The parents and guardians in the State of Osun have been charged on the need for them to institute discipline in their children and wards by giving them the right counseling.
Comrade Abiodun Agboola, the Coordinator of an Osun State based Civil Right Organization, the People’s Welfare League made the call in a press release made available to Bioreports in Osogbo on Wednesday.
Agboola who expressed worry about the incessant misconduct of the school students in the state noted that proper attention must be given to the activities of the students so that they do not become the devil advocate.
He urged the parents and guardians to reciprocate intervention of Governor Rauf Aregbesola through the education reform by ensuring that their children and wards conduct themselves peacefully and orderly in their various schools.
Agboola stated that the construction of model schools, the provision of teaching materials, payments of WAEC examination, purchase of school buses to convey the students and good welfare package for the teachers by Aregbesola administration should be commended and reciprocated with good behavior not only by the students but by parents as well.
While lamenting that the students were being used to forment trouble in the school by individual group, the Coordinator urged the security agencies in the state to investigate the indiscipline and gangsterism among the students.
According to him, the growing public misconduct among the students is fast becoming a threat to the peace of the state, charging the security agencies to unravel the clashes in some of the High Schools in the state.
He noted that, it would not be out of place to say that the violence among the school students might be ordinary rivalry between the students after the school merger.
Agboola further explained that stiffer punishment should be meted out to any student caught causing trouble in the school while their sponsor should be prosecuted accordingly.
He maintained that restructuring and classification of the public schools by the state government should not be the basis of chaos but rather promote excellence in the school system.
The coordinator argued that the students might have become instruments of anarchy in the hands of unscrupulous politicians that are bitter with the uninterrupted peaceful atmosphere of the state.
He therefore urged the students to not allow themselves to be used as a machinery of violence by some of the unscrupulous politicians who think they can gain access to the government through violence.
 BIOREPORTS

The Executive Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was a guest speaker at the presentation of the “Milk of Knowledge” to the pupils’ of Elementary schools across the state, organized by Sherifat Care Foundation (SCARF), a pet project of Her Excellency, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, on 20th February, 2014 at the Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo.
He stated his commitment in making sure that pupil at public school across the state get desire nutritional meal, which was the intention of his administration O’Meal initiative. He said this has reduced out of school children in every crannies of the state and aftermath result of brain alertness and nutritional value to increase their productivity .
Ogbeni revealed that in order to boost the government’s O’Meal programme, his administration has employed more than 3,000 women who were saddled with the responsibility of preparing the pupil’s meal. And this has been testified to by National Bureau of Statistics that Osun is number one among the state of federation that unemployment figure has reduced significantly.
Speaking further, Aregbesola revealed that all those employed were selected regardless of their political or religious affiliations but based on their educational qualifications.
The governor also hinted that his government had committed huge amounts of money into education in the state for the benefit of all indigene of Osun. He said that the schools in the state are not for Muslims or for Christians, neither are they for adherents of any other religion. They are for all children of Osun, regardless of their circumstances of birth because these are the leaders of tomorrow.
He noted that his administration per capital spending on each elementary pupil is atN84,000 annually, which includes feeding, free fees and uniform among others.
He explained that it was in the best interest of the pupils’ for this type of laudable programme to be instituted but lamented that the Federal Government has been starving the state of monthly allocation.
He blamed the Federal Government for the shortfall in the oil revenue, which has affected what is accruing to the state government. He further berated the FG on the suspension of CBN Governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido for exposing the tsunami of corruption at the NNPC.
Aregbesola called on corporate organizations and well-meaning Nigerians to support the positive initiative of the SCARF so as not to allow the “Milk for Knowledge” programme to die.
On the similarity in school uniform, he said the government policy on that project is for the good of the pupils’ and does not have any Islamisation correlation. He said the opposition who are paddling this unholy rumour are only being economic with the truth, because this has increase the revenue based of the state with the Sam & Sarah Garment Industry in the state.
He said they have failed in their bit to cause confusion amongst the schools just to discredit his administration, but promise that the government will relent in service delivery to the people of the state.
Aregbesola revealed that Sam and Sara had employed more than 3,000 of the state’s youths in their garment factory adding that the issue of school uniform had nothing to do with religion.
He further explained that since government has taken over the public schools, it has every right to change the school uniforms as done in some advanced countries such as Benin republic, Indonesia, United Kingdom.
On the issue of school identities, he revealed that a smart identity card would soon be made available which would contain all the bio-data of each pupils.
He admonished all parents to disregard lies from the camp of the opposition parties as government was only interested in the well-being and future of the children as leaders of the tomorrow.
 BIOREPORTS

Constitutional lawyer,  Prof.  Itse Sagay, stressed  yesterday that  the entrenchment of true federalism in Nigeria is now inevitable.
He said the arrangement  would allow the  regions or zones to  be in control of their resources, thereby  promoting efficient development.
Prof. Sagay spoke at a lecture entitled   Nigeria: 1914 to 2014; Amalgamation and its Aftermath organised by  the Daily Independent  in honour of  Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola,  who received the  newspaper’s Man of the Year 2013 award.
The renown lawyer said that  under the regional government  in the First Republic,  Nigeria made remarkable progress with the three and later four regions using the resources at their disposal to make life meaningful for the citizens.
Prof Sagay expressed worry that the struggle for power at the centre has assumed a dangerous dimension.
He said: “When we hear statement from organisations like the Northern Elders Forum and the Arewa Consultative Forum making demand that power must return to the North and the answer from the South-South that  their son has a constitutional right to a second term, you immediately realise that is all about the national question.”
He maintained that it is imperative for the country to discuss how its component parts  would live together because the colonial arrangement that foisted the Nigerian nation is still saddled with challenges which  favour one part of the country against the other.
Also speaking, a member of the Presidential Advisory Committee on the National Conference, Mr. Tony Uranta said everything about Nigeria is all about struggle for power.
“Nobody is talking about the people, nobody is talking about citizenship. The country has been limited to the issues of ethnicity, it is fanning the ember of religion and you begin to wonder whether this is the dream of our founding fathers,” he said.
Governor Aregbesola described  the award as  an encouragement  for him to do more for the people of Osun State and  thanked the newspaper for considering him worthy of the honour.
The chairman of the occasion, Alhaji Gambo Lawan, said Aregbesola was considered for the award for his candid economic policy which has transformed the state from a consuming economy to a production economy.
THE NATION

Photos from the Investiture of Aregbesola as the 2013 Man of the Year, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on Friday 21-02-2014

From left, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Adefulure; Deputy
Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola; his Wife Sherifat; Chairman of the occasion/Chairman,
Independent Newspaper Limited (INL), Alhaji Gambo Lawan; Kayode Fayemi
of Ekiti State and Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers State, during the
Investiture of Aregbesola as the 2013 Man of the Year, at Eko Hotel
and Suites, Lagos on Friday 21-02-2014
Man of the Year-3

From left, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs Adejoke Adefulure; Deputy
Governor State of Osun, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor, Ogbeni Rauf
Aregbesola; his Wife Sherifat; Chairman of the occasion/Chairman,
Independent Newspaper Limited (INL), Alhaji Gambo Lawan; Kayode Fayemi
of Ekiti State and Rotimi Ameachi of Rivers State, during the
Investiture of Aregbesola as the 2013 Man of the Year, at Eko Hotel
and Suites, Lagos on Friday 21-02-2014
Man of the Year-3

From left, Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Chairman of
the occasion, Alhaji Gambo Lawan and Managing Director, Independent
Newspaper Limited (INL), Mr Ted Iwere, during the Governor’s
Investiture as the 2013 Man of the Year, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos on Friday 21-02-2014

The on-going massive recruitment into the various sectors of the civil service in the State of Osun is unprecedented in the history of the state as it is also uncommon in any State of the Federation.

Head of Service in the State of Osun, Mr. Olayinka Owoeye made this statement today while declaring open a two day orientation workshop organized for the newly recruited junior staff in the Bureau of Public Service Pension.

Speaking on behalf of the Head of Service, the Director Public Service Pension, Pastor Yemi Oyeleye disclosed that there is hardly any agency of government in the state where new officers had not been recruited.

This, according to him, is one of the numerous ways by which Governor Aregbesola’s agendum of banishing unemployment among the youth is being maximally fulfilled.

The Head of Service then charged the new officers to take advantage of the orientation workshop to imbibe the civil service culture of discipline, honesty and commitment without which, he warned they cannot go far in the service.

He however counselled those with higher qualification not to be discouraged in giving their best, assuring them with the right kind of orientation and attitude to their duties, their steady progress is guaranteed.

Among the lectures to be delivered at the workshop are: Ethics of the Civil Service, Registry Management as well as functions of the Bureau of Public Service Pension vis-à-vis the old and new pension schemes.
OSUNNEWS

Osun State government is to disburse a total of N600 million to women entrepreneurs in the state.
This is coming as no fewer than 200,000 people would benefit from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) N2 billion Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) in the state.
The state government is to add its counterpart fund of N2 billion, expected to increase the beneficiaries to 400,000.
Speaking at a day sensitisation workshop on the N220 billion MSMEDF fund organised by the Osun State branch of the CBN for stakeholders in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said the state government will in the next few weeks begin the disbursement of the N600 million to empower the women of the state.
The governor, who was represented by Wale Bolorunduro, commissioner for finance, at the workshop, said the government had worked out modalities with microfinance banks to disburse the loans to the beneficiaries.
The governor, who urged the people, especially women of the state to maximise the opportunity of the CBN loans, described women as a major factor in the economy development of the state.
While promising that the state was ready to maximise the apex bank loan for development of the state and its citizenry, he stated that the state government would provide its counterpart fund very soon, saying the state government would provide bank guarantee for the co-operatives in the state that show interest to access the fund.
Speaking further on the economy policy of the state government, Aregbesola stated that when the present administration came on board in November 2010, the gross domestic product (GDP) was N5 billion, which it had increased into over N9 billion in year 2013, and condemned critics of his government.
He pointed out that, according to the Federal Government data on GDP, the state was in number seven out of 36 states of the federation now, adding that the opposition parties in the state lacked knowledge about the economic development of the state.
However, as part of its economic drive, the state is to commission the multi-million naira Osogbo Ayegbaju International Market soon for usage of the traders across the state.
In his address at the workshop, Macduff Okorode Efetabore, the CBN controller in Osun State, disclosed the reason why the apex bank initiated the MSMEDF fund, saying was to develop the economy status of the over two million Nigeria citizens, particularly the 60 percent of women entrepreneurs, within the period of 10 years.
Effetabore maintained that “the MSMED fund has two broad objectives which are social and commercial. The social/development fund shall constitute 10 percent, with grants 5 percent, interest drawback 3 percent, managing agents’ operation cost 2 percent. The commercial fund shall constitute 90 percent of the fund as follows: Wholesale funding – 90 percent of the commercial component and guarantees/refinancing – 10 percent of the commercial component.
“Considering the peculiar challenges faced by women in accessing financial services in Nigeria, the revised micro-finance policy, regulatory and supervisory framework in section 4.2(1V), provides that women’s access to financial services should increase by 15 percent annually in order to eliminate gender disparity.
“In order to achieve this, 60 percent, which is N132 billion of the fund has been earmarked for providing financial services to women.
“In operating the fund, special consideration shall also be given to institutions that will provide financial services to graduates of the CBN’s Entrepreneurship Development Centres (EDCs).”
BUSINESSDAY

Governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has stated that hard work is the only antidote to poverty and the economic hardship the country is currently facing.
He said for government to have a meaningful impact on the masses, the government must seek for the benefits of the majority of the people which is why the present administration has deemed it right to establish the OYES scheme at the inception of the government.
The Governor was speaking yesterday in Osogbo after the endurance trek with members of the OYES cadets marking the first anniversary of the 2013/2015 batch which is the second batch and also the third anniversary of the OYES scheme in the state.
He held that motivation to build a strong economy and at the same time engage the jobless youths meaningfuly is the reason why the present administration in the past three years has been doing what no government has ever attempted in the history of the country.
The Governor stated further that the administration  ,which is people -friendly ,has decided to keep its promise of taking away the misery of powerlessness and the pain of idleness away from the youths of the state stressing that it is because of the commitment to this promise that the government has spent about  N9 billion into the OYES scheme in the past three years.
Ogbeni Aregbesola ,who declared that the administration and the people of the state are proud of the services of the youths in the state ,promised that the state government will continue to strive to be able to meet the financial needs of the scheme noting that the monthly stipend being paid to the youths has gone a long way in boosting the economy of the state.
While urging the youths to continue with the good work they are doing in the state, the state helmsman emphasised that it is better to be engaged in dignified labour than to do anything that will bring disrepute and abuse to an individual while promising the cadets that their outstanding allowances will soon be paid.
In a remark, the state Commissioner for Youths, Sports and Special Needs, Mr Stephen  Kola Balogun stated that the issue of youth empowerment as a way out of economic lock jam is now a worldwide phenomenon.
He stressed that the present administration has spent so much on youth empowerment which has been immensely successful while charging the cadets to make the best of the opportunity by ensuring that they are empowered before their exit period.
In a goodwill message, the Executive Secretary, Osogbo Local Government, Hon. Isiaka Faramade expressed appreciation to the government of Ogbeni Aregbesola for touching the lives of youths in the state through the OYES scheme.
Earlier in welcome address, the OYES Commandant, Col. Eniibukun Oyewole (rtd) stressed that the programme has come to stay, noting that the youths will not remain the same by the time they are exiting from  the scheme.
While explaining that there is a difference between empowerment and employment, the retired colonel emphasised that the state government is ready to empower them to be employers of labour themselves.
The Governor, Deputy Governor, members of the state Executive Council and OYES cadets from Osogbo and Olorunda Local Governments had earlier took part in an endurance trek amidst cheers from members of the public from Oke Ayepe through station  road before terminating at the freedom park in Osogbo.
OSUNNEWS

In this interview, Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Najeem Sallam, speaks on Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Independent Man-of-the-Year 2013. Excerpts:
What is your take on Governor Rauf Aregbesola emerging as the Man of the Year 2013 of Independent Newspapers?
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is one man who brings a lot to the table of governance in Osun, and as the Speaker of the State parliament, I am privy to do many things this man is capable of, and the yardstick used by the newspaper to elect Aregbesola is not only unique, but also unprecedented in the history of the award in this country, and I may safely say that so it is in this continent.
So, my take on the award is that the man, Aregbesola actually merits the symbol of new thinking used as indicator, because he brought so many initiatives that were not found anywhere in the world, he has brought development considered unbelievable to the state, and I stand to be corrected. His school feeding programme has drawn the attention of the international community to us, his education policy coupled with tablet of knowledge ‘Opon Imo’ has won the state international accolades, and his employment generation has placed Osun as the seventh largest economy in the country. However, it was obvious that the resources accrued to the state could not even finance salaries and pension alone. Aregbesola is eminently qualified.
Having had his achievement acknowledged, don’t you think the award is capable of whittling down his morale to do more?
Thinking that award would whittle down Aregbesola’s passion is an underestimation of what Ogbeni is. One thing is very clear, Aregbesola is driven and motivated to carve a niche for himself in the history of this state in particular, and the country in general. So, all his moves, his projects, and initiatives are attributed to the creation of a new man who is complete mentally, behaviourally, emotionally. And a cursory look at his six-point integral action plan is interwoven around the concept of emotional intelligence called ‘Omoluabi’.
So, Aregbesola is not a man who seeks power to hoodwink or window dress, but to make a lasting impression that will make his name indelible in the plaque of history. I think he reads our late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo like book, and he is making effort to re-establish the lost era, and I am sure he is still running a time bound race that demands more for positive result.
But the opposition insists that Ategbesola has not done anything to warrant celebration?
That is expected of the opposition, I was once in the opposition, and I know that our job is to keep the government on its toes by pointing out its flaws and be silent on its achievement, but the opposition we have in Osun of today is not a thinking opposition, they are just begging for relevance, when they ought do their homework, and engage the government in a constructive criticism, but they seem to love blackmail and rumors as instrument of propaganda. Such an opposition does not worth a dime. I pray they turn a new leaf, so that we can have a complete process of democracy in place.
What is your advice on the forthcoming governorship election?
I am confident that the good people of Osun, the employer of any office holder would not be hoodwinked into another terrible experiment that drew the state back for years before the advent of Aregbesola’s administration. But what matters is for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do justice to the election by being free, fair and credible.
Let it be known that what obtained in Anambra election would not happen here, because our people would not sleep until the winner is declared, that shows we are going to positively make one man, one vote counts.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

Wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, has presented 360,000 packs of milk to pupils in public schools in the state.
She made the donation through her non-governmental organisation, Sheri Care Foundation, in Osogbo on Thursday.
The donation, she said, was in support of the school feeding programme inaugurated by her husband, Rauf.
She explained that the motive was to give back to the society and to enhance the learning capability of the pupils in public schools.
She said, “Today’s programme is the presentation of 360,000 packs of nourishing milk, specially fortified with iron and iodine,  in aid of the school feeding programme. This is in line with our tradition of supporting educational policies of the state administration.”
She said the gesture was part of the partnership between SCARF and FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc.
The  SCARF, she added,  had been involved  in other academic activities that  promoted excellence, which included an  annual debate among  secondary school pupils.
The governor’s wife, who hailed her husband’s policy on education, said enrolment had increased since  the pupils in elementary classes were offered free meals, through its O’meal programme.
Meanwhile, a statement issued on Thursday, by the Osun Movement for Peace, said it had concluded plans to host stakeholders’ symposium on education in Osogbo  in March. The forum, the group said would offer the participants the components of the Aregbesola’s education policies.
PUNCH

Governor Rauf Aregbesola has stated that he will not renege on his efforts to restore the glory of public schools in Osun state and make it the citadel of learning. “Our pioneer leaders went to public school and they did well.”
He said that work is still going on in Osun and will not stop until his administration achieve her goal of making public schools in Osun places where pupils can get the kind of education that will place them at par with the very best in the world. “This is our ultimate aim, and by the grace of God, and your support and understanding, we will realise this objective to the greater future of our children and our state,” Aregbesola told the people of Osun at the official commissioning of Baptist Central Elementary School, Ilare, Ile-Ife.
He said, “What we have brought to education in Osun, if we will not sound imodest, amounts to a revolution. Critics who will be honest should compare this new school and its facilities to what obtained when they went to school and what public schools have become of recent.
“ I am sure very few, if any private school can compare favourably with the schools we are building. Yet we are not competing with private schools.”
According to him, the role of private school is to complement and not displace government in the provision of certain essential services, stressing that our society has to do away with the notion that the government must necessarily fail in certain endeavours which must then be yielded to the private sector. Moreover, while insisting on quality education and conducive learning environment for students, the governor reiterated that pioneer leaders who went to public schools did well in its ramifications.

He noted that preparing our children for the future is a responsibility that we must fulfill, adding that leaders will never be forgiven if they fail in their responsibilities. According to him, the world around us is moving on; and at a pace that leaves no room for lack of seriousness or half-measures, especially with regard to education.
The education of our children, he warned, should not be a subject for petty squabbles or unhealthy politics about our narrow interests, adding, “if we are genuinely interested in the future of our children, we should bury our narrow concerns of today in order to assure for them a glorious tomorrow.” Upon this, he stated, “we will not be distracted from this objective even if it means stepping on toes, we are unstopable”
For the benefit of doubt, Aregbesola, however disclosed that the new school buildings are not for Muslims or for Christians, neither are they for adherents of any other religion, adding that they are for all children of Osun, regardless of their circumstances of birth.
On issue of religion, the governor said his efforts at revamping education never had a religious motive, but that he is motivated by the highest ideal of developing a complete personality who will be an asset to society as he would be for himself. “We are clearly neutral on religious observances,” he added.
Recalling his administration’s investment in education, Aregbesola said, “We have added 10,407 new teachers to the list of public school teaching staff in Osun. Thus, we now have 12,715 teachers in our primary schools and 7,848 teachers in our secondary schools. This amounts to a 54.8 per cent increase in the number of public school teachers we inherited. The same applies to non-teaching staff whose number has also increased by 564.
“As a result, the salaries and pensions of our primary and secondary school teachers now cost the government N16.8 billion and N10.3 billion respectively on an annual basis. On the free school uniforms, we expended N900 million, while the elementary school feeding programme costs N3.6 billion every year.
“On the supply of furniture to our schools, we have committed N2.5 billion so far, while we have spent N503 million on instructional materials which were not part of public school education before we assumed office. We have similarly increased school grants from N122 million to N856 million. Under our administration, WAEC fees have also shot up from N38 million to N400 million. We have also expended N1.2 billion on our pace-setting e-learning tablet, Opon-Imo.
“Along with building new schools, we are also renovating and upgrading some of the existing ones. On this we have spent N1.6 billion. On the new schools, we have committed N14.4 billion on capital projects, while our recurrent annual expenditure is N21 billion on elementary schools, and N13.43 billion on secondary schools. This amounts to per capita spending of N84,000 per elementary school pupil, and N30,000 per secondary school pupil. The total capital expenditure on all schools in the last three years outside new schools is N31.31 billion.”
VANGAURD