The Osun State government has trained about 210 youths as tax revenue marshals to help in the collection of tax especially from the informal sector.
This was disclosed by the acting Chairman of Osun Internal Revenue Service (ORIS), Dayo Oyebanji, at a three-day capacity building programme for the trainees in Oshogbo, the Osun State capital.
Mr Oyebanji said the training became necessary owing to a drastic drop in the monthly revenue coming to the state from the Federation Account.
He explained that the tax collectors were expected to deal with the informal sector of the state economy by taking the collection process to the doorsteps of market men and women, shop owners, artisans among others.
The OIRS boss, who maintained that there would be no room for tax evasion and avoidance, emphasised on the need for all citizens of the state to perform ‎their civic responsibility by ensuring prompt payment of their tax.
‎He hinted that the agency had embarked on massive sensitisation , adding that the prompt payment of tax would drastically boost the revenue of the state and make it attractive to potential investors.
Drawn from the 30 Local Government Areas across the state, the tax collectors named “Osun Revenue Marshals”, were armed with Point of Sales (POS) machines each to ease their activities.
This comes as part of efforts to increase the revenue generation drive in Osun State, South-west Nigeria.
CHANNELS TV

…say agriculture remains the largest employer of labour

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Oyo State counterpart, Senator Abiola Ajimobi have urged Nigerians to see agriculture as a better alternative to oil in the resuscitation of the country’s ailing economy.
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The Governors stated this in their separate speeches during the seventh Annual Lecture of Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun.
The duo noted that agriculture remains the largest employer of labour hence the need for individuals and government at all levels to encourage agriculture in a bid to revamp the dwindling economic fortune of Nigeria.
Aregbesola said since oil has been selling for less than $40 for the past months, it is quite predictable that the figures for November, when it is ready, would have dropped again.
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The Governor comparing the present situation when Osun collected N55.8 million to 2013 when the average  money distributed to states from the federation accounts was in excess of N800 billion, said Osun’s average allocation then was N3.6 billion.
According to him, “While our monthly wage bill is N3.6billion, the highest amount we have received this year alone was N2.1 billion. It went as low as N466 million in April while the figure for September was N55 million.
“Don’t think this is a problem for the states alone. The Federal Government under the last PDP administration had to borrow N476 billion from commercial banks to pay salaries of some of its workers (not all) for the last four months of that better forgotten tenure.
“We did not make this up. This statement came from the administration’s Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala.The implication is that governments will be under a lot of strain to pay salaries, sustain themselves and embark on meaningful projects for the citizens.
“This also mean that employment in the public sector will be frozen. If this trend continues, it is a recipe for social upheaval and a mortal threat to the survival of the Nigerian state.Given that oil is volatile. Some unforeseen conflict in the Middle East might trigger price surge and change this scenario altogether.
“However, what we are sure of is that Iran will soon add to the oil glut once the sanctions on it are lifted and increasing research and innovations in alternative energy sources will continue to reduce demand for oil and push further down the price.
He noted that the current economic challenges is an opportunity for government to urgently diversify the economy and break the monopoly of oil, adding that it will also be an opportunity to explore other areas like agriculture, solid minerals, communication technology and services.
“If we respond to this challenge appropriately, the creative energy of our people, especially the youth, will be activated and unleashed. This will lead to increased productivity and wealth creation on a scale we have never witnessed before.
“While it may appear difficult, it is not undoable. The ancient counsel remains, that no matter how far one has gone on a wrong path, the right thing to do is to turn back, if one is to get to the destination. No one can get out of a pit by continuing to dig deeper. One must stop digging”. Aregbesola emphasised.
He maintained that the time has come for government at all levels to come up with value-adding agriculture to re-engineer the socio-political and economic structures of Nigeria.
Governor Ajimobi who was the Guest Speaker spoke on a topic titled “State Financing and Over-dependence on Oil: Issues and challenges”  identified a number of factors responsible for the on-going financial crisis in the country.
He called for true federalism as being practiced in advanced countries of the world, saying it is abnormal in any true federalism for any tier to be financially incapacitated as being experienced in the country.
Ajimobi stated that out of the 36 states in the federal structure, not as many as five could survive without federal allocation, saying apart from Rivers, Lagos, Enugu, Delta, Katsina, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi and Bayelsa State, which have tried to balance their budgets since creation, all the other States have had to depend more on Federal Government for survival.
He said, “Ordinarily, states are supposed to make use of their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) for recurrent expenditure while statutory allocations are to take care of capital expenditure; but the reverse is pathetically the case currently.
“The current scenario whereby IGR and statutory allocation combined are not sufficiently for states to meet their financial obligations is indeed unfortunate. This has resorted to a situation whereby most states cannot generate the required funds needed to pay workers’ salaries.
“Government at the centre is currently assigned 52.68 percent of Federation Account revenues, including 7.5 percent of the account originally earmarked for “Special” projects like the development of the Federal Capital Territory and the amelioration of national ecological emergencies.
“The state and the localities, on the other hand, respectively get 26.72 and 20.60 percent of Federation Account revenues. Nonetheless, over-dependence on oil has made nonsense of this Allocation Formula and what is allocated to each tier except the Federal Government.
“The problem of this heavy dependence on the oil sector, started as far back as 1992 when global crude oil prices started fluctuating from $18.4 to $61 per barrel in 2006 and reached $115.05 per barrel by June 2014. Beyond these latent facts, bureaucratic and political corruption combined have crippled a number of states financially”. He lamented.
Ajimobi said the agricultural sector that has been neglected for long on what he described as “black gold” should be revamped to enhance food security, reduce importation of food items and engage able-bodied citizens who are presently either out rightly unemployed or under-employed.
He implored the students to imbibe the spirit of positive leadership qualities by joining the train of development as they explore technology positively to advance in the current and future world.

Following dwindling resources from the federation account to Osun State, Governor Rauf Aregbesola has sought the approval of the state House of Assembly to withdraw N1.25 billion from the Omoluabi Conservation Fund to assist government in the provision of infrastructure in the state.
He sought the approval through a letter to the Assembly, dated November 27, 2015, which was read by the Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam, at the plenary,  yesterday.
Omoluabi Conservation Fund Law 2012, sponsored by the executive, was passed by the Assembly as a way of bailing the state out of emergency whenever such occured.
According to the Speaker, the letter read: “The law stipulates that an amount not exceeding 50 per cent of the outstanding balance in the fund can be withdrawn upon the approval of the Assembly to address such emergency.
“You are quite aware that for some months now, the state government has been having serious financial challenges which have been preventing it from meeting some of its basic functions.
“This development is largely attributable to the national economic downturn aggravated by the continuous decline in revenue accrueable to the state from the Federation Account in the last two years.
“The insufficient fund has made it difficult for government to meet the basic needs of the people, especially the provision of infrastructure to enhance physical development of the state which is certainly an emergency that is not palatable.
“It is against this background that I seek the approval of the Honourable House of Assembly to withdraw the sum of N1.25 billion being 50 per cent of the N2.5 billion in the Osun Omoluabi Conservation Fund to assist government in the provision of infrastructure in the state.”
Subsequently, the Speaker directed that the letter be forwarded to the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation for proper consideration.
He directed that the committee should refer to the law, ascertain whether the request was in compliance with the law and report back to the house within one week, with a view to giving the request the appropriate attention it deserves.
Meanwhile, the Assembly concluded the consideration of the Land Use Charge Bill at the committee of the whole, as the Speaker directed the Clerk at Table to produce the clean copy of the bill by next week Tuesday for the final passage.
VANGUARD

Photos of  Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, the Host Governor, State of Osun,Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Guest  Lecturer/Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi and the Chairman of the Occasion, former Vice Chancellor University of Uyo, Prof. Fola Lasisi during the Seventh Annual Public Lecture of Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students, Obafemi Awolowo University Chapter in Honour of Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, at the University Conference Centre, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, on Tuesday 01-12-2015.

Host Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle), Alhaji
Lateef Femi Okunnu (left) and Guest Lecturer/Oyo State Governor,
Senator Abiola Ajimobi during the Seventh Annual Public Lecture of
Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students, Obafemi Awolowo University
Chapter in Honour of Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, at the University
Conference Centre, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, on Tuesday 01-12-2015.

From left – Guest Lecturer/Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola
Ajimobi, Host Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Alhaji
Lateef Femi Okunnu and Oyo State Chairman All Progressive Congress
(APC), Chief Akin Oke during the Seventh Annual Public Lecture of
Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students, Obafemi Awolowo University
Chapter in Honour of Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, at the University
Conference Centre, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, on Tuesday 01-12-2015.

From right – Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, Host Governor, State of Osun,
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Guest Lecturer/Oyo State Governor, Senator
Abiola Ajimobi and Chairman of the Occasion, former Vice Chancellor
University of Uyo, Prof. Fola Lasisi during the Seventh Annual Public
Lecture of Nigeria Association of Muslim Law Students, Obafemi Awolowo
University Chapter in Honour of Alhaji Lateef Femi Okunnu, at the
University Conference Centre, Ile-Ife, State of Osun, on Tuesday
01-12-2015.

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has charged Nigerians to call on God for the sustainability and revival of the ailing economy of the country.

The Governor stated this while addressing Christian faithful at a two-day crusade organised by The Deeper Life Christian Ministry in Osogbo.

Aregbesola noted that the only way out of the current sociopolitical, economic and religious crises in the country is for Nigerians and all religious leaders, irrespective of religion and background to continuously seek the face of God for the good of the country.
He held that one of the ways to ameliorate the current economic situation of the country is for all to remain united and in fervent in prayers in order to liberate Nigeria from its present cash crunch.
The Governor also tasked religious leaders to put before God various challenges facing the country, saying without their quick intervention, the nation’s economy may be heading for the worst.
He described the visit of the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor Williams Folorunso Kumuyi as timely, saying his evangelical mission to Osun State would go a long way in helping his administration and the good people of the state.
According to Aregbesola, “Without mincing words, our highly revered man of God has come to our state at the right time because Nigeria as a whole needs spiritual deliverance.
“We cannot but plead to our religious leaders to help this country in prayers, fasting and counseling for total delivery and liberation”.
The Governor lamented the sharp drop in the global prices of crude oil, saying the nation has reached a stage where government at all levels must rise to the occasion and shift attention from the dwindling fortunes of crude oil to agriculture.
Aregbesola called for a real economic diversification, adding that, not until the country’s economy is diversified and sustained, the dwindling federal allocation to the states will continue.

In his sermon, the General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor Williams Folorunso Kumuyi charged Nigerians to move closer to God and always seek for His divine intervention in whatever they do.
Kumuyi attributed the challenges facing Nigeria to “lack of dedication to the will of God” among people, saying time has come for everyone to hold on to God and seek His mercy, favour and blessings.
He said, “We shall not relent on our efforts as men of God to achieve total liberation for all and sundry. This is also the time for us to move closer to our creator and devote ourselves to Him to lead us through and save us from this artificial bondage”, Pastor Kumuyi stated.

Pictures of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, kick starts the final of the football competition tagged: Governors Cup in commemoration of the first anniversary of his second term in office, at the Osogbo City Stadium last weekend.

Photos of the Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila, the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and the Chairman of Occasion, Dr.Yemi Farounbi, during the Official Commissioning of Rave F.M Radio, at Agunbelewo, Area Osogbo, State of Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

From left- Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila,
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman of Occasion,
Dr.Yemi Farounbi and King Dr. Sunny Ade, during the Official
Commissioning of Rave F.M Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila (left),
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle), and Chairman
of Occasion, Dr.Yemi Farounbi (right), during the Official
Commissioning of Rave F.M Radio, at Agunbelewo, Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

From right- Chairman of Occasion, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, Governor State of
Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7,
Mr. Femi Adefila, and his Wife Dr. Bimbola Adefila during the Official
Commissioning of Rav F.M Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

From right- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chief
Ebenezer Babatope, Former Deputy Governor, State of Osun, Erelu
Olusola Obada and King Dr. Sunny Ade during the Official
Commissioning of Rav F.M Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila and Governor
State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola during the Official
Commissioning of Rav e F.M Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

From left- Chief Executive Officer Rave FM 91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila,
Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman of Occasion,
Dr. Yemi Farounbi, King Dr. Sunny Ade, Managing Director De Rauf,
Comrade Amitolu Shittu, and Chairman All Progressive Congress (APC),
State of Osun, Prince Adegboyega Famodun during the Official
Commissioning of Rav e F.M Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of
Osun, on Thursday 26/11/2015.

From left- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Chairman
of Occasion, Dr. Yemi Farounbi and Chief Executive Officer Rave FM
91.7, Mr. Femi Adefila during the Official Commissioning of Rav e F.M
Radio at Agunbelewo,Area Osogbo, State of Osun, on Thursday
26/11/2015.

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has said all projects embarked on by his administration will be completed before the end of his tenure.
Aregbesola said that he was not bothered by politicians “fabricating lies over the state of finance of Osun State.”
The governor spoke in Osogbo, Osun State capital at the opening of a new privately-owned radio station, Rave FM, Dr. Yemi Farounbi.
Farounbi is a veteran journalist turned politician.
At the event, Aregbesola said all “detractors and opposition will soon come to appreciate my administration when all projects embarked on are completed before the end of my tenure in office.”
Though he acknowledged that things were financially tough for the state, he said help was on the way for the state.
He said the Gbongan-Akoda Road project and others in the state would commence before the first quarter of 2016 and that no project would be abandoned by his administration at the end of its tenure.
He said, “I will not be disturbed by bad comments from some people about my policies because I believe in God who sent me to Osun and supports me.
“What we are doing in Osun may not be appreciated now, but it will become what people will praise later; we came here and all we have been doing has been inspired by God.”
Aregbesola described as shameful the exaggeration of the debt profile of the state by some parties.
He said, “If we borrowed N800bn, like some (people) said, how could we have been able to pay the loan interest? How could we have survived? Though we took loan, and that is the only way we could have brought development to the state; as tough as it is, God and His help is on the way and Osun shall overcome.”
Farounbi thanked the governor for his support even though they belonged to different parties.
He said, “I remember when I was nominated as an ambassador and I needed the support of two senators from my state. I went to Senator Adeyeye, who is my brother, and all the senators in my state were from the Action Congress of Nigeria.
“It was Adeyeye who told me that I needed not to be bothered as the governor (Aregbesola) had instructed all the senators from the state to support me. Without meeting you (Aregbesola), you made me proud. I am grateful for all you have done, even though, I did not see you and despite the fact that we are not from the same political background.”
Meanwhile, the governor on Friday also inaugurated the reconstruction of Olaiya-Junction-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan Road in Osogbo, the state capital.
PUNCH

Pictures of the Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori,  exchanging pleasantries with Traditional Rulers, during the flag-off of the reconstruction of Olaiya Junction-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun on Friday 27-11-2015

From right, Managing Director (Construction), RATCON Construction Co. Limited, Engr. Fouad Howayek; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works State of Osun, Engr. Nerudeen Adeagbo; Member State House of Assembly, Hon. Biodun Awolola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon.Akintunde Adegboye and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, during the flag-off of reconstruction of Olaiya Junction-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun on Friday 27-011-2015 

From right, Managing Director (Construction), RATCON Construction Co. Limited, Engr. Fouad Howayek; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Works State of Osun, Engr. Nerudeen Adeagbo; Member State House of Assembly, Hon. Biodun Awolola; Governor Rauf Aregbesola; Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon.Akintunde Adegboye and Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, during the flag-off of reconstruction of Olaiya Junction-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun on Friday 27-011-2015

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori, exchanging pleasnatries with Traditional Rulers, during the flag-off of the reconstruction of Olaiya Junction-Asubiaro-Ita Olokan Road, Osogbo, State of Osun on Friday 27-11-2015

As the present administration in Osun enters its 6th year in office, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has said that the economic hardship in the state has come to an end.

The ‎Governor stated this during the official commissioning of the new Ife/Orile-Owu 33KV feeder line at Orile-Owu, Ayedaade Local Government Area.

Aregbesola noted that his administration is committed to making life meaningful and abundant to the people of Osun hence the infrastructural development in the nooks and crannies of the state.

The Governor commended the people of Orile-Owu and its environs for their patience over years before electricity was restored back to the communities with a total cost of N225 million.

He held that his administration decided to assist the service providers by rehabilitating the Gbongan-Ikire 33KV feeder line, making it to end at Araromi-Owu, Odeyinka and three farm settlements of Mokore, Oyere-Aborisade and Ago-Owu.

Aregbesola stressed that it is quite clear that the new 33KV relief feeder line will ensure stable power supply to the farm settlements thus stemming rural/urban drift by encouraging the teeming populace to return to farming in the farm settlement.

According to him, ” I want to use this opportunity to admonish us to return to the farms, what we used to rely on as a country and state is no longer there. Oil has now dipped seriously, even at about 41 Dollars per barrel from a price of over 100 Dollars, Nigeria still cannot sell her oil in the international market.

“Anyone who doe‎s not want to be wired by hunger must return to the farms, I want to assure you that more people will be coming from the cities to this place, please try and get enough place for them to stay, everybody must return to agriculture to survive.

“Our administration recently gave hectares of land to IITA for farming and with the electrification of Orile-Owu and other farm settlements, there will be boost in agriculture around these areas, we all need to take this advantage to take to massive farming for the growth of our state.

“There is no town or village in Osun that has not been touched interms of infrastructural development by our administration and with what we have seen happening to our oil, showed that we can no longer depend on it, therefore, I want to implore us to pay our taxes for us to continue to enjoy government,” the governor emphasised.

‎Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Water Resources, Rural Development and Community Affairs, Engr. Oriolowo commended Aregbesola for his ingenuity in creating the ministry in Osun.

He noted that the agelong isolation of some settlements from the National electricity grid is now addressed with the construction of the new 33KV outdoor bay at 132/33KV transformer stations in Ajebandele in Ile-Ife.

He noted that the project cost the state‎ government N225, 065, 749.92 and was constructed with fibre cross arms and conductor size of 150mm2 on reinforced concrete poles with shorts pannage of 60m.

He said, “I want to thank Mr. Governor for his strong support for our Ministry which has enabled a total of 193 electrification projects completed the ministry and CSDP at the cost of N1,487, 015, 127. 18.

“Currently, three other feeder lines namely: Gbogan/Ikire, Osogbo/Ila, Ibokun/Osunjela and Iwo/Ejigbo are being rehabilitated while another new one is being constructed to link the 132/33KV transformer statations at Ilesa to Fadahunsi injection station in Ilesa”.