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The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf  Aregbesola, received encomia Wednesday night as the Republic of Cuba said his numerous programmes directly lift the conditions of the people.

Specifically, the Governor was commended for what the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Carlos Trejo Sazo, called Aregbesola’s compassion for humanity.

A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon, quoted the Cuban Ambassador as speaking during a dinner organised in honour of the Cuban Ambassador and other embassy officials who were on a three day condolence visit to the state over the demise of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

This was just as the governor commended President Barack Obama of the United States of America over the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba after about 50 years of hostility.

Sazo commended Governor Aregbesola on his total commitment and dedication to the people’s welfare irrespective of socio-political, religious and economic affiliations.
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Soza said his visit to several places in the state was a clear manifestation of the information about the ongoing positive changes and good governance the Cuban Government has been receiving from Aregbesola’s administration over the years.
The envoy stressed that with the level of development he has witnessed in the state, the Cuban Government was ready to partner with Osun to foster more unprecedented development in the state.‎
“I actually came to Osun State to pay a tribute to the late Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, but my visit has given my people and I the opportunity to attest to the level of hospitality naturally endowed with the good people of Osun most especially Governor Aregbesola whose level of compassion to humanity remained immeasurable.
“We have been to several places in Osun in the course of our tour and we have seen physically and technically the level of rapid development of all nooks and crannies which the current government has brought to the state in terms of public infrastructures and social services which had transformed and placed the state to the viable position among its peers in the world.
“With all these developments in Osun State, our government in Cuba would not hesitate to partner with Osun State Government in all areas of socio-political, cultural and economic development by ensuring that the state continuously move forward as being aspired by her citizens.‎
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” I have had comprehensive conversation with Governor Aregbesola on the need to move the state forward and as well build upon excellent relationship that would snowball into the expected all round transformation which is the political ideology of the current administration.
” I am not a stranger in Yorubaland because it is my ancestral home. This is where Cubans belong. We are descendants of Yorubas. Our ancestors lived here. We Cubans need to foster our cordial relationship in terms of human and material development with Yoruba people most especially the people of Osun and Ile-Ife which is the cradle of civilization and humanity.
“I will return to Cuba with all the promises I made to the Government of Osun and ensure that our government partner significantly with the administration of Governor Aregbesola in all areas of human endeavours”. He pledged.‎
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Speaking, Governor Aregbesola noted that the world would be a better place if nations are allowed to do what they know best within the ambit of the constitution.
‎The governor pointed out that his relationship with Cuba dated back fifteen years when he had his first trip to the country, adding that Cuba has demonstrated high capacity for international human compassion based on humanitarian commitment to the development of mankind.

He held that Cuba has shown to the rest of the world the best way to effectively relate to people regardless of needs or desires.

Aregbesola lauded the Cuban Government for always being on the side of the developing countries and other nations without any sense of discrimination.

He added that the significant contributions of the Republic of Cuba towards the independence of many African Countries especially Angola was highly remarkable.
Speaking on the reason why Cuba remained formidable in the world in spite of its limited resources and tiny population, he held that Cuba is the only country that is ready at all times to share its meagre resources with the world.

According to him, “If not for the strong determination of Cuba, it is impossible to even think that Cuba can survive for one day without the support of America.
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“Cuba is not assisting countries of the world because it has excesses, but Cuba is ever ready to quickly come to the aid of any country that is actually constrained in terms of material wealth, and this is the reason for the significant recognition of Cuba’s contribution to human development and welfare among the people of the world,” Aregbesola said.

The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, has urged the 30 local governments in the state to increase their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
This is contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Goke Butika, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday.
He said the local governments should not continue to depend on allocations from the Federation Account to finance their operations.
Salaam also advised the Local Government Service Commission and the Ministry of Local Government to, as a matter of urgency,
fashion out ways through which the councils could improve their finances.
Salaam said the Assembly, through its standing Committee on Local Government Affairs, would also monitor the councils.
He advised each council to develop its agricultural potential so as to generate revenue for the development of the area.

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has presented 4,000 high yielding Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) vines and pumping machines to members of the Potato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (POGPMAN), Niger and Osun  states’ chapters.
In a presentation ceremony held at the council’s headquarters in Abuja, Dr Husseaini Doko Ibrahim, the Director General of RMRDC, said that the initiative was meant to promote development, production and use of improved planting materials of elite varieties of agro raw materials to bridge the gap between demand and supply in the country.
“To leverage on the potential contribution, which the beta carotene-rich orange fleshed sweet potato can bring to improving nutrition and food security in Nigeria, the council, under its boosting programme, is promoting the production of this crop,” Ibrahim stated.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr Eddy Nwaogu of the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike-Nyanya substation, which developed the technology, stressed that the orange-fleshed potato is a nutritious food for households, especially those with children below 5 years, pregnant and lactating mothers.
Nwoagu noted that OFSP is a valuable crop for the makers of baby food items, stressing that its richness in beta carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin A, will solve deficiency problems in children.
President, Potato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Bayo Ajibade, applauded the effort of RMRDC in scaling up elite varieties of crops in Nigeria, saying: “POGPMAN is particularly happy that RMRDC has uplifted POGPMAN with 2000 bundles of 100 vines each and 20 water pumps to water OFSP farms during the dry season in Niger and Osun states.”
In their appreciations, Alhaji Umar Aliyu, the Niger State Coordinator and Mr Olusegun Adepoju, the Osun State Coordinator, expressed their gratitude to the council for providing them with the equipment and technology to be self-sufficient in orange fleshed sweet potato production in the country.
DAILY TRUST

..As new Commissioner of Police promises to sustain peace

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday stated that no ‎state in the federation has invested in equipping the Police has Osun has done in the last five years.

This was even as the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Osun state command, Mr. Kola Sodipo noted that the police in Nigeria cannot succeed without community policing.

Aregbesola stated this while playing host to the new Commissioner of Police and the out-going Commissioner, Mr. Abubakar Marafa who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Osogbo.

The governor added that Osun is committed to ensuring that the Police and other security agencies are given maximum and adequate support so as to protect lives and property as well as maintain peace and security.

He noted that police are the extension of civil society‎ and the most visible agents that protect the people against any security threat.

The governor called on the new Commissioner of Police to maintain strict professionalism, and enjoin his officers and men to uphold ethics, rules and regulations of policing.

He said, “In the last five years of my administration in Osun, no state has invested in support of police as this state has done.

“We have demonstrated this support in the area of procurement of requisite gadgets for effective policing as well as remunerating officers and men of the state command.

“‎As the agency of government that is most visible to the society, we must see police as an extension of ourselves so that we can live peacefully without threat to our lives and property.

“The only way that the police can return the gesture of government is to uphold the ethics of professionalism and the management of men and officers of the force.” he said.

He commended the out-going Police Commissioner for his quick response and capacity to checkmate crisis before it happens.

Aregbesola added that throughout the tenure of Mararfa as the boss of the state Police Command, no single case of incident armed robber‎y was recorded, saying that virtually all other Commissioners of Police that have served in the state left indelible marks as a professinal.

In his response, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kola Sodipo stressed that he will do his best to keep the state secured and devoid of criminal activities.

While seeking the cooperation of government and people of the state, he noted that police can not succeed without the cooperation of the people within the community, he promised to leave the state better and peaceful than his predecessors left it.

According to him, “I want to do better than what Mararfa‎ has done, I will do as much to keep the state peaceful, I will make use of community police, all over the world the police can not succeed without community police.

“If other civilised nations like the United States and the United Kingdom can be making use of community police, our country can not be an exception in the use of community policing”. The police boss emphasised.

In his remarks, the out-gone Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Marafa thanked the governor‎, Osun executive council, the judiciary, Osun monarchs and journalists for their maximum cooperation when he was at the helms of affairs in the state.

He stated that though there are financial itches here and there  in the state but the state will put it behind and move on to glory.

Photos of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, presenting the State plaque to the
outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell
programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police
commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Photos of the Former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade during the handing over ceremony of displaced people to their families after being rehabilitated by the Aregbesola’s administration, at the Permanent Secretary’s office, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, at the weekend

Former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade {right}, handing over a woman, Mrs. Kafayat azeez, after she has been rehabilitated by the State Government; her husband, Mr. Azeez Jimoh {center}; Kafaya’s family, Mrs Baliqees Ayobami {2nd left}; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Dr Akinyinka Eso {2nd right}; Director of Special Needs in the Ministry, Mrs Taiwo Oladunjoye, during the handing over ceremony of displaced people to their families after been rehabilitated by Aregbesola’s administration, at the Permanent Secretary’s office, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, at the weekend

Former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade, presenting gifts to Mrs. Kafayat Azeez, who has just been rehabilitated by the State Government; her husband, Mr. Azeez Jimoh {left}; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Dr Akinyinka Eso and Director of Special Needs in the Ministry, Mrs Taiwo Oladunjoye,during the handing over ceremony of displaced people to their families after been rehabilitated by Aregbesola’s administration, at the Permanent Secretary’s office, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, at the weekend

Former Special Adviser to Governor Rauf Aregbesola on Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Comrade Biyi Odunlade {3 right}, One of displaced person, Mrs. Kafayat azeez [centre], after she has been rehabilitated by the State Government; her husband, Mr. Azeez Jimoh {right}; Kafaya’s family, Mrs Baliqees Ayobami {2nd left}; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Dr Akinyinka Eso {4th left}; Director of Special Needs in the Ministry, Mrs Taiwo Oladunjoye [4th right], others are Kafaya’s families, during the handing over ceremony of displaced people to their families after been rehabilitated by Aregbesola’s administration, at the Permanent Secretary’s office, Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, at the weekend

Osun State House of Assembly has assured that the relief package given to the state would be judiciously administered, saying genuine workers would soon have their outstanding salaries defrayed, while the work-in-progress of public infrastructure would not be left unattended to.
It also vowed to drive the anti-corruption crusade with its oversight functions, promising to break bureaucratic bottlenecks and red-tapism, which are capable of dragging development at snail speed and reducing institutions to redundancy.
The speaker, Hon. Najeem Salaam, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Goke Butikakuro, stressed that the parliament under his watch was more than ready to bring all ministries, departments and agencies to account on how budgetary funds appropriated to them were managed with a view to getting them to be on their toes and be accountable to the public.
Salaam reiterated that the state parliament has taken the first leg of its anti-corruption crusade through the passage of the procurement bill into law, stating that the law when signed by Governor Rauf Aregbesola would drive the processes of contract award, purchases of the government and other state transactions; noting that punitive measures were well spelt out for the transgressors.
The Speaker also disclosed that the parliament would obtain the report of ongoing workers’ audit and frisk it in order to be updated on the actual numerical strength of the work force of the state with a view to giving rough tackles to the would-be manipulators of the process.
He expressed the support of assembly to Gov. Aregbesola in plugging all the financial leakages and cutting of cost of governance, while corrupt officials would denied the benefit of the corruption proceeds in the state.
– See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/09/outstanding-salariesll-be-paid-soon-osun-assembly-assures-workers/#sthash.Z21f23GO.dpuf

• 45 candidates from four ruling houses warming up
• Giesis  ruling house vows not to  allow others to out-smart them.

The Osun State Government will this week commence the processes of filling the vacant stool of the Ooni of Ife,  a government source  yesterday informed THISDAY.
Also, no  fewer than 45 princes from the four ruling houses recognised by government are already warming  up for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife.
However the Giesi  ruling house has pointed out that it would not allow any other ruling house to outsmart it in the kingship succession, saying it is the turn of the house to produce the next Ooni.
Meanwhile, the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs which is  mandated to handle chieftaincy matters has put up a memorandum which has been sent to the Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, but the governor is yet to give  the go ahead to the ministry to commence the process of filling the stool, a source added.
It was gathered that the chieftaincy edict stipulates that the government should commence the process of filling the stool by writing the ruling houses to produce candidate for the stool after 14 days that the stool has been vacant.
The stool of the Ooni of Ife became  vacant following the transition of Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II which was announced by the Osun State Government on August 12, 2015, while the traditional rites was completed on  August 22, 2015.
The four ruling houses are Ogboru, Giesi,  Lafogido and Osinkola.
The Giesi house which has repeatedly said it is its turn to present the Ooni has the highest number of contestants and has designed a form for all contestants which the Chairman of the ruling house, Prince Ropo Ogunwusi, said is being given out freely to any  member of the family who wants to vie for the exalted position.
However, some of the candidates are Prince Isaac Soji Fadehan, the current Director General, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation’, Dr Taiwo Ogunleye, Dr. Abayomi Adegboyega and Dr. Rahman Adedoyin, the Founder of Oduduwa University and The Polytechnic, Ile-Ife.
Osikola house has six candidates from the five branches of the ruling house.
They include Prince Adedamola Aderemi, great grandson of Oba Adesoji Aderemi, the 49th Ooni of Ife who ruled between 1930 and 1980, Prince Ademola Ademiluyi, Prince Yinka Ademiluyi, Dr. Gboyega Ademiluyi, Prince Kanmi Ademiluyi and Prince Adebambo Ademiluyi.
From Ogboru house is Prince Adeagbo Adefemi Adefarakan, a United Kingdom-based oil merchant who is the great grand son of Ooni Olubuse 1.
THISDAY gathered that since the race for the Ooni stool began, many of the princes have begun frequent visits to Ile-Ife, their ancestral homes holding meetings with elders in their families to gain their consents.
Others not named from Lafogido, it was gathered, have embarked on paying visits to former heads of states and highly placed men in the society as well as traditional rulers across the country to solicit their support .
Also, a source reported that some of the candidates have started construction of beautiful edifices in the ancient town as this has been a condition for consideration for the stool.
One of the princes not mentioned, it was  gathered, recently donated four transformers to boost electricity supply in some areas in the ancient city.
THISDAY  equally gathered that the occupation of the exalted  stool of Ooni of Ife has become a battle among the ruling houses as elders of the ruling houses are now at logger head over which ruling house is the next to produce the Ooni.
The vacant stool is already placing these ruling houses on war path by causing ripples among them as they have vowed not to consent to wrong choice from an unacceptable ruling house to occupy the throne.
One of the ruling houses, contesting for the position, Giesi yesterday affirmed that it is its turn to produce the next ruler of the town, contending that the ruling house will do its best to claim what  belongs to it at all cost.
However, when asked on the procedure to be followed, a source said the whole process must be followed in line with tradition and custom, while any thing out of that may not be acceptable to the ruling houses.
THISDAY NEWSPAPER

Cash-strapped workers who are being owed salaries are set to smile again, with the disbursement of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) – backed bailout loans for states.
Fourteen banks are disbursing N338 billion “to stimulate the economy”.
Kwara and Zamfara have received their loans and have begun the payment of salary arrears to workers.
A CBN source confirmed that the other states will get the cash this week.
A breakdown of the loans repayable at an interest rate of nine per cent over 20 years is as follows:
Abia- N14.152b; Adamawa- N2.378b; Bauchi- N8.60b; Bayelsa – N1.285b; Benue – N28.013b;
Borno – N7.680b; Cross River – N7.856b; Delta – N10.036b; Ebonyi – N4.063b; Edo – N3.167b; Ekiti – N9.604b; Enugu – 4.207b; Gombe – N16.459b; Imo – N26.806b; Katsina – N3.304b; Kebbi – N0.690b; Kogi – N50.842b; Kwara – N4.320b; Nasarawa – N8.317b; Niger – N4.306b; Ogun – N20.00b; Ondo – N14.686b; Osun – N34.988b; Oyo – N26.606b; Plateau – N5.357b; Sokoto – N10.093b and Zamfara – N10.020b.
The CBN last week announced that it had approved that Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) lend money to requesting states to pay salary arrears owed their workers.
Some of the conditions for accessing the loan include:

• resolutions of the State Executive Council authorising the borrowing;
• State House of Assembly consenting to the loan package; and
• issuance of Irrevocable Standing Payment Order (ISPO) to ensure timely repayment.

With the signing of the ISPO, “it is clear that the facility is not free as the states’ financial exposure to the banks becomes first line charges deducted from their monthly allocation”.
The CBN official explained that specific figures were attached to the facilities to be disbursed to the states is because “every state is to come up with its specific needs in order to access the facility from the commercial banks. They’re (states) working out what they need from the banks according to the conditions they reached with the banks”.
The decision to borrow money from commercial banks is sequel to the decision by the National Executive Council (NEC) at its June 29 meeting, requesting the CBN “in collaboration with other stakeholders to appraise and consider ways of liquidating the outstanding staff salaries owed by state and local governments.”
The Buhari administration announced a bailout package for states to take care of the backlog of workers’ salaries and access funds for development through the rescheduling of their debts by banks with the CBN’s guarantee.
Eleven states have had their commercial debts to DMBs restructured with a proviso to pay 14.83 per cent of the value of their bonds which their commercial debts were converted to. Eleven others are also to have theirs restructured.
Debt Management Office (DMO) Director-General Abraham Nwankwo said “the restructuring was effected using a re-opening of the FGN-Bond issued on July 18, 2015 and maturing on July 18, 2034. The pricing was based on the yield to date of the bond at a 30-day average, resulting in a transaction yield of 14.83 per cent.”The impact of the restructured states’ commercial debts to domestic bonds, he said, is that “management operations will include: monthly debt service burden will drop by a minimum of 55 per cent and a maximum of 97 per cent, among the 11; and interest rate savings for the 11 states ranging from 3 per cent to 9 per cent per annum.”
THE NATION