Governor, state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday said the state now ranks third behind Lagos and Rivers in the implementation of the scheme in the country.

Aregbesola who stated this in Osogbo at the presentation of bond certificates to 159 retirees from local government and teaching service said the initial fear about the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state was not necessary.

 Speaking through his Head of Service, Mr. Yinka Owoeye, Aregbesola said efforts are on to facilitate release of bond certificates to more pensioners in the state.

He said that a sum of N1.2 billion would be released in form of bond certificates to 159 beneficiaries comprising of 56 local government retirees and 100 teachers.

He advised the beneficiaries to invest the money wisely and take the issue of their health seriously while urging them never to lose hope in the country.

Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Local Government Staff Pension Bureau, Alhaji Aliu Kayode Afolabi, told pensioners that are yet to be given their bond certificates to be patient, assuring them that the Bureau is working with other relevant stakeholders to facilitate the release of more bond certificates to them.

He lauded Governor Aregbesola for paying adequate attention to the welfare of retirees, even when government earnings have dropped significantly.

Food is as important and central to human existence as air. For sustenance, therefore, human beings the world over need food as of necessity. Whether they will get food to eat is a horse of another colour.
Today, across the world, an alarming 4 to 5 billion people suffering from hunger, significant percentage of this figure is from Africa. And Nigeria is no exception to the threat of famine and food insecurity.
 

 
This is why the most powerful nations today are nations that can feed themselves however densely or sparsely populated they may be. As the world stands at the moment, the agenda for the next decade is undoubtedly food security.
A nation lacking in its capacity to feed its people is indeed a potential disaster waiting to explode in the face of the world.
And with the current recession ravaging the country after petrodollar dipped last year, not a few analysts believe that the way out of the crisis is agriculture.
Thus, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, believes that now is the time to turn to massive agricultural practices or else millions of Nigerians would be at risk.
Against this backdrop, Aregbesola took this to those who know better when it comes to agriculture. Between January 17 and 29, 2017, he led a high-level delegation that included the speaker, Osun assembly, Najeem  Salaam, secretary to the state government, Moshood Adeoti, director general office of economic development and partnerships, Charles Diji Akinola, and the director livestock services, Ajibike  Fagbemi, to  Saxony-Anhalt in Germany.
This was in furtherance of the established cooperation in the area of agricultural development and in support of the Osun Rural Enterprise and Agriculture Programme (O-REAP).
The opportunities expected to be reaped from the trip includes engagement of relevant investors and partners with interests in agricultural investment and partnership opportunities in Osun and review and expand on the scope of existing development cooperation between the governments  of Osun and Saxony-Anhalt.
Besides, the trip was also to espouse the scope and design the next phase of collaborative partnerships between Osun and  Saxony-Anhalt.
This trip allowed the delegation to discuss agricultural potentials, investments and partnership opportunities in Osun with the German farmers.
This was to build on the previous partnership established which had trained 40 young farmers from Osun over a period of four years, starting in 2012 when they were exposed to knowledge, skills and technologies in practical modern agriculture.
The Osun delegation also met with the umbrella farmers association of Saxony-Anhalt. At the meeting, a number of farmers in Germany expressed their interest in the proposed farmer-technology transfer programme that is being planned in collaboration with Saxony-Anhalt state government.
One of the key highlights of the visit is the planned cooperation between both governments in setting up of ‘Best Practices Demonstration, Training and Production Farm’ in Osun.
The farm is to target the youth and other farmers and will provide the platform for the acquisition of knowledge, skills and techniques in modern agriculture with a focus on land development and management, new technologies in crops, livestock, fisheries, post-harvest handling, processing and packaging.
In view of the above, the government of Osun has established a Land Bank in the state where those who have fallow land can entrust it with the government.
Government will reach an agreement with these land owners on the terms and duration of usage and when the parcel of land will revert back to the owner.
With this innovative way of land bank system, land would be available for farming in commercial quantity. In addition, there won’t be shortage of land once government has the knowledge of the quantity of land available in its land bank.
This is one of the strategies by the Aregbesola administration to make farming in the state ease for whoever wants to practise agriculture.
Expectedly as well, the establishment of the BPDTPF in Osun will build on these initial efforts and create an even more cost-effective and sustainable model of cooperation that will allow us to leverage broader scale impact.
Osun stands the opportunity to extend benefits to many hundreds of equally motivated and needy young farmers who would not have the opportunity of being attached to host farmers or institutions in Germany.
Accordingly, it is expected that the BPDTPF will equally serve as a veritable platform to anchor a well-designed farmer exchange programme that will provide the opportunity for German agricultural experts and farmers to provide technological transfer and capacity building to farmers in Osun.
The latest collaborative efforts of government will involve building on the initial outcomes of the cooperation with Saxony-Anhalt under which 40 budding young farmers from Osun had been hosted in Germany for advanced practical training in different aspects of agriculture over the past four years.
This training no doubt resulted in greater opportunities for the young farmers in Osun as they launched promising careers in modern and productive agriculture practices such as piggery, fishery and animal feed production.
They are also involved in different aspects of agriculture including cattle and small ruminants production, horticulture and greenhouse farming in different parts of the state.
Other highlights of the trip include planning meetings with the top officials of the ministry of agriculture of Saxony-Anhalt and members of the Saxony-Anhalt parliament.
This meeting was hinged on consolidating as well as expanding on the current cooperation between Osun and  Saxony-Anhalt.
Considering the successes recorded from the cooperation in the last four years in the area of agriculture, it’s scope is now being expanded to the area of healthcare delivery.
The healthcare delivery has also taken root with the visit recently of a  team of seasoned German oncologists from the Institute for Operative Medicine of the Otto-yon, Magdeburg, Germany.
They were in the state for three days to train some health workers on detection, control, treatment and management of various classes of cancer in the state.
To make the state self-sufficient in food production, over 17, 000 farmers in the state had benefitted from the QUIIP I and II loan programmes.
Under the Osun State Agricultural Development Corporation (OSSADEC) in 2010, the government had also given out N250 million loan to farmers and N500 million in 2012.
For Rural Accessibility Mobility Programme (RAMP), the state constructed 662km rural roads for easy access to farm settlements while out of 300km World Bank. This is to make mobility easy between rural and urban movement as well facilitate smooth and fluid movement of farm produce from the farms to the final markets.
These various initiatives, collaboration and cooperation were embarked upon so that agriculture in the state can be developed to modern, international standards.
And for the governor, the tomorrow of millions of children must not be jeopardised at the risk of famine and nutrition which stares Nigerians in the face.
The only guarantee we have as a state in particular and the nation in general out of the current economic crisis, according to Aregbesola, is to all go to farm.
As the Yoruba saying goes, when food is available, the pang of poverty is less felt. Massive production of food items locally is the answer to the nation’s economic downturn.
That is what Aregbesola is promoting in Osun.
*Owolabi writes from Osogbo through kunleowolabi17@gmail.com

The Government of the State of Osun is set to rehabilitate all the fire service stations in the state.
 

 
This statement was made today by the coordinating Director,  Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, Mrs Femi Webster-Esho while on an inspection tour of fire stations in Osogbo, Ejigbo and Ede.
Mrs Webster-Esho assured the fire men at the fire stations visited by her team of the readiness of the state Government to rehabilitate the stations with the available resources in her purse for optimum performance. She enjoined the firemen to bear with the government on the state of the fire stations at present while commending them on their selfless service to the state in spite of the challenges being faced.
The coordinating Director advised the firemen and women to maintain a clean environment at all times especially in their various fire stations.
The visit took Mrs Webster-Esho to the fire stations in Atelewo junction and Oke-fia both in Osogbo as well as the fire stations in Ejigbo and Ede.

In recent times, there has been a deliberate attempt to heat up the policy in the state of Osun at every opportunity.
It was therefore not surprising that pensioners in the state decided to speak with on voice and show solidarity to the government of the day.
These pensioners came out en mass to stand solidly behind the governor and his government after an attempt to drag them into the policy of the state.
See photos below

 

 

 

 
 

The Lagos State Government on Monday said its training of students and youths on fundamentals of calisthenics was being done in partnership with the Osun State Government.
 

 
The Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, who spoke on the partnership while receiving a six-man delegation from Osun in her office at Alausa, said that the training in calisthenics would help in developing the students mentally, physically and socially.
Calisthenics consists of a variety of movements often performed rhythmical and usually conducted in concerts with stretches to depict specific symbols.
The calisthenics training is in preparation of the `Lagos @ 50’ celebrations coming up in May.

Adebule said that the calisthenics display of students at the 25th anniversary of the creation of the State of Osun in Aug. 2016 spurred Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode into the partnership.
“Gov. Ambode was impressed by the breathtaking calisthenics performances at the Osogbo City Stadium and has decided to replicate same in Lagos State.
“We are partnering with Osun State to share ideas and learn from them to ensure a historic performance at the Lagos @50 celebration and beyond.
“One of the components of calisthenics is to give meaning to the total package of educational training for young minds.
“We are starting this training with our students and we will extend it to the youth in the state,” Adebule said.
Adebayo Ojo, Director, Department for Social and Grassroots Mobilisation and Guidance, Office of the Governor, Osun, who led the visiting team, said the school calisthenics programme had been a success in Osun State.
He said that the calisthenics programme was conceived to enhance the emergence of a new generation of students who were physically fit, mentally sound and socially responsible individuals that would be well-adjusted to societal needs.
“The State of Osun is the first in the country to revive this sterling and rewarding initiative in about more than three decades.
“We shall do our best to ensure that we bring out the best in the students who will be trained to produce Eko-Calisthenics that will be of global standard, ” he said.

State of Osun House of Assembly has commended Chairman, Special Committee on Fire Safety Matters, Hon. Oguntola Mudashiru Toogun for the zeal and commitment he puts into place while discharging his duty as both the chairman of Fire Safety Matters as well as Peaceful Coexistence between Fulani/ Bororo and Crop Farmers in the State.
 

 
The Chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon. Kamil Oyedele gave the commendation while the Committee on Fire Safety Matters gave the report of their activities to the house.
Hon. Oyedele, Hon. Ajibola, Hon. Oyedele and Hon. Adeyemi expressed their satisfaction with the awareness on Fire Safety consciousness and low level of loss in the State through fire outbreak. They explained that they don’t expect anything less from him since he is a goal getter.
They therefore promised to look into the challenges of the Fire Service with a view to holistically look into it for more better results.
Also speaking, Permanent Secretaries, Ministries of Finance, Budget and Economic Planning, and Public Service Office, Mrs Adebimpe Ogunlumade, Messrs Segun Olorunsogo and Leye Aina respectively urged the house to look into their challenges especially their allowances and Fire fighting equipments for improved results.
Earlier, the Chairman, Special Committee on Fire Safety Matters, Hon. Oguntola Mudashiru Toogun thanked the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the opportunity given to him to Chair the Committee and the State House of Assembly for the cooperation with the Committee.
Hon. Toogun however, urged the house to urgently look into the need of Fire Service for optimum results.
Present were Coordinating Director, Ministry of Information, Home Affairs, Tourism and Culture, Mrs Femi Webster – Esho and other members of the Committee on Fire Safety Matters.

The Executive governor of the state of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is a man determined to push through the agenda of his government.
This desire to leave a mark on the sands of time has been the driving force that has seen this hard worker take on tasks and projects that others have thought impossible to achieve.
Driven only by an unquenchable passion to make the lives of the ordinary people better, this man barely takes a break on the job.
We looked at what a typical day around him looks like.
See photos below

Early riser: Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is up bright and early with a smile as always to face the business of governing the state

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola still wears what is now a trademark smile even after hours on the job. Oyo state governor, Sen Abiola Ajimobi is seen in his company

Burning the night candle: Rauf Aregbesola attends personally to emails and social media. Talk about being tech savvy.

After a long but what has been routine of a day, Mr Governor retires to catch some shut eyes and reset for a new day.
 

The Government of Osun on Sunday warned against setting up of illegal healing and rehabilitation homes in any part of the state.
Government’s statement came on the heels of the discovery of an illegal rehabilitation home along the Iwo-Osogbo Road, on Thursday.
 

 
The statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said with government’s investment in a care centre for people with mental challenge, no one has reason to patronize unqualified homes for mental illness.
The statement said, “The attention of the Government of Osun has been drawn to the existence of an uncertified rehabilitation home where about two dozens of mentally challenged persons have been discovered.
“The discovery was made off the Iwo-Osogbo Road on Thursday, February 23rd, 2017.
“Preliminary investigations have indicated that the person who claims to be in charge of this rehabilitation home; the entire environments of the location and other relevant factors have shown that this is unacceptable.”
The statement explained that the Government has moved fast to evacuate the emaciated mentally challenged persons who were found to be in different deplorable states of health to its facilities at the state hospital and rehabilitation home while the State Police Command continues with its full investigations.
The statement added, “This is therefore to state categorically that the Government of Osun will not permit the setting up and running of rehabilitation homes in any part of the state.
As a government with a high sense of responsibility to its people, the State, through its Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and Special Needs, has put in place a rehabilitation home that meets international standards. Anything short of this standards would therefore not be permitted.”
The Government called on all citizens to take advantage of the existing government facilities for rehabilitation of mentally challenged persons which it said is at very little or no cost to them.

At least, 3,000 tailors and 5,000 market women have benefitted from the State of Osun uniform unification policy since it was introduced in 2012.
 

 
This was revealed by the manager of Omoluabi Garments Factory, Osogbo, Mr. Ayobami Fatai. He stated this whilst speaking with journalists over the weekend that Omoluabi Garment Factory is saddled with the local production of Osun School Uniforms while the State of Osun works with the factory to ensure the prices are controlled and affordable.
It was gathered that the factory also act as a hub to train tailors in the state for free. The manager says thousands of residents in the state have passed through the system, learning how to sow, while also earning at the same time.
He further revealed that the factory also partners with the local association of textiles sellers (Egbe Alaso) to supply the uniforms to the market. So far, the factory has partnered with 5,000 of them. With a down payment of 10% of total value of Uniforms to be collected, the textile sellers get the uniforms in bulk and payment is spread throughout the course of selling.
 

 
As at February 2017, at least, the sum of N120mn has been made as profits by the textile sellers through the sale of subsidized school uniforms alone.
The programme which is in its 5^th year, has so far being subsidized to the tune of N800m, in addition to the initial N900m seed investment by the government into the business to guarantee the production and sale of 750,000 pieces of uniforms which the government distributed to students across the state for free at the inception of the programme.
Omoluabi Garment Factory, reportedly one of the biggest garment factory in West Africa, is a thriving Private Public Business Partnership between the government of the state of Osun and Sam & Sara Garments Limited. The company now produces Uniforms for the Nigerian Military, Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB), Lagos Internal Revenue Service (LIRS), among several others.
Speaking on the unification policy, former Commissioner for Commerce, Co-Op & Empowerment in the state, Mr. Jayeoba Alagbada, said the unification of school uniforms is part of an effort by the State of Osun to create a unique identity for students, promote culture and stimulate the local economy. He stated that the innovation ensures uniformity and engenders a unified sense of belonging among all government owned public primary and secondary school pupils in the state.