The State of Osun Broiler Outgrowers Production Scheme, OBOPS, has produced at least 5 million birds in the last three years, the scheme managers have said.
 
Revealing this over the weekend, Mr. Kolawole Ogini who is the facilitator of the second phase of the scheme stated that OBOPS has placed Osun among states with relatively high production in poultry business in Nigeria.
 
He disclosed that Amo Byng Poultry Farm have been saddled with the responsibility of stocking day-old-chicks and appropriate feeds to raise the birds to maturity through a bank loan, after which the anchor farm buys back from the participants.
 
Mr Ogini stated that the second phase of the scheme is a Public-Private Partnership scheme designed to facilitate poultry farming within the State of Osun.
 
While reviewing the selection process, Ogini said the scheme is open to poultry farmers in the state with 2,000 capacity pens and bio-security facilities in place which includes perimeter netting and well closed entrance.
 
Ogini who lauded the state government for its successes recorded in several agricultural intervention programmes, said the first phase of the scheme recorded a huge success as about 768 farmers were engaged, cash profit paid to farmers stood at N785millions as well as making over 120 broilers farmers who keyed into the initiative millionaires.
 
Aside this, the OBOPS programme has also helped the state government’s course on the elementary school feeding programme, O’Meals of the present administration leading to the gainful employment of about 1,000 farmers and over 3,000 food vendors under the elementary school feeding programme.
 
“The OBOPS II pilot scheme which initially engaged 15 poultry farmers has now grown into 100 farmers across the 30 local governments and 32 local council development areas with 2,000 day old chicks given to each farmer.”
 
Ogini further revealed that efforts are on to increase the 3.7 tonnes of feed given to farmers presently as well as the development of more suitable approach to reach the hinterland by engaging more people from the grassroots and turn OBOPS II into a legacy programme which subsequent governments will emulate.
 
According to him, the programme is a continuum to ensure that development drive of government is met and achieved.
 
“The first phase was successfully facilitated with capital outlay of about N500 Million from the State Government. Up to 1,500 poultry farmers participated and up to 5 million chicken birds were successfully produced within 3 years.
 
“Constraint faced by paucity of funds lead to the state’s desire to facilitate same program with Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Loan facility. Up to 30,000 farmers participation evenly spread across the State is anticipated.
 
Recall that the first phase which made over 120 millionaires was sponsored by the Osun state government and anchored by TUNS farm.
 
Mr. Ogini further revealed that for interested participants, “2,000 birds capacity pen is required for each farmer. They will be provided with all necessary facilities like drinkers, feeders, and hygienic source of water etc.
 
“In broiler’s production today Osun is rated second to Oyo state in the country with plans to engage over 30,000 poultry farmers and have the scheme spread to every home in no distant future.
 
“The selection is open to all poultry farmers in the state and only requires farmers to provide a 2,000 capacity pens with basic facilities to avoid high mortality rates. The government liaises with loaning banks to fund supplies such as day-old-chicks, vaccines, feeds, technical assistance and above all buy backs the final output.” Mr. Ogini stated.

In order to ensure a successful and hitch free hajj this year, the Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board in the State of Osun will commence the vaccination of pilgrims on Friday,21st of July and end on Saturday, 22nd of July, 2017.
The Secretary of the Board, Alhaji Sikiru Adetona Alao stated this in his office today during a press interview.
He advised all intending to come to the officer of the Board early in the morning on that day to get vaccinated.
Alhaji Alao also added that collection of clearance ,distribution of bags and cloths to intending pilgrims is still on- going.
Furthermore, he enjoined the intending pilgrims to be virtuous and display the ethos of ormolu abs in Saudi Arabia which the state has been known for.
He therefore thanked the Governor of the State , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesolafor his support to the Board all the time.

I received with shock and deep sorrow the departure of Chief Sir Festus Oluwagbenga Abiola on Sunday, July 16. He was 73 years old.
Sir Abiola was a community leader, an industrialist, successful businessman, patriot, a widely travelled socialite and a devout Christian.
Until his death, he was the Chairman of Unique Radiovision, a private broadcast outfit located in Ilesa, State of Osun. He was a rallying-point in the politics of Ijesaland and State of Osun in general.
Sir Abiola was a Pillar of Support for The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ijesaland and our state. He was a firm believer in the development agenda and ideology notable with the progressives, in which cause he invested a greater part of his adult life for their realisation in the South-West and the entire nation.
A Christian and of the Catholic denomination, Chief Abiola demonstrated his undying love for God through untiring pious religious devotion. He was to many a shade of rest and pillar of support; providing succour and relief to the needy, the downtrodden and the vulnerable in the society. His efforts in the area of communal service never abated till he breathed his last.
He was my confidant, mentor, ally and supporter who gave his all to the cause of my administration. He was devoted to our cause from my emergence on the platform of Oranmiyan, to the campaigns, the election proper, the years of struggle for my mandate, my first term in office, my re-election, my ups and downs, the struggles, the challenges and triumphs.
His death is a personal and irreparable loss. He will be greatly missed. May God grant his soul eternal repose and unending comfort in his next estate. Amen.
On behalf of my family, the government and good people of Osun, I pray that God will grant his family, the people of Ijesaland, particularly our Kabiyesi, Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland and Owa-in-Council, the fortitude to bear this irredeemable loss.
 
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola
Governor, State of Osun

The Government of Osun wishes to announce that it has received the second tranche of the Paris Club refunds.
The refunds, totaling N6.314bn, was paid into the state coffers on Monday July 17, 2017.
In line with our government’s promise to utilize the resources of this state in the best interest of our people, we hereby restate our commitment to this promise as we begin shortly transparent deployment on our commitments to the concerned stakeholders.
Signed:
Semiu Okanlawon
Director, Bureau of Communication & Strategy
Office of the Governor, Osogbo

Legion Corp Commander Oladimeji Olalere has emerged as the new Chairman of the Nigerian Legion in the State of Osun.
The new Chairman was returned unopposed during the weekend, having been validly nominated as the only candidate for the post and securing all the votes from all the Twenty-two registered electors drawn from the Local Government areas.
In the same vein, Legion Joshua Adekanmi was unanimously returned unopposed as the Vice-Chairman of the State Legion.
However, the post of treasurer which was keenly contested by three Legioneers threw up Adedokun Lasisi as the winner with eleven votes, having defeated Legioneers Fajinmi Akinloye and Kayode Olalekan who polled seven and four votes respectively.
In his acceptance Speech, after being presented with Certificate of Election by the representative of the Minister of Defence who was the Returning Officer for the election, Mr. O. S. Ajaga, the new Chairman, Oladimeji Olalere promised that, with the cooperation of all the Legioneers, he would do all within his capacity to move the union
forward.
While appreciating the State Government of Osun for the support given to enhance his performance during his eight year tenure, the outgone Chairman of the Legion, Alimi Samotu advised his successor to ‘take proper care of our widows’.
It would be recalled that the immediate past Chairman of the State Legion, Asst. Corp Commander-General, Alimi Samotu had held sway over the affairs of the Legion for the two consecutive terms.

The State of Osun Internal Revenue Service (OIRS) has sealed off keystone Bank,Bank of Agric and Industrial and General Insurance Company, all situated in Osogbo,the state capital for not effecting the payment of outstanding unremitted withholding tax payable to the State of Osun Government in pursuant to the Back-Duty-Investigation Exercise duly conducted for years 2012 to 2014.
This was made known by the Special Adviser to Mr. Governor on Tax and Revenue Matters, Mr. Jimoh Akano today after the exercise.
He said the action aims at giving a bite to the company’s non-compliance to ensure remittance of all the outstanding money due to the State.
In his own statement, the Acting Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Osun Internal Revenue Service, Mr. Bicci Alli said that the step taken to seal off the companies is in line with the provision of Section 104 of the personal Income Tax Act 2004 LFN (as amended in 2011) and will not be reopened for business until full compliance is attained.
Mr. Bicci Alli further explained that several meetings had been held with their representatives in the last three years in order to resolve the outstanding tax which proved abortive.
He stressed further that Osun Internal Revenue Service has intensified its efforts on advocacy, publicity and enlightenment programmes on the statutory obligations of the citizenry for voluntary compliance by paying their taxes promptly as prescribed in the Nigeria constitution and the applicable tax legislations.
In spite of its efforts, some corporate organizations and individuals still engage in several violations. As a result of this, government is set to begin enforcement of tax payment, prosecution of all tax defaulters in the State to ensure that the defaulters are made to face the full scale of the law.
He however explained that Personal Income Tax Act mandates all taxable institutions to file its annual tax return for the preceding year at the expiration of 90 days from the commencement of every year of assessment, a taxable person or corporate organization who fails to file its returns with State Internal Revenue Service by the stipulated date is in breach of the provisions of the law.

The use of mother tongue to teach in schools  has been identified as one of the ways of enhancing learning among students if properly used.

Commissioner for Education, Mr Kola Omotunde-Young stated this while playing host to the leadership of Egbe Akomolede ati Asa Yoruba, Osun Chapter ,who paid him a courtesy visit in his office.

He said the use of mother tongue in teaching will go a long way in improving the academic performance of students as they will have deeper understanding of the subject matter.

According to Mr Young, the use of the mother tongue to teach  will help students to have a better understand, translate, internalise and implement the purpose of the subject matter.

While commending the group for their timely visit, the commissioner said the state government is already having plans to use teaching in mother tongue to compliment the huge investment of government in the education sector as means of boosting  students’ academic performance.

Also speaking, the Special  Adviser to the Governor on Higher Education, Bursary and scholarship, Professor Mrs Grace Oluyemisi Akinola advocated for a forum where parents and guardians  will be made to know  how to follow up on their children’s academic performance.

Earlier in his address, the Chairman ,Egbe Akomolede ati Asa Yoruba ,Osun  chapter, Mr Adeleye Hassan on behalf of the group congratulated the commissioner for his appointment saying that they believe in his ability to continue to move education sector forward.