State House of Assembly of Osun has extended tenure of caretaker committees across the 30 Local government council areas, including Area council on the request of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Reading the letter addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Najeem Salaam by the state helmsman, where the need for the caretaker executive secretaries to proceed with a view to superintending payment of workers’ salaries before the eid l Kabir Muslim festival was canvassed for, the parliament’s primal inter pares observed that the extension, according to the governor would be halted immediately after the creation of the new local governments.
Speaker Salaam then asserted that the consideration to make the Muslim festival joyous for the local government workers who should get their salaries before the eid l Kabir was a genuine reason to accede to the request of the governor.
According to him: “Changing of signatures and bank processes could constitute a justifiable long process that could delay the workers’ pay, but with the extension of the local government interim management committees, the payment could be effected on time. And we shall still stand on the last screening exercise.
However, the governor has expressed his optimism to create more local governments before this year runs out, and immediately after the creation of new councils, the interim committees would cease to function.”
The Speaker then charged the executive secretaries not to embark on projects that would be abandoned, insisting that the parliament through its oversight functions would be watching the councils with eagle eye.
Signed:
Goke Butika Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker
OSUN DEFENDER

The Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has assured the people of the state that his administration would provide quality and qualitative education that would make them self-reliant upon graduation. The governor gave the assurance while inaugurating Salvation Army Middle School, Osogbo, recently. He said the journey to provide quality education started with the education summit he convened when he assumed office newly as the governor of the state.

“The summit with eminent Nigerians like the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka in attendance came up with a reform blueprint to overhaul the public education in the state and the government has since been working assiduously to implement the reform plan. The inauguration of this school is a good evidence that all is going according to plan with our reform. As part of the reform, we decided to re-organise the school system into Elementary, Middle and High school categories.
“The elementary level will comprise pupils from ages 6 to 9 years, which corresponds to primary 1 to 4 pupils under the existing system. The middle level from primary 4 to JSS 3 of ages 10 to 14, now classified as Grades 5-9, and the high school level age range will be between 15 and 17 years, corresponding to Senior Secondary School III, to be known as Grades 10-12.
“The elementary and middle school level’s buildings will each accommodate 900 pupils, while the high school building will have capacity for 3,000 students. There will be 100 of such buildings at the elementary, 50 at the middle, and 20 at the high school levels, making a total of 170 and the high schools are a mega structure of minicity size each having three schools in one with facilities for all subjects in the Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, including state of the art laboratories, recreation centres and a food court.” “The overall aim of the reforms we are carrying out is to develop the new man intellectually, socially and morally. This new man is placed in the centre of society who views his own development as part of and for the development of society, he said.
Aregbesola appealed to parents to support the government in its efforts by preparing their wards for the new system and especially kit them with the new uniform, saying the gains are already coming up as the state is witnessing progressive improvement in the academic performances of the students.
NATIONAL MIRROR

Mrs Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, the Deputy Governor of the State of Osun on Tuesday called for continuous support for old people in efforts to improve their mental health and promote their healthy living.
Laoye-Tomori made the call in Osogbo at a public lecture on “Mental Health for Older Adults’’, organised as part of the events lined up to mark the World Mental Day.
“The all-inclusive action plan of Gov. Rauf Aregbesola has indeed, addressed the mental health of older adults.
“Over 50 mentally challenged individuals have received treatment in the state; their health has been restored via the scheme introduced by the state government.
“We spent N17 million on the scheme introduced for older adults who are working.
“The Agba Osun Scheme and the Financial Social Welfare Scheme were both introduced to support and cater for older adults,’’ she said.
Laoye-Tomori, however, advised elderly people to obtain forms for health care services in the state government hospitals. (NAN)
 

Media practitioners in Nigeria have been charged to imbibe the practice that promotes peace and unity of the country in the discharge of their duty.
They were also urged to shun sensationalism, personal interest and reports that are capable of causing conflict or escalate it.
Speakers, which include the State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, Director General, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Owah, Representative of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Mr. Mathew Alao, Vice President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Zone G, Mr. Bamidele Atunbi and the Zonal Director South- West, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Ojone Ofonoku gave the charge at a workshop/capacity building on Conflict Sensitive Reporting and Good Governance in Nigeria.
At the workshop held at Royal Park International Hotel, Iloko- Ijesha, Osun State, organised by the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution in collaboration with the United Nation Development Programme, the speakers asserted that there is the need for journalists to be mindful of the interest of the country and be conflict sensitive in their reportage.
Noting that this is the only way by which peace and unity can be promoted in the country, they unanimously tasked the media practitioners to engage in reports that can promote peace and shun that which is capable of promoting conflict and discord.
The speakers who further spoke on good governance, tasked Nigerian journalists to do more of good governance advocacy in their reportage, stressing that this will assist in sensitizing government at all level to be alive to their responsibilities.
The State of Osun commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Akere who declared the workshop open, charged journalists to always promote issues that will unite the country and not that which will divide it and that they should be mindful of languages as what they write will make or mar the country.
Akere, who further charged that media practitioners should work in the interest of the nation and not that of a particular person or region, also tasked them not to assist the prophets of doom in the accomplishment of their predictions, saying such will not do the nation any good.
His words, “The media should look at things that unite the country and not that which divides it, we should sing the song of peace and not crisis. We should mind our language, what we write… as this may make or mar our corporate existence.
Please work in the interest of the nation and not that of a particular person, do not assist the prophets of doom in making their predictions come to pass”.
The IPCR boss, Dr. Owah in his opening address noted that the media in Nigeria has the capacity to create and resolve conflict, adding that it seems it has created more conflict than resolving it.
Stating that this informed the resolve of both UNDP and IPCR to organise the capacity building workshop, the UNDP boss said this will ensure a change in the way the media in the country works and promote conflict sensitive reporting.
“It is important as media practitioners to understand between publicity and cheap popularity, most times when you do not bother to look for the fact of a story, therefore you create more damage than resolving it”, Dr. Owah remarked.
In his own contribution, the UNDP representative, Mr. Alao emphasised that journalists are likely to promote conflict itself rather than minimizing it if they are not conflict sensitive in their reportage, adding that it forms the reason UNDP is committed to the training of journalists on how to do their work in order to promote peace in the country.
Alao disclosed that the UNDP will soon organised a peace summit where stakeholders will brainstorm on how to ensure that conflict is minimized in the country, adding that the agency is doing everything possible to ensure all stakeholders join in the peace process.
The NUJ Vice President Zone G, Mr. Atunbi remarked that conflict occurred on daily basis either domestically or nationally, but noted that its management has always been the major challenge.
He stated that the position of the NUJ on conflict resolution has always been fairness on the part of all and sundry, while asking if government at all level have been fair .
Talking about good governance, he said, “we must talk about development, we must take a critical look at how the wealth and resources of the country are being distributed and its fairness to the people”.
As a media practitioner, the NUJ chieftain maintained that journalists must be objective in their reportage, saying the absence of this will create conflict.
According to him, media practitioners have the social responsibility to protect the interest of the nation and must de-emphasise that which will divide the country in their reportage.
The firebrand unionist and activist who was critical about the country’s 1999 constitution, called for the abrogation of section 22, saying it hinders the workability of chapter 2, noting that it prevents media practitioners to sue their employers while occupying public positions.
Speaking in the same vein, the NBC South-West Zonal Director Mrs. Ofonoku noted that conflict is being magnified through the manner in which headlines are cast, stressing that this further escalate rather than minimize the situation.
While describing the workshop as timely, she applauded the organisers for their efforts at ensuring the promotion and advocacy of good governance in Nigeria and conflict sensitive reporting, saying they all catalyze to peace and better society.
THE NIGERIAN OBSERVER

ORGANISERS of the Town and Gown gig have promised to make the event a lasting experience in the minds of sports men and women, supporters and fun seekers who will attend Obafemi Awolowo University for the NUGA Games.
Several artistes have been penciled to perform at the concert. They include Alhaji Kollington Ayinla, Queen Salawa Abeni, Edris Abdulkarim, Lord of Ajasa, Igi Nla, Kanja, Faycol, King Wadada, and Omoluabi and others.
“Our major preoccupation now is the task of working on the long list of artistes that have shown interest. Aside from that, we are also working assiduously to ensure that no interest is left un-catered for. It is sure that Gbenga Adeyinka the 1st, an honorary NUGA medalist, will lead the anchor team. Hafiz Oyetoro (Saka), OAU NUGA ambassador and other MCs will also grace the show,” the event’s spokesman, Bayo Bankole, aka Boy Alinco, said.
Town & Gown Gigs is the sandwich premium musical show that will serve as a buffer, providing social atmosphere around the 2013 NUGA Games. The event will hold at the open arena of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, State of Osun. It will parade state-of-the-art technical equipment such as hydraulic twin-mobile stage, array of creative lighting, pyro effects with ground supports to hoist colours, including LED screens to flank the stage to cushion the serenity and rhythmic echoes from 120,000 watts of sound.
Bankole said, “and to cap it all, a range of food and assorted drinks created by corporate sponsors will wet the appetite of fun seekers. This is an opportunity for brands to cash-in on this memorable event.”
THE GUARDIAN

The State of Osun recorded 20 per cent oversubscription on its Sukuk bond, despite the recent “bearishness” of the money market, driven by high interbank rates and liquidity challenges.
The money and capital market trends were sequel to the policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), due to the increase in cash reserve requirements on government deposits targeted at achieving foreign exchange stability.
The associated liquidity challenge was worsened by the need for the bidders to mop up funds and pay for the power assets acquired under the privatization exercise.
According to the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Wale Bolorunduro “raising fund under this condition is like drinking water from fire-hose, the changes in the market are too rapid, but Osun can do it.”
The Osun sukuk bond was approved by the Securities Exchange Commission in line with the approval, the state has commenced the process of book-building and request for investors to submit their subscriptions on the N10 billion bond.
The state will however access only N11.4 billion, which has been ring-fenced to build the “state of art” schools.
The new elementary schools have capacity for 900 students per school, the middle schools for 1,000 students per school; while the high schools have capacity for 3,000 students per school. The high school is a mini-campus with three schools in one mini-campus.
“With these schools, the state is ramping up its educational renaissance programmes to return the state to the fore-front of academic excellence. The brand-new schools will create stimulating environments conducive for learning and complement other school programmes such as feeding programme for elementary schools, Opon Imo (Tablet computers) for high schools, free uniforms for all students and its reclassification programme to optimize and re-align its resources.
The oversubscription of the sukuk bond is a positive confirmation of the trust and confidence, the market placed on Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who has brought prudence, purpose and performance to government”, Bolorunduro said.
THE GUARDIAN

The Government of the State of Osun has scored another feat in its march towards redeeming the image of education as the state has placed 2nd position in the Junior Secondary School category of a mathematics competition organised as part of year 2013 Annual Conference of the Mathematical Association of Nigeria.
According to a press statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran, the competition which was competed among all secondary schools in Nigeria took place in Asaba from the 1st – 6th September, 2013.
The Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in the midst of change and mergers has continuously enjoined all stakeholders in the education industry to co-operate fully with the government in its march towards the total repositioning of education in the state. He has reiterated that the school re-classification exercise and reform currently going on in the state is aimed at putting education on solid pedestal and secure the future of the children.
“In this kind of scheme, it is not unexpected that there would be apprehensions knowing well that change is the most difficult thing for people to adjust to. The people know and long for good educational standards and would wish it for their children. However, the hard reality is that these positive changes must involve some alterations in our current depressing system to bring about the new generation of well-educated, trained citizens that will take our state to higher heights. It is in the light of these that we are resolute in going ahead with the best policy for the future of our children,”
The Governor confirmed that the re-classification exercise aims at offering education that will produce sound and all-round minds in the present generation of children in the state. He reminded the people of the state that the education summit organized in 2011 shortly after his administration came into being had inputs from all stakeholders, who, he said all agreed that drastic measures must be taken to stem the tide of the rot that had made less than 3 percent of the state’s pupils matriculable.
“This is the Omoluabi essence. Everything we have done in the school reform is for the building of this man.”
We have seen the results and this is another opportunity to put our faith in the good will of the Government of the State and allow the results speak again, Success all the way!
Osun a tun bo maa dara!

Professor Olasupo Ladipo, a former dean of agriculture, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile Ife, in the State of Osun is also a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Gombe State. In a recent interview with some journalists, he speaks on the state of the nation, merger of schools in Osun State, among other issues.
When asked as an educationist and a technocrat who has seen everything, how he will describe the ongoing merger of schools by the present administration in Osun State, he had this to say:
“When we talk of merger, what exactly are we merging? In making education functional, you need a lot of tools and equipment which may be very expensive. But if you can have a centre, where all the teaching equipment are assembled and you bring the children to learn at that place, if you call that merging, it is. When I was in secondary school, there were only 17 secondary schools in the entire South-West and many of them were actually founded in 1950’s.
Proliferation really does not help anybody. I mean we can have, if we are that rich, secondary schools in every compound. But is it economically efficient? Can we even afford to have it scattered all over the place?
The educational system went bad because we had too many schools and were unable to equip them adequately. Education is expensive and requires equipment. Modern education requires expenses on all the modern amenities. If we do not merge, we will not be able to afford to give sound education to our children, who are the future of this nation.”
Please click here to read the full interview.