state when he came on board in 2010, and was consequently spending up to 80 percent of the state’s resources on capital projects.
Corrupt public officials and beneficiaries of the old order were not happy with him because, after devoting such a humongous sum to the execution of capital projects, there is little or nothing to steal couple with the fact that he also blocked all areas of leakages.
 
The foregoing made him unpopular amongst the elites and thieving public officials who have being feasting like vultures on the meager resources of the state. But to the commoners, the toiling masses and the vulnerable who are in the majority, the anti-corruption and attitudinal change crusade of Aregbesola is a welcome development. In any existing economic or political system, there are those who would naturally oppose the emergence of ideas formulated towards endowing a progressive society.
 
These are those that have been recently uncovered and referred to as a “cabal” opposed to the provision of the people of the state of Osun with the right kind of leadership as symbolized in the pragmatic and quality style of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. They are practically those who have gone to town, a section of the traditional media and the internet with wild, despicable allegations and malicious propaganda to paint Ogbeni Aregbesola in bad light, cause mischief, misinform and disrupt the existing good relationship between Aregbesola and the appreciative people of Osun.
 
Like Winston Churchill, ogbeni might be vilified for his principled position, but no one can fault the altruistic and patriotic motivations for his actions. Like the saying goes, “Diamond are forever”. Changing global reality in our new world is making leaders that have vision look like narrow minded, satanic, heartless and wicked leaders while making those without vision look like saints. Before this intervention, I had watched with a sense of bewilderment, the unrelenting smear campaign against Aregbesola administration and his person unleashed by corrupt politicians founded newspapers and their hirelings.
 
 
It is as if Osun is the only state in Nigeria owing its workers salary arrears due to dwindling allocation from the federation account occasioned by misappropriation of funds that suppose to go into federation account for joint sharing by the three tiers of government, no thanks to Jonathan led PDP led Federal government and the down ward slide of the global price of oil, the main stay of our economy.
 
I think it is a piece of ignorance when one refuses to acknowledge anything good one’s enemy has done right. It is patently clear that there is a calculated attempt by Aregbesola’s political enemies to rubbish his 5 year reign. The opposition, a section of the media on its payroll and the “lynch mob” have found an opportunity in the current economic recession affecting the whole world to vent their spleen for the sole purpose of transferring away the pressure and attention from the uncomplimentary activities of their days in power, that is partly responsible for our present economic woes towards an “ideal scapegoat”.
 
Apparently, blackmail, unpopular advocacy, false, wild, mendacious and ill-intentioned allegations are the only known tool to them to further their campaign of calumny and primarily justify their inordinate desire to rubbish the unprecedented landmark achievements of the Rauf Aregbesola phenomenon.
 
A candid assessment of the performance of Aregbesola in his first three years in power which has attracted widespread commendation and applause, both locally and internationally, can best be described as nothing but superlative.
 
In just three years, Aregbesola has been able to prove that something good can, indeed come out of Nazareth. He has pulled Osun from the backwaters of underdevelopment, illiteracy, ignorance and disease, to a state that is on irreversible path to prosperity. Holistically, we should start by underlying the various freedoms we enjoy as citizens.
 
A throw back from the days of yore and of gore. We are comparatively freer. Only those in a state of collective amnesia, take this aspect of governance for granted. To realize his vision, the governor had, on assuming office, initiated a strategy of building up reserve of funds with which it could leverage for the projects it has planned to do.
 
The innovative approach adopted by Rauf Aregbesola led government at the most excruciating period of the state is worthy of emulation by any well meaning government the world over. His government did two things that nobody thought he could do. By November, 2010, when it assumed office, the state borrowed a whopping N1 billion to pay salaries. That was the same time it starts recruiting 20,000 OYES members! It was that same period that the state paid bonus to its workers. The abiding question is: How did the “magician”,Aregbesola did it? By March of the following year, to be precise, March, 2011, ogbeni had restructured the state finances that the state was no longer in any precarious condition.
 
The state has stopped borrowing money to pay salaries on the 25th of every month yet,it never failed to pay N200 million monthly allowance to OYES volunteers. In less than three years of his first four year- tenure, chroniclers of history would establish Aregbesola’s massive interventions in hitherto rotten and neglected sectors such as education, environment, agriculture, infrastructure, tourism, health and security. From better –developed education system, to well- equipped hospitals, to empowered people; to policies geared towards empowerment, poverty alleviation and a social security programme that protects the vulnerable.
 
The vulnerable are the old who cannot earn any more money, the young and old who cannot get healing, the children too poor to afford books and food at schools, the disenfranchised business person who cannot get seed money to pursue his/her dream s of breaking away from poverty. They are the people whom Abraham Lincoln referred to as the reason for government. Those that need help to survive. The state of Osun’s present experience in the spheres of infrastructure and human capital development worthy of commendation when compared to what the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola met on ground and how he has been able to transform Osun, in less than 3 years, the current economic recession affecting the whole world, notwithstanding.
 
Aregbesola has so far demonstrated that, with great determination, Osun state could become the envy of many and the pride of her citizens at home and in the Diaspora. Not a few will agree with this commentator that Osun state infrastructural facilities, though yet to be completed due to the economic meltdown, is the symbolic representation of Aregbesola’s government resolve to eradicate the decadence of the past and link the state and subsequently, the people with the future. So far so well for the state of the living God! Without doubt, Aregbesola’s efforts at re positioning the state of Osun have not gone unnoticed.
 
The World Bank in conjunction with 14 states in Nigeria have replicated the OYES initiative in those states. Ogbeni was invited to address the UK parliament on the Schools Feeding Programme and the tablet of knowledge, “opon Imo”. Even the Buhari led APC Federal Government has incorporated some of his programme, especially the School Feeding Programme and the N5000 stipend for the unemployed graduates into his manifesto.
 
No doubt, Rauf is a man of uncommon brilliance, boundless vision, incredible sagacity, humane passion, selfless discipline, unmatchable genius and a realist, who is at the same time innovative. He was born a genuine transformation head and he live up to his iconic image. Aregbesola has within three years in office pioneered changes geared towards the achievement, improvement and sustenance of good quality of life for the citizens of the state.
 
Fellow of Nigeria Society of Engineers (FNSE), Aregbesola has within so short a time in office demonstrated that where there is a will, there is always a way. A man of immense responsibilities to himself, his society and the world as a whole, he is down- to- earth, with creative determination, delightful coherence and comforting commitment suitable for any leadership position.
 
Surely, the good that Aregbesola has started in Osun state, though, temporarily hinder by the current economic recession, will outlast him; it will live long after he will have passed. So since he meant well for the state, he deserves the support of people, not lack of it. In this historic battle of repositioning the state, he needs to be encouraged, not scared. And since this battle is collective, not personal, he deserves solidarity, not brickbats. Without mincing words, Aregbesola and his team has so far demonstrated that they are ever “ready to march into the new frontier”.
So, with “greater determination and strong commitment” in their approaches, there is no doubt Osun state is “set to join the league of develop economies.” And the Promised Land will be easier accessed than ever imagined. May God save us from ourselves!
The writer, Lanre Aminu is the National Coordinator, Oodua Youth for Good Governance

The State of Osun Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) on Wednesday, 17^th February, 2016, sealed up Globacom Limited in the State of Osun for not effecting the payment of outstanding, TAXES AND OTHER LEVIES  in respect of mast/ base station and laying of fibre optics, which had become due and payable to Osun State Government arising from back- Duty-Investigation-Exercise.
 

 
This was made known by the Acting Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Dayo Oyebanji today after the exercise. He said, the action aims at giving a bite to the company’s non-compliance to ensure remittance of all the outstanding due to the State. The distrain action is in line with the provision of Section 104 of the personal Income Tax Act 2004 LFN (as amended in 2011) and will not be reopened for business until all full compliance is attained.
He further explained that several meetings had been held with their representatives in the last three years in order to resolve the outstandings, however, all proved abortive. He made reference to the latest meetings held with the company on the 8^th of October and 13^th of Novembe, 2015 but the company representatives always renege on their promise.
Mr. Oyebanji said, the Osun State House of Assembly also intervened in the matter by inviting Globacom to appear before the special session on 3^rd of December, 2015. Though the company representatives appeared before the House on that day, but all the promises to remit the outstanding tax liabilities within two weeks is yet to be effected up till now.
Another important issue is the failure to obtain relevant approval for laying of fibre optics in line with the State’s relevant regulation on physical and urban planning. He emphasized that in the last few months, it has been discovered that GLO has been laying cables and masts especially in Ife Axis without obtaining necessary approval and thus violating the law.
He stressed further that, OIRS has intensified its efforts on advocacy, publicity and enlightenment programmes on the statutory obligations of the citizenry for voluntary compliance by paying their taxes promptly as prescribed in the Nigeria constitution and the applicable tax legislations. In spite of its efforts, some corporate organizations and individuals still engage in several violations. As a result of this, OIRS is set to begin enforcement of tax payment, prosecution of all tax defaulters in the State of Osun to ensure that the defaulters are made to face the full scale of the law.
He also explained that, Personal Income Tax Act mandates all taxable institutions to file its annual tax return for the preceding year at the expiration of 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment, a taxable person or corporate organizations who fails to file its returns with OIRS by the stipulated date is in breach of the provisions of the law.
He, however, thanked those who have continued to express their unalloyed support to the State of Osun through their regular tax payment. He assured members of the public that Osun State Government is committed to building a vibrant economy aimed at boosting commerce, industry and improving the welfare of the citizenry which can only be achieved through prompt tax payment of all the concerns, he added.
In his conclusion, he re-iterated that OIRS will not hesitate to take legal action against recalcitrant individuals or corporate organizations that fail to perform their civic responsibility to the State government in the area of tax payment.

The Government of the State of Osun on Tuesday described as mere blackmail the protests by the striking doctors saying that the government has made more than enough concessions for them to have shifted their positions and reason with the government.
 

 
The Government called on well-meaning Nigerians to objectively examine the issues involved in the demands of the doctors and see whether they are in tune with the realities of the current worsening global and national economic situation and how it affects Osun.
The statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy in the Office of the Governor, which was endorsed by its Director, Semiu Okanlawon, said the doctors are demanding the impossible just as it said that the state under Governor Rauf Aregbesola had offered the best condition of service to all its workers including the doctors before the current financial challenges facing the entire country.
Government said in the face of the current economic realities, it remains unbelievable  that doctors would insist that they would not be bound by the payment regime agreed to by over 39,000 other workers in the state which was arrived at after a rigorous deliberation on the finances of the state within the context of the national economic realities.
The statement said that it is an open secret that Nigeria is faced with critical financial challenges which have made many obligations impossible.
It said this was why the state came up with a very transparent formulae for apportioning of its available resources adding that this was agreed to by all categories of workers in the state.
It added, “The only way labour can do without the distrust of government is by setting up a committee with the labour constituting half of the composition and government half and a neutral person jointly accepted by us to be the head of the committee to be reviewing all the revenues and using the reality of the revenue to appropriate or apportion allocation to strategic and key areas of government, which is wages and running the government. We agreed and we are running government absolutely on that basis.
“That agreement came in August and in September; the doctors said they were not in any way bound by that agreement.
“There was no way we could back down because, in the first instance, other professionals had accepted the agreement reached with labour.”
The statement said the doctors have remained recalcitrant despite all entreaties by leading lights of the medical profession, adding “they refused the popular agreement, what should government do? How can we reverse a decision accented to and agreed with by over 39,000 workers because about 200 people are dissatisfied.”
The statement accused the doctors of abandoning their work since September 28, adding that “but we paid them for that month.”
It went further, “By December, we told them they should resume work and they have remained adamant that they want to earn what we cannot afford. In the first instance, except in communist country, you cannot force anybody to work, you can’t drag workers to work under democracy. It is either you want to work or you don’t want to work. But if you cannot take what we are offering and what other workers including Doctors in Local government areas, including consultants at the state level are taking, we cannot afford it.”
The statement said there is no doubt that all aspects of life are affected in Nigeria by the crushing economic hardship.
While admitting that doctors render essential services to the society, the statement reminded Nigerians that there is no single professional in the health sector that is not essential.
It said just as the Government is committed to the welfare of doctors, it must also be committed to the welfare of other professionals in the medical line such as Pharmacists, Nurses, Radiologists, cleaners and others.
Listing its several pro-workers policies, the statement reminded all that the government ensured payment of salaries on or before 26th of every month regardless of the arrival of federal allocation.
“This state never received salary at the end of the month ever since inception. And why? Allocation always comes minimally 14 days after the month, Osun traditionally will wait till the allocation comes before salary can be paid as we are doing now. Today is 16th and January allocation has not come, and it may not come until the end of the month, before now and for 4 years, Aregbesola ensured that salaries were paid on or before every 25th of the month. Not that allocation came every 25th of every month, by my our special arrangement, we ensured that we guaranteed payment before the end of the month for 4 years. Today, it becomes useless and irrelevant and not commendable because we are challenged, not by our own fault, but by the vagaries of the economy in the world, not even in Nigeria,” the statement added.
It listed other areas such as reform in the way leave allowances were paid; increase in vehicle loans by 400 percent and the end-of-the-year allowance which were paid to workers.
It added, “We began with 10 percent to 25 percent to 50 percent and the fourth year to 100 percent. Unfortunately, but for the economic situation. We couldn’t go further. All of these is to show how workers-friendly we are.”

                            …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.

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.

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.

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.

…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.

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.