Twenty-seven thousand households in the State of Osun are to benefit from Cash Transfer of the National Social Safety Nets Programme being organised by the Office of the Vice President of Nigeria . They are beneficiaries selected without bias, favour, political affiliation ,culture or religion.
The Special Adviser to the State Governor on Federal Matters, Hon. Idiat Babalola made this known at a two -day step down training programme organised at Palm Crest Hotel, Owode Ede for Local government facilitators by the State Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs.
 

 
She affirmed that every household that will benefit from the Social Safety Nets programmes must adhere strictly to the policy guidelines. She then charged the local government facilitators to ensure that adequate counselling must be given to poor and vulnerable people through sensitization, education and monitoring.
The State Director, National Orientation Agency, Dr. Lawrence Martins ,in his goodwill message ,stated that the process of Cash transfer in the State is based on the trust of the federal government to the state government so that poor and vulnerable people in the state will be assisted and uplifted .
Earlier ,in her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Pharmacist Mrs. Omolara Ajayi stated that the National Cash Transfer Programme is a collaborative initiative of the federal government ,the World Bank and the State Government.
She pointed out that the target is to reach one million extremely poor and vulnerable households in the country.
The Permanent Secretary , who was represented by the Director of Finance and Administration of the Ministry, Mrs. Kehinde Odediran affirmed that the State of Osun is privileged to be one of the pilot states with twelve local government areas namely: Atakumosa East, Ayedire, Boluwaduro, Ejigbo, Ifedayo, Ife North, Ife South, Ila, Isokan, Ola-Oluwa, Olorunda and Oriade local government areas that are to benefit from the program.
She then charged the local government facilitators and stakeholders to contribute their quota to ensure the success of the previous social investments programmes of the state as well as this newly launched Cash Transfer Programme.
The modules for training the local government facilitators include Overview of National Social Safety Programme, SOCU selection based process, Roles and Responsibilities of beneficiaries and Facilitators, Payment system and frequency as well as Monitoring and Evaluation among others.

The State Cash Transfer Unit(SCTU) has been urged to make the best use of the Single Register of the poor and vulnerable households in the state.
 

 
The Coordinator, Osun State Operation Coordinating Unit, Youth Employment and Social Support Operation(YESSO), Mr Olufemi Ifaturoti stated this while handing over the Single Register to the State Cash Transfer Unit(SCTU‎).
Mr Ifaturoti said Cash Transfer programme ,which is a social safety net intervention anchored by the Federal Government in collaboration with the World Bank ,is to lift the poor and vulnerable out of poverty through transfer of funds and life skill training .
He pointed out that it is an offshoot of the highly successful YESSO initiative, which he maintained is equally an offshoot of the greatly remarkable Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme(OYES) initiative of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.
The State Coordinator added that the Single Register of the poor and vulnerable which was generated through dint of hardwork of his SOCU team and a painstaking process became inevitable with a view to correcting the hitherto targetting mechanism of safety net interventions in the country which was so weak to the extent that it encouraged double dipping.
In her response at the event, the Desk Officer, State Cash Transfer Unit(SCTU), Mrs Adeola Oyebamiji assured Osun State Operation Coordinating Unit that SCTU would not rest on its oars at making the best use of the Single Register.

The Osun Fadama III Additional Funding program, has begun training of 45 agricultural staff who would train farmers across the state to enhance food production.
The Coordinator of the program, Dr Ganiyu Adediji, said on Wednesday at Iwo in Osun, that the training involved all units under the program.
 

 
Adediji said that the training was designed to change farmers attitude to agricultural enterprises, enhance their knowledge on improved farming practices and encourage application of technical knowledge.
“The beneficiaries of this training are to step down their knowledge to the level of the local farmers.
“We are training our people on group dynamics, which has to do with group formation and management, book-keeping for farmers and contract negotiation, to get good bargain for purchases and sales,” Adediji said.
The coordinator said it was important for farmers to know the overview of agricultural production value chain in modern day agribusiness.
He said, Osun Government, in collaboration with the British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation had also trained 190 farmers and staff on the application of “Aflasafe”, a bio-pesticide, to boost maize production.
“This training, held at Iwoye-Ijesha, is also to facilitate more profit for farmers as they embark on mass production of disease-free maize after applying Aflasafe to kill the fungi that transmits aflatoxin that can cause cancer.
“Farming should not be limited to eating from the farm alone but for mass commercial production and improved healthy living among the people.” the coordinator said.
Dr Julius Adedeji, a trainer from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan said the participants would be well trained in modern method of farming.
One of the trainees, Mr Femi Anwo, said that the training would make great impact on food production and agricultural enterprises among the farmers.
He commended the Osun government for supporting the project in the state.

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has praised the executive of the Osun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (OSCAN) after the Christian group paid a courtesy visit to the state governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola recently.
 

 
In a statement issued by MURIC Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the Muslim group congratulated the new OSCAN executive on its assumption of office while lauding the new executive of OSCAN for its positive and progressive move.
“It is highly commendable and we are thrilled to find a new CAN leadership in the State of Osun extending the hand of fellowship to the state government,” MURIC said.
During their visit to the governor, OSCAN commended Aregbesola for his commitment to the development and transformation of the state in the face of present economic recession and lauded the state government for being consistent in championing equity, balance and harmony among the adherents of the three major faiths in the state.
“It is a radical departure from the past and we sincerely hope this newly found rapport will continue. We must build more bridges across the divides in order to move the state forward and harmony among the various faiths is cardinal to this objective,” MURIC said.
MURIC then urged Christian faithfuls in the State of Osun to support the Michael Okodu leadership in its bid to cooperate with the state government and return to the path of peaceful coexistence with the adherents of other faiths in the state.
“We charge Muslim leaders in the state to reciprocate in like manner. What the State of Osun needs presently is sensitive, responsible, visionary and pious religious leaders. Only thus can the dynamic steps being taken by the state government in the area of education and industry be fruitful,” MURIC said.

A UK agency, Department For International Development (DFID), in collaboration with the Osun state government is set to empower about 5,000 small scale business women and youth in the state.

 
 
This empowerment plan was made known at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between both parties, at the governor’s office in Osogbo, the capital of the state.
He says the programme will also facilitate better connection between small and medium enterprises.The leader of the team, David Joyner, said the scheme under the Growth and Empowerment in States (GEMS) arm of the DFID is aimed at providing jobs, creating wealth and in turn eradicating poverty.
To achieve this, he said the public sectors’ Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Agriculture would be in full partnership.
‎Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, added that the collaboration between the state and the subsidiary agency of DFID is a veritable framework for development of small scale business enterprises to create wealth and banish poverty in the state.
He therefore asserted that human development was what Nigeria must do to help its people out of the current economic recession.According to him, “it is not for lack of opportunities that we are poor, but our inability to creatively engage our people”.
The scheme is targeted towards empowering soap makers, livestock rearers, local plantain chip makers and traditional mat weavers among others.

*Soap makers, local delicacies producers, others to access international markets
The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, took a step further on Tuesday in his administration’s expansion of economic opportunities for the state as he signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Growth and Employment in States 4th scheme (GEMS4).
Aregbesola said at the signing of the MOU that his administration has been able to endure the harsh economic challenges in the country because of the government’s huge investments in human development.
 

 
GEMS4 is a Department For International Department-funded programme that will link and expand markets for unique wholesale and retail products from Osun into larger local and international markets.
Under this scheme, local producers of black soap, local delicacies, mat makers, and other petty producers are to be assisted to gain access to bigger markets for bigger economic opportunities.
The governor said investment in the people helps the commerce and economy of states as well as help in the process of wealth creation.
He said the signing of the MOU is to promote collaboration and cooperation with GEMS4 so as to provide assess to markets for the production of local products.
He said no government could create wealth where there is hunger, poverty and wants, saying his government is committed to raising the standard of living of the people through wealth creation.
According to him, a lot of people had asked how the state has been coping with the economic downturn, while others even castigated the state for the abnormal revenue that had previously accrued to the state from the federation account.
He said: “A lot of people have been asking how we are surviving in spite of the economic challenges. Some people even castigated us for the abnormal revenue we got from the federation.
“The answer to this question is that we have made human development centre of our programmes and policies long before taking over the mantle of leadership.
“The investment of our people is paying off handsomely. This is what we want to consolidate with the MOU with GEMS 4.
“We also believe there are still opportunities untapped and unexplored. The MOU will help us explore the opportunities previously unexplored for wealth creation, progress and development.”
The governor emphasised that wealth creation is the fulcrum of the MOU and the benefits are numerous and immeasurable particularly for the small scale industries.
He stressed that what is important is the readiness of the people to explore the opportunities the MOU offers.
In his remarks, the GEMS4 Project Director in Nigeria, Mr. David Joiner at the MOU signing ceremony at Executive Chambers, office of the Governor in Osogbo stated the project will raise the production and earning of the poor in Osun,
He noted that some of the industries that will benefit from this unique partnership between the state and GEMS4 include the soap making industry, agro-processing industries among others.
The DFID boss added that the project is aimed at creating and sustaining 10,000 full time equivalent jobs and increased incomes for 500,000 people in the state.
Joiner disclosed that the unique products identified so far for re-packaging, branding and marketing for larger markets include local black soaps, the popular ‘dodo Ikire’, domestic goats and sheep among every other trades.
“With signing of this MOU, we will hit the ground running, SMEs will benefit from the project and we believe that employment will be generated, up to 5,000 traditional soap makers in different parts of the state.
“We are also bringing new technology in goat rearing so that they can have better income and increase, we also look forward to making impact to the people.
“We seek to improve income and employment opportunities within Nigeria’s wholesale and retail sector, particularly for the poorest and most vulnerable”. Joiner told the gathering.

As the world celebrates International Day of the Girl, the State Chairperson of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Osun State Chapter,   Mrs. Toyin Adeoye has charged the global community to support girl child development and champion the rights of the girl child.
 

 
Mrs. Adeoye said this while speaking with pressmen in Osogbo. She  said the girl child with an estimated population of 1.1 billion are talented and creative bunch whose potentials are often thwarted by discrimination, violence and unequal opportunities.
While commenting on the theme for this year’s celebration, which is “Girls Progress equal to (Sustainable Development) Goals Progress: A global Girl Data Movement”, Mrs. Adeoye stated that when a girl is educated and well trained, it will be easy for such a child to reach an enviable height in life.
Mrs. Adeoye then admonished the girl child to be disciplined, obedient and always dress decently in order to avert any form of sexual harassment.    She also admonished government and parents to take the education of girls serious, as doing so will liberate their minds and expose them to achieving their dreams, thereby enabling them
to contribute positively to the development of the country.
NAWOJ Chairperson thereafter congratulated every girl child in the state and wishing them better years.

The opening ceremony of this year’s Olojo Festival took off in Ile-Ife on Saturday with Gbajure which is one of the major events in the celebration of olojo festival.
The carnival procession, which took off from Oranmiyan Groove moved to the toll gate on the Ife-Ibadan Expressway finally and terminated at the Ooni’s Palace.
 

 
In the procession were the custodians of the festival. These include Chief Owa Eredunu, Chief Akogun, Chief Okogun, Officials of the Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, State Council for Arts and Culture who appeared in various Yoruba costumes and cultural groups with thousands of spectators.
The procession was led bearing a replica of the Aare Crown which the Ooni will wear on the final day of the celebrations.
Other activities, as part of the celebrations, include Ayo Olopon traditional game, which will hold on Wednesday (12th October, 2016). The Yoruba culture entertainment night, festival musical concert, omidan olojo cultural pageant and festival fashion show all of which will take place on Thursday (13th October,2016).
Other activities are Ojo Ilagun, Iwode Ile-Ife (Community Cleansing), Oonirisa terrestrial message to the world which will hold on Friday (14th October, 2016).
Similarly, there will be Okemogun day, the Are’s cultural procession on Saturday (15th October, 2016) while the grand finale of this year’s Olojo festival takes place on Sunday (16th October, 2016).
The closing ceremony, which will feature Oonirisa ancestral traditional propitiation cultural trade/art exhibition is billed to hold on Monday (17th October, 2016).
The State Government of Osun and the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola hereby felicitates with His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II and all sons and daughters of Ile-Ife on the celebrations of 2016 Olojo festival.
The State Governor prayed for more celebrations of the festival.

The Cash Transfer Unit of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs in the State of Osun will hold a Step-Down Training program today (Tuesday )at Palm Crest Hotel, along Gbongan Road, Owode.
 

 
According to the release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs, Pharmacist Mrs. Omolara Ajayi, the main objective of the training program is to build the capacity of Local Government facilitators in order to ensure the implementation of Cash Transfer activities in the state.
The release stated that the two -day training program will be declared open tomorrow (Tuesday 11th October) by 8am.
The Permanent Secretary then enjoined all stakeholders to attend the programme punctually.