REMARKS BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF OSUN, OGBENI RAUF AREGBESOLA, AS RECIPIENT OF THE ‘NIGERIAN OF THE YEAR 2013’ AWARD, PRESENTED TO HIM BY THE MEDIA ACE LIMITED AT THE 3RD EDITION OF ITS ISMAIL BABATUNDE JOSE LECTURE ON MEDIA & SOCIETY, HELD AT THE CENTRE FOR BLACK CULTURE AND INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING, OSOGBO, ON SATURDAY MAY 24, 2014
 
This is another occasion for us to gather and celebrate what we regard as worthy achievements of significant impacts on the lives of the people. I want to therefore thankfully acknowledge the good gesture of the organisers of today’s events, the Media Ace Limited and publishers of the reputable news magazine, National Infinity.
To them I extend my sincere gratitude for electing to confer me with the ‘Nigerian of the Year 2013’ award. It will be a cherished addition to the outpouring of such goodwill recognitions of our efforts at transforming the lives of our people for the better.
The change of leadership at the polls may often appear to be another routine little development. But in reality, it may be a quantum leap for the people who make that choice. After all, leadership is all about making a big difference in the lives of the people.
Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, this may not be as easy as it sounds. Nevertheless, it is my sincere conviction that it is not as difficult as it might appear. It all depends on one’s view of leadership. And this makes the difference between non-achieving leaders and great achievers in leadership.
For me, leadership is defined by what one does for the people, by the fact of whose existence one is in a position of leadership. Consequently, I subscribe fully to Albert Pike’s assertion that: ‘What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal’. This for me succinctly defines the mindset from which greatness in leadership springs.
It is the case that leadership most times is a matter of choice, which many avoid to make because of the responsibilities attached to it. I have never been one to be afraid of leadership, despite the huge responsibility attendant upon it.
Indeed, it is my belief that leadership offers a golden opportunity to serve the people and bring improvements to bear on their lives and existence. I also do hold onto the view that leadership is a core pillar upon which a viable and successful human society can be built.
Consequently, from the beginning of history, leadership has been of the essence in the affairs of men. In effect, when I sought the leadership of the State of Osun as governor, I was fully aware of the implications and well-prepared to face the responsibilities.
It is as a result of this, and to the glory of God Almighty, that my leadership of the state has been able to make a difference in the lives of the people of Osun. At a personal level, I have faith in God and I believe in His capacity to intervene in human affairs.
But it is also my belief that God has given us, human beings, talents and abilities. And it is God’s intention that we use them. But how we use our talents is a different matter, which is a question of who we are and what we stand for.
The improvement of the lots of the people of Osun was therefore a strong motivation for my seeking office and a paramount object of the deployment of my talents. Thus, as a leader I constantly seek for ways of bringing about progress and advancement for my people in every area of their lives.
In education, everything done under my leadership is meant to improve the standard for the benefit of our children. Building of new schools; recruitment of more teachers; provision of uniforms, distribution of Opon-Imo; provision of free food etc. are all aimed at raising the standard of public education in Osun.
This is grounded in my belief that education is one of the greatest legacies we can give to humans. Similarly, the intention behind my administration’s agricultural policy is to transform farming in the state to big business. This is born out of the fact that it is only commercial agriculture that can raise the material condition of existence of our poor farmers.
By achieving this in the agricultural sector we will also be solving a lot of other problems in our society – the problem of unemployment, hunger, poverty, primitive farming techniques, poor soil management, inefficient use of farming resources, raw materials for industries and a lot more.
We will be able to create an agro-allied industrial base for further development. It will equally raise the revenue available to government for deployment into other areas of development.
My idea and vision of leadership plays out in the other areas of government’s policies and programmes. In health we have an integrated programme of prevention and treatment. Our environmental sanitation policy is aimed at preventing many of the avoidable ailments that spring from poor hygiene and unclean environment. Our efforts at creating a beautiful environment are yielding the needed results. We now have documented record that the incidents of malarial in Osun have reduced significantly.
Simultaneously, we are upgrading all of our health facilities to be able to effectively deal with the challenges of treating people for those ailments they already have, as well as their various other health challenges.
All citizens of the state are aware of the road infrastructure being constructed by this administration. They are of such unprecedented scale that they extend to every local government in the state. The roads are meant to enhance the various levels of human transactions including trade and commerce.
Environmental regeneration, control of flooding, urban renewal, employment generation, capacity building, women and youth empowerment, among others, are also areas where attentive leadership is being brought to bear.
I believe in applying my best talents to the service of the people. It is what I have done since my assumption of office some three and a half years ago. I therefore agree with former American President, Calvin Coolidge, that ‘No person was ever honored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave’.
I accept this award with the promise that I will continue to apply my God-given talents and abilities towards the unceasing improvements of the lives of the people of Osun. And this is the basis of my asking my people for a second term.
Once more, I thank the National Infinity magazine for this award; and for to adding voice to the motivating choruses of appreciation that have greeted our demonstration of the difference leadership can make in society.
I thank you all for your warm reception.
Osun a dara!

People of Osun State were yesterday assured of improved health facilities in all local government areas in the state to enhance their health status.

Among other things, all state-owned health centres in the state will be equipped with essential drugs, free maternal and child medical services and free surgical equipments.

Giving this assurance in Ijebu-Jesa, headquarters of Oriade Local Government Area, at the flagoff ceremony of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week programme organized in collaboration with SURE-P MNCH Advocacy team and the State Ministry of Health, wife of Osun State governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, said that the present administration in the state would do its best to keep its citizens in sound health.

Earlier in her remarks, the state Commissioner for Health, Mrs. Temitope Ilori, expressed the determination of the government to fast-track the achievements of Millennium Development Goals that has to do with the improvement in maternal health and reduction in childhood morbidity and mortality in the state.

Speaking on behalf of the advocacy team, Revd. Tunde Olaniran on behalf of the Advocacy Team, the organiser of the event, he charged Mrs. Aregbesola to use her good offices to give more support to the issue of pregnant women and also try to create an enabling environment for MNCH programmes in the state.

Speaking in similar vein, Mrs. Fadele Esther who spoke on behalf of her boss, Dr. Ado J.G Muhammed, the Executive Director/CEO NPHCDA, said SURE-P program is to better the life of pregnant women in the state and that the provision has been made to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality in the state.

Also, Mr. Femi Oke Tayo, one of the Advocacy team member and representative of DOMA Development Foundation in his team’s presentation, appealed to the policy makers and all stakeholders to work together to create enabling environment for MNCH programme in the state for the benefit of women and children.

NATIONAL MIRROR

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and others, during an inspection visit to the newly completed Laro Timehin Middle School, Osogbo on Friday 23-05-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (2nd right); Senator
Bayo Salami (3rd right; Education Liaison officer, Osogbo Local Government, Alhaji Sulaiman Afariogun (right); Governor’s Aids, Mr
Adebayo Young (2nd right); Commissioner for Local Government and
Cheiftaincy Affairs, Hon. Kolapo Alimi (4th right) and others, during an inspection visit to the newly completed Laro Timehin Middle School,
Osogbo on Friday 23-05-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); Senator Bayo
Salami (5th left); Education Liaison officer, Osogbo Local Government,
Alhaji Sulaiman Afariogun (right); Governor’s Aids, Mr Adebayo Young
(2nd right) and others, during an inspection visit to the newly completed Laro Timehin Middle School, Osogbo on Friday 23-05-2014

On April 29, a new chapter was opened in the annals of public service in Osun State when the state government under the leadership of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola revolutionalised the service to bring about effectiveness and efficiency through Information Communication Technology (ICT).
For a very long time, civil service was based on bureaucracy, an indirect way of describing the administrative cumbersome process of getting things done in the conduct of government business.
The process or is it system, no doubt slows down administrative work but then the wheel of government works, slow as it is must be followed as it was bureaucratically designed.
The fact remains that Information Communication Technology (ICT) has limitless possibilities and nothing can be achieved without technology acting as the catalyst and driving force.
The state of Osun realised the fact that for things to be properly and swiftly done in the process of administration, ICT must be deployed for growth, progress and development.
This has made Osun, created 23 years ago to become the first in Nigeria to upgrade the civil serve from analog to digital system to aid administrative efficiency.
And so with pump, Aregbesola launched of State of Osun Civil Servant Smart Identity Card and biometric automation tagged ‘I am Alive.’
The smart card is a tripartite arrangement among the Osun Government, Charms Plc and First Bank Plc. Now comes the era of smart card! Aregbesola told the gathering that by the time all the over 33, 000 workforce and pensioners were issued the card; the regime of queuing for verification will be gone and gone forever.
This is one big relief that technology will bring to workers in the State of the Virtuous, particularly, the pensioners.
This is just one of the numerous benefits of the smart card introduction. There are many more, which are beneficial to workers and as well as government itself.
One, the smart card carries the data of every civil servant in the state, serves as credit card, debit card and staff identification.
And by extension, a staff can, therefore, draw 20 per cent of his or her monthly salary even before the payment of salary by government.
Two, the smart identity card is electronically personalised with biometric features to each of its users and can be used at the ATM machines specifically designed for that purpose.
This will apparently add immense value to the activities of workers as well as equally improve the capacity and cut the cost of administration by government.
Aregbesola said during the launch: “To be sure, it was through the application ICT to our tax administration and revenue collection that enabled us to increase our internally generated revenue by 100 per cent within the first few months of our administration.
“We have since intensified our effort to make ICT an inherent part of our public administrative system. The introduction of this new smart electronic identity card is another component of that overall effort.
“It will expectedly bring about many benefits to all of us; the individual civil servants and the government. It will be given to all workers across all Ministries, Departments and Agencies, including Local Government Council workers.”
Three, the card will help eliminate many sources of financial waste and leakages created to defraud government of funds as well as help create an accurate and reliable database for payroll administration and payment of salaries. Four, the card will not only erase the ghost worker syndrome but also eliminate the possibility of defrauding any worker of the payments due to him by any other person.
Again, through this smart card system, workers can get their monies paid directly to their accounts at the pressing of button instead of through any intermediary points.
Besides, workers leave bonuses are now tied to each worker’s birthday and paid to their accounts automatically on that day whether the date and day fall due on weekdays or weekend.
Not only this, the smart ID card will eradicate perennial identity mistakes normally witnessed before in the payment of monies due to the workers.
This is because the identity card is completely individualised and electronically personalised with the bio-data of every worker, including his or her blood group.
What this also means is that if a worker, carrying his smart ID card has health emergency like in an accident, the smart card will answer preliminary questions that the doctors need under that emergency.
For the pensioners, it removes the stress of queueing and going through multiple verifications to get paid and also blocks the means for cheating them out of their money.
Aregbesola put it this way, “by clearly identifying the living from the dead, this system ensures that ghost will no longer mingle with our workers or have access to our payroll in Osun.
“It keeps them where they belong in the grave. It stops the dead from coming to steal money from the living. It makes certain that only retirees who are ‘ALIVE’ receive payment. This affirms the sense in the project’s title, ‘I AM ALIVE.”
One most very interesting feature of the card is its linked to a credit or debit card, which gives the owner access to his or her salary account, which he or she uses to withdraw up to 20 per cent of the salary with or without money in the account.
Director of ICT, State of Osun, Mr. Bambo Bashorun, highlighted the timeliness of the introduction of the smart card into the civil service system.
He said the smart card came at a time the nation is facing serious security challenges and dwindling resources.
According to him, “the issuance of the card will guarantee proper accountability and plug holes through which resources are wasted.
“Creating a database of all civil servants in the state is so important especially at this time of our challenging national life from increased level of insecurity to dwindling resources.
“With the data base created, the ID card issued and I AM ALIVE process automated, the state had ensured that no single kobo is wrongly allocated to undeserved person in the state,” Bashorun said.
Speaking on the innovation, the Group Managing Director of Charms, which is a partner in the tripartite arrangement, Mr. Ademola Aladekomo, said the state of Osun has set another record in the ICT in Nigeria and urged other states to follow suit.
Aladekomo said the smart card will go round all civil servants in the state, saying this card has changed the face of civil service system from analog to digital, which will save a lot of time, guarantee efficiency, effectiveness in the conduct of government’s business. According to him, “the smart card can be used not only in Osun but also within Nigeria and anywhere in the world.
“The card also carries the fingerprint of every cardholder with which he can identify him or herself.”
ALL AFRICA

In a bid to boost cocoa production in the State of Osun, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has on Friday May 23, 2014 distributed over 500,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings as well as sales of agro-chemicals at subsidized rate to cocoa farmers across the state.

The state governor also affirmed his readiness to give over 40 million naira loan to cocoa farmers in the state  before the end of next June.

Governor Aregbesola who was represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Wale Adedoyin stated this at the flag-off ceremony of the distribution of tree crops, hybrid seedlings and agro-inputs worth more than five million naira for 2014 planting season.

While distributing the seedlings to the farmers, Adedoyin noted that agriculture was the mainstay of the country’s economy before the discovery of oil. He described the agriculture sector as a reliable source of revenue and a major panacea to any economic crisis.

He maintained that states of the federation felt the impact of recent dwindling in allocation from the Federal Government due to abandonment of the agriculture, while calling on Nigerians to go back to the basis to save the country.

Adedoyin who promised the farmers that the present administration would continue to support them to meet the challenges of crop production, enjoined them to reciprocate the gesture by making judicious use of the inputs for increased production.

Earlier, the Co-ordinating Director in the Ministry, Dr. Isaac Aluko expressed hope that government’s efforts on the farmers would soon improve their production capacity and boost the state economy.

Some of the farmers who spoke with Bioreports appreciated the state government’s efforts and promised not to jeopardize the confidence reposed in them.

Some of the items distributed freely to the farmers apart from 500,000 cocoa seedlings were 6,000 improved kolanut seedlings, 6,000 Bitter kola seedlings as well as agro-chemicals which were subsidized by fifty percent among others.

Download inspiring Quotes from the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. Today’s Quote is focused on importance of Security in the State. Visit the website at www.osun.gov.ng  or Twitter @stateofosun for more updates on the State of Osun and its projects.

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The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Thursday said his joy will know no bounds if the school feeding programme is adopted throughout the country.

He listed the ripple effect of feeding pupils once a day as an investment which will promote Agriculture‎, a surest way for food security among others.

This was even as Prof. Don Bundy of the World Bank commended Aregbesola for moving with the global trend of feeding pupils, saying the programme is a near universal programme with 317 Million school children being fed worldwide.

Aregbesola while speaking at Technical meeting on Osun Elementary School feeding and health programme (O-MEALS) held at the Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding in Osogbo held that a well fed and healthy child has the first requirement for life.

The governor noted that such ‎child is in the best position to acquire the education needed to face the future.

He added that the programme is part of effort to aid the decision to revive heightened interest ‎in access to education at the foundation level.

According to the governor,”school feeding programme‎ in education and indeed governance because it integrates at least four areas of governance with education, these are agriculture, health, job creation and local empowerment.

“By reviving and modernising farming we will also be solving the chronic problem of unemployment as we do know that agriculture, along with its agribusiness offshoots, has one of the biggest potential for job creation.

“Here in Osun, we have modelled our O’MEALS in consonant with these principles. The programme is being implemented with the legal framework of the Universal Basic Education Act which provides for each elementary pupils in the state schools to be provided with a meal a day at the minimum”. The governor stressed. 

 Aregbesola added that 3007 community food vendors are employed and empowered with tools and funds to make the recommended menu available to each pupils.

Prof. Bundy speaking earlier posited that ‎what the World Bank team has learnt is more than what they know about the school feeding programme, but now understand that the country is seriously looking forward to extend it to other states.

He stressed that the school programme should not be seen as a charity, but a sound investment programme which the poorest of families benefits from.

In his words, ” school feeding is not unusual, it is a near universal programme. Every school days, 317 Million are fed worldwide.

“We have heard issues about the business aspect in Osun. This will improve the health of the children, aside from health, the education aspect is more important. The provision of meal will help parents to send their children to school. Five meals in a week helps poor families”. The World Bank chief told the gathering.

The Deputy governor of Osun, Mrs. Grace Titilayo-Tomori who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education said because the elementary level forms the critical foundation upon which education at the higher level are erected.

“Elementary school pupils before we came into power going to school every morning, they are a pitiful sight‎. This is why this programme is an imperative for Aregbesola’s administration and indeed for any government serious about providing meaningful education for its little ones”. The deputy governor said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Executive Secretary of UBEC, Dr. Yakubu Gambo who stood in fro the Executive Secretary commended the governor for not allowing the initiative to die in Osun as the federal government started with 12 states.

He commended governor Aregbesola for the feeding programme saying Nigeria needs leaders like Aregbesola for the transformation of the country.

“We are proud of you and your state because it has attracted the global world‎. We need leaders like you to be able to transform our country, UBEC will do and bring back the 5 percent to supplement your efforts.

“Osun and Kano will benefit more than other state because they maintained the programme even when we’re no longer coming”. The UBEC boss stressed.

Below is the program for the Global Days of Action continuing these tireless efforts across the world to #BringBackOurGirls. The plan is intended to guide both national and international efforts. Please help circulate widely within & beyond your networks and join the local events.