The Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola today announced the increment of the 13th month salary from 50% to 100% just as the number of car loan beneficiaries was increased from former highest figure of 2,189 to about 10,000.
The Governor made the announcement today ( Friday)in Osogbo to the delight of workers present at the official flag -off of the distribution of vehicle refurbishing loan to public servants in the state held.
He said that the ceremony is a further demonstration of the commitment of the administration to the overall welfare of the people in general and workers in the state in particular, noting that it is gratifying that the occasion coincides with the ongoing celebration of the administration’s three years in office.
The Governor ,who said the administration in a bid to keep to its electioneering promises by touching almost every aspect of human life ranging from public service, education, agriculture, commerce, transportation, industry among others ,stated that it is unprecedented in the history of the state to give vehicle refurbishing loan to an unprecedented number of beneficiaries at unusual rates running into billions of naira.
The Governor stated further that in keeping to the vow of improving the lots of workers in the state, the government decided to reinvigorate the scheme which is why the rate loanable was increased geometrically with a view to ensuring that the number of beneficiaries increases and that they derive the maximum benefit from the loan.
According to the Governor, the monthly government subvention to the fund was increased by 100%from 10million to 20million Naira and the rates available for workers were also jerked up thereby increasing the loan obtainable by workers on grade levels 1-3 from 100,000 naira to 170,000 naira, those on grade levels 9 – 10 increased from 250,000naira to 400,000naira while those on grade levels 16- 17 had theirs increased from 500,000 naira to 750,000 naira.
While stating that the total amount of the loan had been increased from #2.8billion to #4.5billion, Ogbeni Aregbesola said that the loan will spread across the entire public service, including government ministries, departments and agencies, secondary and primary schools and has been structured in a way that beneficiaries have the opportunity to pay back over a period of five years at a uniform administrative charge of 10percent spread thinly over the period.
He then assured the generality of workers that the administration will not relent in its efforts at ensuring that their welfare takes the pride of place saying that as part of efforts in ensuring this, the administration has constituted the Civil Service Commission and other bodies whose duties are primarily to ensure the welfare of public servants.
While charging workers to reciprocate government gesture by showing more commitment, loyalty ,and hard work and manifest the virtue of Omoluabi ,the Governor appealed to market men and women not to see the gesture as a means of exploiting the workers through undue and unwarranted increase in the prices of commodities saying that the programme is not a wage increase but a loan to be repaid.
He also urged the workers to be neutral and committed to the service to the people and ensure that government policies are executed accordingly.
In an address, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Saka Adesiyan lauded the Governor’s intervention in the sector saying it is aimed at bringing sanity to the education sector. He decried the ugly incident which took place in Ejigbo stressing that it is highly unfortunate.
He then appreciated the Governor for the transparent manner in which the car refurbishing loan was done.
Also speaking, the duo of the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Frances Adetunji and his counterpart in the Joint Negotiating Council, Alhaji Bayo Adejumo thanked the Governor for keeping the various promises made to the workers.
They then pledged the continued support of all workers in the state for the present administration.
Earlier in a welcome address, Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Wale Bolorunduro explained that necessary steps that will prevent fraud that may be associated with the manual process overseeing the loan scheme has been taken saying that no case of double payment will be experienced.
Highlights of the occasion was the official presentation of cheques to some of the beneficiaries of the loan scheme by the Governor.
Present at the ceremony were the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Titi Laoye Tomori, the three labour leaders in the state, state executive members and workers in the state.
OSUN DEFENDER

 
Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola says his administration will not tolerate any act of violence and any other immoral act that can cause chaos and bring the state to disrepute. Ogbeni Aregbesola gave the warning in Ede at the official launch of the Omoluabi boys and girls club and the Omoluabi youth club jointly put together by the Ministry of Youths, Sports and Special Needs and the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs.
The Governor ,who declared that the Omoluabi Boys and Girls club is for the ages of 12 and 17 and the Omoluabi Youth club is for  between the ages of 18 and 35 ,described the youruba culture as rich in values that teaches morals and warned the people against fighting in thebname of any religion to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in the state.
According to him, the reason for organising the clubs is to build confidence in the children and the youths and engender tolerance, harmony in faith and ethics of yoruba culture and values.
He also stressed that the club would be used to generate a culture of ethical values that would bring about positive change which the present administration desires.
Ogbeni Aregbesola ,who emphasised the need to train the youths properly said that no matter the investment by a government on infrastructure, if the moral of the people is not invested in, it will be in vain because uncultured people will destroy any good thing that the government might have done.
The Governor stressed that there is the need for the continuous cultivation of the human mind to generate good deeds noting that it is for this reason that the administration has taken the OMOLUABI concept very seriously from the first day of the administration in office.
He said it is necessary to create a society of virtuous and progressive people rather than one of delinquents and retrogressive elements observing that the best way to do this is to begin from the cradle saying that the studies of socialisation and culture affirm that civilisation actually begins from birth.
The Governor said that the yoruba people have some of the best cultures in the world which is rich in positive values and virtues on which the Omoluabi ethos is central.
While stating that the clubs would exist in all the local government areas and the Ife East Area Office,the Governor enjoined all traditional rulers to help in nurturing the clubs in their domain.
Delivering a keynote address at the event, renowned yoruba playwright and author, Prof. Akinwumi Ishola explained that the greatest asset which the Yorubas have that can be sold to the entire world is the Omoluabi virtue which God has naturally deposited in the yoruba man.
While noting that the yoruba language is one of the most respected languages in the world which should not be allowed to go into extinction, Prof. Akinwumi enjoined members of the club to dream about good things and always work towards achieving it in a positive way.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Mr Steven Kola Balogun observed that youths are the greatest assets a nation can have hence issues concerning youths should be taken seriously at all times.
He said the coming into being of the Omoluabi clubs is to train the youths in good character development and become change agents in their various communities.
The Commissioner then enjoined the people to cooperate with the government in seeing to the success of the lofty idea.
In attendance were the first lady in the state of Osun, Alhaja Serifat Aregbesola, the state Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye Tomori, APC party chieftains, Royal Fathers including the Timi of Ede land as well as members of the state executive council.
OSUN PORTAL

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun on Friday approved the payment of 100 per cent 13th month basic salary to workers in the State
The governor announced the gesture in Osogbo while distributing vehicle refurbishing loans to public servants.
Mr. Aregbesola said no past administration had ever paid 100 per cent 13th month salary to workers. He assured that his administration would continue to put smiles on the faces of workers, adding that he would live up to his electioneering campaign promises.
“We have virtually touched every sector of the society in our bid to live by our words. We have touched every sphere significantly in pursuance of our Six-point Integral Action Plan. What we are doing today is spectacular and unusual again. It is unprecedented to give vehicle refurbishing loans to many beneficiaries.
“It is our desire to ensure that our workers, both at the state and local government levels, are given the best so that we can work together to get the dividends of democracy”, he said.
No fewer than 9,435 workers were listed as beneficiaries of the loan, a development which the labour leaders described as first in the history of the state.
Francis Adetunji, Chairman of Trade Union Congress; Bayo Adejumo, Chairman, Joint Negotiation Council; and Saka Adesiyan, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, lauded Mr. Aregbesola for the gesture.
(NAN)

Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola’s much more criticized educational reforms have yet again been vindicated as a pupil from the State of Osun leads her contemporaries to win the coveted West African Examination Council, WAEC awards 2012 of best student.
The state of Osun’s Opon-imo, school feeding programme, reclassification of schools among others have in recent time gone through severe criticism from political enemies far and near. If this latest feat by a pupil from Osogbo is anything to go by, the doubters of Aregbesola should have a rethink.
Seventeen-year-old Folafoluwa Oginni of the State of Osun has emerged the overall best pupil in the May/June 2012 West African Senior School Certificate Examination. She led two other girls to lift the prestigious West African Examinations Council National Distinction/Merit awards.
By the feat, the Osogbo, Osun State-born lad has become the current holder of WAEC’s national distinction/merit award. The Council instituted the award in 1984 to encourage academic excellence.
Oginni, who attended Our Lady and St. Francis Catholic College, Isale-aro, Osogbo, with examination number 4303013/087, also had Grade 1 in Economics, Government, Literature-in-English, Biology, Christian Religious Knowledge and Yoruba Language and with a cumulative score of 653.9318.
culled from OSUN DEFENDER

Freedom Park in Osogbo, the Osun State capital,full of crowd yesterday to mark the third anniversary of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration. Aregbesola said he has delivered on his electioneering promises and pledged to continue to make life better for the people.
At the rally were Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi; Osun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori; Aregbesola’s wife, Serifat; Ekiti State Commissioner for Integration and Intergovernmental Affairs Funminiyi Afuye; top government officials and chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Fayemi said the defection of the Alhaji Kawu Baraje-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was a signal that the alternation of power at the federal level is imminent. He said democracy without alternation of power was “elected dictatorship”, hence the need to alternate power to make it meaningful.

Fayemi said APC was not the same with PDP. He described APC as a party of progress, development and revolution, adding that this led the aggrieved PDP leaders to the party.
He said their defection was “a political earthquake”.
Congratulating Aregbesola on his third anniversary in office, Fayemi described him (Aregbesola) as “a visionary leader, who has made positive development in all sectors”. He said Aregbesola deserved another term to complete his people-oriented programmes and urged the people to re-elect him.
Fayemi said he was not “unaware that the PDP is scheming and targeting” next year’s governorship polls in Osun and Ekiti states, adding that he and Aregbesola believed in the support of the people and would not accept a replication of the “anambracadabra election” that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted in Anambra in their states
Nation

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Company, Alhaji Adbayo Jimoh (right) and others, during the inspection of farm produce, at the graduation ceremony of Osun-Odua Farmers Academy at Ede in the State of Osun on Thursday 28-11-2013

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Company, Alhaji Adbayo Jimoh (right) and others, during the inspection of farm produce, at the graduation ceremony of Osun-Odua Farmers Academy at Ede in the State of Osun on Thursday 28-11-2013

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Company, Alhaji Adbayo Jimoh (right) and others, during the inspection of farm produce, at the graduation ceremony of Osun-Odua Farmers Academy at Ede in the State of Osun on Thursday 28-11-2013

State of Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Aregbesola; Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr Wale Adedoyin; Overall Best Graduating O-Yes Student in Livestock/Fishery,, Mrs Adenike Akinbote and Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Company, Alhaji Adbayo Jimoh, during the inspection of farm produce, at the graduation ceremony of Osun-Odua Farmers Academy at Ede in the State of Osun on Thursday 28-11-2013

From left, State of Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Aregbesola; Group Managing Director, Odua Investment Company, Alhaji Adbayo Jimoh ; Dr. Issac Akintade, representing Ondo State; Alhaji Tajudeen Bello, representing Ogun State; Chief Olajumoke Ogunkeyede, representing Osun and Executive Director of Odua Investment, Alhaji Niyi Badmus, at the graduation ceremony of Osun-Odua Farmers Academy at Ede in the State of Osun on Thursday 28-11-2013

Osun Oodua’s Farmers Academy; an agricultural institution established by the government of the State of Osun today held its graduation ceremony for its 2012/2013 batch.
In his goodwill message, the Governor of the State of Osun; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola commends the students and managements of the school for their enthusiasm towards the development of the State.
Governor Aregbesola noted that there is a big opportunity for them as young farmers in the country because according to the statistic made available by CBN, Nigeria is using about N600BN to import food every year and if only the ten percent of the food can be provided by the graduating farmers, it means a lot.
“Also in Lagos State, about N3BN is being expended on food on daily basis and if you can exploit that opportunity by providing the ten percent of foods needed in Lagos, it also mean a lot and even in the State of Osun, the meal that is being served at our elementary schools for the pupils of primaries 1-4 is a great opportunity that can be exploited by the graduating farmers” the governor said.
The governor then presented the certificate to the graduating students that performed excellently.
BIOREPORTS