Osun state government has said that the ongoing construction of a cargo international airport named after late Moshood Kasimaawo Olawale Abiola embarked upon by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola led administration will boost the economy of the state when completed.
The state Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Empowerment, Hon. Ismail Jayeoba Alagbada, noted that the airport situated in Ido-Osun, Egbedore Local Government Area of the state will make the state, the economic hub of the nation.
Alagbada, who featured on the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Correspondent Chapel programme tagged “News Point” in Osogbo on Thursday, 6th March, 2014, said the airport which is manned by the Engineering Department of Nigerian Army will be of international standard thus transforming the economy status of the state.
Jayeoba said Aregbesola’s administration is totally committed to upgrading the economy of the state adding that the people of the state are already testifying to the giant strides of the present administration.
Speaking on the on-going construction of international markets embarked upon by the Aregbesola administration, the commissioner said, two of the markets which are Ayegbaju and Aje markets would soon be completed thereby paving ways for serious commercial activities in the respective locations of the market.
He said 650 shops would be completed and ready for use at Aje market by June this year while Ayegbaju market has reached 80 percent completion.
Alagbada while speaking on the drive of his ministry in the area of cooperative empowerment, he said, no fewer than 600 cooperative farmers have benefited with the sum of N600 million as a soft loan from Aregbesola government.
He declared further that, over N1billion was inherited as a loan issued by the Oyinlola administration to various cooperative societies in the state which are yet to be recovered.
 

Osun State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to the people of the state to turn out en masse for the voter registration kicking off today nationwide.
The party, in a statement issued by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Kunle Oyatomi, called on the people to use the opportunity provided by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to get the new permanent voter cards.
The party urged all Osun citizens eligible to vote as a fundamental right, to obtain the card, otherwise, they will be short-changing themselves of their civic responsibility to vote for responsible people to take charge of government.
The registration is open to every person who has the temporary voter card issued at the last election and every other person up to and above the age of 18 years, who is not yet registered as a voter.
The first group of people with temporary cards should turn up for the new card from today, Friday, till Sunday, while all eligible voters who have not registered at all, have from Wednesday, March 12 to Monday, March 17 to do so.
In addition to active participation in the registration exercise, APC called on the people to be highly security conscious, because Osun is being targeted by the enemies of progress who want to use violence and chaos to achieve their ambition.
The party takes serious note of the unexploded bomb incident that was discovered and removed by the security forces in the banking hall of one of the first generation bank in Osogbo, which it suspected, may not be unconnected with the threat to violence by those who want to make Osun looks unsafe for investment and business people.
The APC recalled that it had informed security agencies earlier in February that some elements within the state were planning to cause chaos before, during and after the governorship election.
The party therefore enjoined Osun people to make security consciousness part of their everyday life in order to help the security agencies perform their duties more efficiently.
“As things stand”, the party said, “security should now be the business of every citizen of the State, so that we can sustain the peace in the state”.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

The Year 2014 Compulsory Service Examination for Interested Civil Servants and Local Government staff in the State of Osun have been slated to hold between Monday 10th March to Friday 14th March,  2014 at Ataoja School of Science and African Church Grammar School both in Osogbo simultaneously.
This was contained in a press release signed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran.
According to the release, all administrative Officers in both the State and Local Government services are enjoined to note that Government has approved the inclusion of English Language as a compulsory subject and replacement for Local Legislation and General Paper.
The statement added that, it is mandatory for all candidates to collect two copies of their identity cards for completion and submission at the examination centre, as well as checking their examination number and time table at the Curriculum Development and Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Education.
OSUN NEWS

Without increasing tax levies whatsoever on any tax payer, the State of Osun is now on the pathway to making the State self dependent as far as revenue generation in the State is concerned.
This was made known today by the Acting Chairman/CEO, Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Dayo Oyebanji while receiving the Fidelity Bank team who are in charge of training.
According to him, part of the modalities employed to make a wholesome achievement in revenue generation is the engagement of staff, on tax related skill acquisition.
Meanwhile, the programme is set to engage Osun Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) Tax Station Managers, and train them on more skill acquisition that would prepare them towards realizing increment in internally generated revenue in the state.
Therefore, the step taken on staff training according to him was borne out of a need, to keep them abreast of the contemporary issues that are going on in the domain of revenue generation through the use of Point of Sale Terminal (POS).
OSUN NEWS

The Independent National Electoral Commission has called on stakeholders in the Osun political scene to shun violence during the forthcoming gubernatorial elections, as it commences distribution of voters’ cards.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the gubernatorial poll is scheduled to hold on August 9.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mr Rufus Akeju, made the call on Thursday in Osogbo while fielding questions on the issuance of voters’ cards.
Akeju, said that the commission has zero tolerance for violence, and called on politicians and party supporters to make peace their watchword before, during and after the election.
He said, “Where there is violence, there is no democracy, and this is why peace must be allowed to reign for the election to be free and fair.”
He advised politicians to educate their supporters on how to vote in order to reduce the number of void votes, even as he warned against all forms of electoral misconduct.
Akeju said that democratic government is normally through the ballot box, allowing the electorate to choose whoever they wanted to lead them.
On voters’ card, Akeju urged the people to follow procedure, stressing that those who lost their cards could come with a nationally recognised identity card for identification.
PUNCH

Tunde Poonle is chairman, MicCom& Wires Limited, Comic Holdings and MicCom Golf Hotel, Osogbo, Osun State. Poonle was former chairman, West African Portland Cement Company (WAPCO). In this interview with select journalists in Lagos, he spoke on transformation work of the current administration in his home state, Osun; politics in the state ahead of 2015, among other issues. Zebulon Agomuo was there. Excerpts:
How do you assess the performance of government in your state?  
My state governor has never been this good; we have never had such an active and productive governor. I am not a politician, but when people perform, you must appreciate them. Go to anywhere in the state, go and see the roads. It is in Osun you will see that government can do good roads. During the military era, a road of 10kilometers was completed within 3 months but 6 months after, it becomes as bad as it was before. In Osun State today, you will see real construction, you see serious people, you see serious government and that is what leadership is all about. It means in this country, if we have good leaders, Nigeria would move forward. After all, the people working in Osun today had been there before, but because they have dynamic leadership now, everything is going on very well; we hope it continues that way.
It is not roads alone, go to education – the schools have improved, and in agriculture, you see vegetables, rice farms and others all over the place despite the fact that the state has no money.
Despite these efforts you listed, the recent controversy over school uniform was almost becoming embarrassing; what is your take?
Listen, like anywhere in the world where there is change, some people have to be dissatisfied. No serious change comes without problem. The problem we have in Osun today is because of drastic changes everywhere. Take for example, the uniform you are talking about, everybody wants an identity, that’s because I ask why are you getting this uniform free of charge and you are complaining? Why is change of uniform a problem to you? The answers are as ridiculous as it can be. The background of it is that some mischievous people alleged that the government made money from uniform which I don’t think is true. They said they wanted some identity, which is okay but they should give the government some time, maybe next year when they are making uniform for government, they should say for Baptists – make blue, for Catholics make red and so on. But they are just starting and if they don’t start, they will not see where the problems are.
So all the schools wear the same uniform?   
Yes, for now. That is why they are complaining, but the government asked to be given sometime to rectify some issues. It is a new thing being introduced, so there are bound to be mistakes here and there.
How do you distinguish school during an event? 
For now, it is not possible, but they are now saying there are ways they will devise apart from colours, they will use caps to distinguish the schools and the logos for every school, but I think the way they will probably deal with the situation is that for instance, all schools in Oshogbo should wear blue and so on.
But if they get the type of schools they are getting now and if the remuneration they are getting now and all that, the matter of uniform will come as a natural thing.
The government is accused of nurturing islamisation agenda, how about that?
Every one of us thought so, but if you have the opportunity of meeting him one to one, you will know that this governor is a real radical who does things most conscientiously. Until he wanted to marry, he didn’t believe in any religion.
His Muslim wife engaged him and told him to choose one religion; that was how he became a Muslim and has since become more fervent than his wife. He is definitely not a religious fanatic; all he wants is a change from nonchalance to progressive attitude.
BUSINESS DAY