The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola on Thursday commended the Osun State Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola on what he termed a “fantastic efforts in infrastructural development” in the state.
Fashola was in the three states of Ondo, Ekiti, and Osun, to inspect some on-going Federal Government projects.
See Photos of the visit below:
Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola was on Thursday in Osun to inspect federal government road projects across the state just as he described the efforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the projects as fantastic judging by the meagre finances of the state.
The inspection by the minister is part of the inspection of federal roads in the Ondo, Ekiti and Osun axis.
Federal road projects visited in Osun include: the 30 kilometre dualisation of Gbongan-Akoda road and Chief Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange Bridge, the 30.20 kilometer reconstruction and rehabilitation of Gbongan-Iwo-Oyo road.
The minister also assessed the condition of the Ifetedo-Ile Ife road as well as the Ilesa-Ife dual carriage way.
Fashola who paid a courtesy visit to the Osun Governor in his office shortly after the inspection stressed that the federal government is not in competition with any state governor concerning road projects, but that the federal just wants good roads delivered across the country.
The minister while commending the intervention of Aregbesola on the Gbongan to Akoda road and especially the Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange bridge stressed that the job will certainly be a masterpiece when completed.
Fashola says the visit is necessary in order to take stock of the state of federal roads and also to liase with necessary ministry officials to facilitate support for the drive of governor Aregbesola in terms of road networks.
The minister who was led round the project sights by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, state of Osun, Engr. Nurudeen Adeagbo also charged the contractors handling the road projects to ensure a timely completion of the job.
While at the sight of the ongoing projects, the former Lagos state governor also urged the handlers of the project to do a thorough job and keep to the specified standard given to them at the beginning of the project, stressing that standard should never be compromised for any reason whatsoever.
He said, “I want to sincerely appreciate the efforts of Ogbeni Aregbesola on his intervention on federal roads in the state despite the paucity of funds.
“He is not only attempting at doing the roads, I can see that the projects have been given to competent contractors who are doing a good job.
“Road construction is a continuous thing, we will see how we can partner with you and support your efforts. I assure you that the debts on these roads will be paid very soon, the President is serious about making this easy for you.
“I am so delighted seeing the kind of mutual relationship that exists between the federal controller of works and that of housing with government officials in Osun, these people should be seen as ambassadors because they are to assist in delivering good projects for Osun.
“Let me make it clear that the federal government is not in competition with any state governor concerning road projects, we are just concerned about the delivery of quality road projects across the country. He said.
Speaking on the issue of power and housing as it affects Osun, Fashola expressed gratitude to the Osun governor, saying Osun is one of the few states in the country that out land for the federal housing project.
He said such a project will go along way in generating employment opportunities for the youths of the state adding that the federal government has recently approved the extension of the Osogbo transmission station which according to him will boost energy supply in the country.
According to the minister, “I want to sincerely thank the government of Osun for being one of the few states that gave us land for housing project, this will go a long way in enhancing building as well as reducing the rate of unemployment in Osun.
“We are also responsible for the delivery of power to Nigerians, we have recently approved the extension of the Osogbo transmission station, this will also help in boosting energy supply all around the country.
“We have got the letter from the government of Osun seeking to provide power through involvement in a solar project, I want to assure you that we are fully in support of it and I have forwarded it to the minister of finance and we are only awaiting financial approval.
The minister then promise to see to the payment of procurement cost on the roads as the federal government is committed to redeeming the expenses incurred by the state government stressing that all stakeholders involved will put hands on deck in making sure that there is smooth relationship between the state government and the ministry of Power, Works and Housing.
In his response, Governor Rauf Aregbesola commended the passion of Fashola on the welfare of the Nigerian people as well as the development of their standard of living.
The governor while appreciating the efforts of the minister since assuming the seat, urged him to see to following the correct allignment of federal roads in the state, while expressing gratitude to the minister for extending the construction of the Ilesa-Osogbo road to the railway junction in the state capital.
He also charged the federal government through the minister to intensify efforts at rehabilitating the Ilie-Ikirun-Iragbiji Road, stressing that it will be a major break as it will go a long way in Opening a lot of agricultural communities in the area.
Ogbeni Aregbesola also used the minister’s visit to solicit for transformers from the federal government, noting that the state government had supported a lot of distribution centers and would need assistance from the federal government in that regard.
He also charged Fashola to expedite action on the federal housing estate in the state, saying the state deserves it as a matter of right.
“I am grateful for your commitment to the improvement of our nation and we urge you not to look back, I have absolute confidence in your capacity to deliver.
“Concerning most of the federal roads in Osun, I want you to please follow the actual allignment in the rehabilitation of these roads, for example, the Ilesa-Osogbo road is not just from the round about at Ilesa, but from “Eti oni”.
“I know there is paucity of funds, but will be very glad if you can embark on the Ilea-Ikirun-Iragbiji road, it will be a major break through for government as it will go a long way in opening a lot of farming communities in that area.
“As you go about doing your job around the country, in whatever capacity you feel you can assist us to better the lives and living conditions of our people in terms of the social amenities which your office oversees, please do,” Aregbesola stated.
Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has said local government elections will hold before December.
The governor dropped the hint in Osogbo, the state capital, at a workshop for information officers.
According to Aregbesola, this will spread good governance to the grassroots.
He challenged information officers to promote state activities, especially in the rural areas.
“What we have is a situation where most of our activities are under reported.
“You must work hard to become information specialists that we desire to provide good information to the public,” he said.
Aregbesola described the hues and cries following the state’s debt burden released by the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) as “insignificant to the achievements of his administration”.
The governor said the financial credit incurred was judiciously utilised.
He added that the report should not be overblown as justifiable projects have been executed.
In their presentations, the resource persons, Sanya Oni of The Nation, Wale Adebisi of the Ola Oni Centre and a media aide, Sola Fasure, challenged information officers to be aware of new trends in their profession.
They urged them to be more vibrant and resourceful to achieve better results.
Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has described as mere exaggeration the alleged heavy burden of debt hanging on the neck of the state.
Aregbesola said the N165billion debt being touted as huge debt is nothing compared with the development that the state has witnessed in the last six years.
A statement by the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, quoted the Governor as making the observation yesterday while declaring open a one day seminar organised for information officers in local government and local council development areas and area offices across the state.
Aregbesola said if those spreading the rumour of huge debt by the state understand what governance is all about with little that God has done through his government in the state, they would know that the debt is nothing to write home about.
He stated that if the so-called N165 billion debt is divided by the 4 million population of resident of the state, the burden each person out of this debt is N2,031.25 annually.
“To analyse this alleged 165billion debt, Osun is made up of 4million people. Four million residents are here in Osun and this debt anyway has been transformed largely to a bond organised by Federal Government that would last for twenty years.
“Let us now divide N165billion by 4 million people for 20 years. To help you mathematically. This will give N2,031.25 as cost of N165billion debt to every resident of Osun per annum.
“Ironically, this debt that people are shouting and crying about summed up to N5:56K per person daily. This practically means that every Osun resident carries a burden of N5:56K per day.
“This government we are talking about that puts burden of N5:56K to every citizen of the state, thus feeds every pupil in the public school with N70 every school day.
“That government guarantees security for every citizen and the cost for security can not be determined. That government ensures that roads are increasingly getting better.
“That government provides access to rural areas. That government ensures that Osun school functions at the best form. That government guarantees water supply.
“That government guarantees sanitation. That government guarantees so much. That in practical economic terms, is far beyond what individual must have to give on a daily basis.”
Meanwhile, the governor has charged Information Officers at the local government level to see themselves as information specialists and adequately report government activities on the nooks and crannies of the state.
With the theme, “The Impact of a New Partnership in Information and Management for Sustainable Development in the State of Osun,” Aregbesola also charged the information officers to supply robust information about their communities at all times.
He said government has decided to put the seminar together because it will help develop their zeal and passion to write and make people understand and believe in them.
He explained that the major achievements of the present administration were recorded at the local areas, lamenting that it is worrisome that the progress made by the present government has not been adequately reported by information officers at the local government level.
He said, “Since the creation of the local councils about a year ago, we are proud to say that a lot of developments have taken place in this areas and they have witnessed more of government activities.
“As at today, we can beat our chest to the fact that a foundation for effective administration has been laid down by our government at the local government level, but it’s a pity that it is being under reported.
“We have put this together because we want people who are in charge of informing the people from the grassroots to be well equipped and have the prerequisite knowledge of what is being expected of them.
“We must hear from you, we want to know what is going on in your domain, how do you feel about people not hearing you? The truth is that if you don’t blow your trumpet nobody will blow it for you.
“Our major achievements have been done in the grassroots and local areas and this requires adequate reportage.”
As the State of Osun joins the rest of the world to celebrate the 2017 ‘’World Tuberculosis Day’’, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Akinyinka Esho has called on the inhabitants of the state who are afflicted by the disease to report to the nearest hospital in their vicinity for treatment.
According to a press release issued by the Ministry, the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘’Unite to end TB’’ and the slogan is ‘’Accelerating TB Case finding and Treatment’’.
The theme of this year’s celebration is apt because it calls on all stakeholders to unite to fight the tuberculosis scourge.
Tuberculosis, despite being curable, still remains a disease of public health importance.
Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has Constituted a six-man Commission of Enquiry on the Disturbance of Public Peace at Ile – Ife on 8th March, 2017.
The members of the Commission, which has Hon. Justice M. A. Adeigbe as its Chairman, include D. C.P. Bose Dawodu (rtd), Barrister Ismail Ajibade, the State Commissioner of Police, the Director State Security Service and Mr. Bisi Babalola as the Secretary of the Commission.
Among the terms of reference of the Commission of Inquiry are: to Investigate and determine the remote and immediate causes of the mayhem, to recommend appropriate administrative civil or criminal action to be taken against persons found to be involved in the disturbance and to make appropriate recommendations and/or suggestions to the State Government to prevent future occurrence.
In a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, the Governor charged the Commission members to discharge their duties with utmost sense of responsibility that it requires.
The Chairman, Special Committee on Fire Safety Matters, Hon. Oguntola Mudashiru Toogun has charged Proprietors and Managing Directors of Hotels and Hospitality Industries in the State to be conscious of any act that can ignite fire in their establishments and take proactive step against it.
Hon. Toogun gave the charge while on a sensitisation tour to hotels and hospitality industries in Osogbo.
He explained that precaution is not only better than cure but rather safer and cheaper in all ways hence the setting up of the committee.
Hon. Toogun commended the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for setting a pace for other states to follow, especially by setting up the committee on fire safety matters whose impact at reducing fire outbreak in the State is being felt.
He further explained that the Governor was concerned with the life and property of the citizenry in the State hence the reason for sensitisation across the State.
Hon. Toogun therefore urged the Proprietors and Managing Directors of establishments in the State to enlighten their workers to put off all electrical appliances when they are not in use.
In their separate remarks, the Managing Directors of Heritage Hotel, Alh. Mashood Owoade, City Dwellers, Mr. Sunday Opatola, Atlantis Event Centre, Mr. Samuel Adodo and Leisure Spring, Mr. Abiodun Odebunmi commended Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the providing the enabling environment for their businesses to strive
Thousands of Students yesterday commenced learning at the Ataoja Government High School in Osogbo, Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo, Osogbo Government High School and Adventist Government High School in Ede, each of them with the capacity to accommodate 3,000 students.
The Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was present at the official opening of the Ata-Oja Government High school in Osogbo , the state capital.
Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu who was ably represented by Prof. Kamoru Olayiwola Usman commended Aregbesola for improving the atmosphere of learning in schools constructed in the state.
See photos below:
Thousands of Students yesterday commenced learning at the Ataoja Government High School in Osogbo, Wole Soyinka Government High School, Ejigbo, Osogbo Government High School and Adventist Government High School in Ede, each of them with the capacity to accommodate 3,000 students.
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola while speaking at the opening ceremony of the Ataoja High School, Osogbo noted that the schools were designed to be able to attract the best brains from their catchment areas, especially draw intake from public schools, where excellence is also the watchword.
Aregbesola noted that his administration has redefined the architecture and environment of quality education, saying that the schools he built would compete with any school from any part of the world.
According to him, “Each school has four principals with three superintending over 1,000 pupils each, and an overall senior principal.
It is standard that each school has 72 classrooms of 49 square-meters, each capable of sitting 49 students.
“It has six offices for study groups. It is also equipped with six laboratories, 48 toilets for pupils and another eight for the teachers, one science library, one Arts library, facility manager’s office, a bookshop and a sickbay.
“Other facilities are the senior principal’s office, three principals’ offices, a bursar’s office, three general staff offices, a record store and security shed/reception. They are all fully furnished. The schools each has its own borehole and power transformer.”
Speaking on the occasion, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, who was represented by Prof. Kamoru Olayiwola Usman commended Aregbesola for improving the atmosphere of learning in schools constructed in the state.
The Minister said the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Education are proud of Aregbesola’s efforts in education sector, saying education should not be limited to a situation when a person can only read and write, but how such person can impact positively on the larger society.
He held that Osun in no distant future will enjoy the seed that has been sown by the present administration with the building of the state-of-the-art schools constructed across the state.
According to him, “If we want to forestall what happened in Ife, we must continue to educate our people by making sure that we build more schools with an atmosphere that is conducive to learning.”
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Governor, Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori stated that the motive of Osun Government is to make the new High Schools centre of excellence that will produce students that are excellent in academic performance and will be grounded in the Omoluabi ethos.
She also added that in line with Aregbesola’s desire to have the best teachers in the state High schools, the Governor has approved 20 per cent salary increment, and dressing allowance for all the teachers and principals in the new high schools.
The Deputy Governor further stressed that the new schools principals will also be entitled to official cars, iPads among other things.
According to her, “These intensive interventions in the education sector constitute huge capital expenditure to which Mr. Governor is fully committed come rain or shine, economic recession or depression notwithstanding.
“Mr. Governor considers no amount of money too much to invest in the lives and future of our children in Osun,” she noted.
The Head Girl of the Ataoja Government High School, Eegunranti Victoria, described Aregbesola as “the Awolowo of our time” and a governor who has made the impossible to be possible.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, on Tuesday commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for creating sound learning environment and laying good foundation quality education through construction and equipping of mega schools located across the three Senatorial districts of the state. Mallam Adam, who was represented by Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman at the opening ceremony and commencement of learning in Ataoja Government High School, Osogbo and other public schools named after Professor Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate and others, requested other state governments to emulate such an investment undertaken by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The Minister said the federal government and the Federal Ministry of Education are proud of Aregbesola’s efforts in education sector, saying education should not be limited to a situation when a person can only read and write, but how such person can impact positively on the larger society. He held that Osun in no distant future will enjoy the seed that has been sown by the present administration with the building of the state-of-the-art schools constructed across the state.
According to him, “If we want to forestall what happened in Ife, we must continue to educate our people by making sure that we build more schools with an atmosphere that is conducive to learning.”
Speaking earlier, the Deputy Governor, Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori stated that the motive of Osun Government is to make the new High Schools centre of excellence that will produce students that are excellent in academic performance and will be grounded in the Omoluabi ethos. She also added that in line with Aregbesola’s desire to have the best teachers in the state High schools, the Governor has approved 20 per cent salary increment, and dressing allowance for all the teachers and principals in the new high schools.
The Deputy Governor further stressed that the new schools principals will also be entitled to official cars, iPads among other things.
According to her, “These intensive interventions in the education sector constitute huge capital expenditure to which Mr. Governor is fully committed come rain or shine, economic recession or depression notwithstanding.
“Mr. Governor considers no amount of money too much to invest in the lives and future of our children in Osun,” she noted.
The Head Girl of the Ataoja Government High School, Eegunranti Victoria, described Aregbesola as “the Awolowo of our time” and a governor who has made the impossible to be possible.
