The British High Commission, Abuja, Nigeria, has embarked on an assessment tour of some amenities across the State of Osun to seek investment partnership with British companies in the state.
Deputy head of the political section of the commission, Andrew Fleming, disclosed this at the weekend during a two-day visit to Osun State on the progress made by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration in the last one year since his re-election.
Fleming said what he saw on hand testified to the fact that the governor was delivering on his promises to the people of the state.
The British envoy, who said he is touring states in the country to scout for investment potentials for British companies, identified Osun as one of the country’s leading agriculture-based states capable of meeting the needs of British companies, which now focus on agriculture-oriented businesses.
“Osun State is strategic in agriculture and business. It is pertinent for us to come visit a year after the election so as to see the progress being made.
“We have seen progress in virtually all sectors, which shows that the governor is delivering on his political promises.
“Some of the British companies are interested in agriculture-based businesses now. So we want to know what the state is doing in terms of infrastructure and business opportunities available in the state,” Fleming said.
Responding on behalf of the government, the Secretary to the State Government, Moshood Adeoti, commended the British government for its intervention in the country’s general election, which guaranteed its free and fair conduct.
Adeoti said the state was a haven for investors because of the available infrastructure, peace and security, which the Aregbesola administration takes with great interests.
He stated that a peaceful environment also attracts investments, as the state was one of the most peaceful in the country.
He said: “Osun has been developed to attract investments. We have the least rate of unemployment and high turnover of skilled labour.
“Our government, since Ogbeni Aregbesola came to power five years ago, has been equipping the security agencies for effective policing of the state.
“The result is peace, law and order that are reigning in the state. And this is very pivotal to any investor. Besides, Osun is the centre of power distribution, which means there is regular supply of power.”
DAILY INDEPENDENT

Governor of the State of Osun, Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on yesterday in Lagos said he had signed two contracts for an aircraft maintenance hanger with private sector operators in the state, as part of efforts to further diversify its economy and save the nation huge amounts in foreign exchange spent annually by operators in the aviation sector. 

Amount spent on aircraft maintenance abroad for the country’s 10 domestic airlines is estimated at about N50 billion yearly for ‘Checks A to D,’ with ‘A’ and ‘B’ checks being lighter, while ‘C’ and ‘D’ encompasses complete overhaul.

According to aviation experts, an aircraft goes for ‘C’ Check every 15 to 18 months, at the cost of between $1 million and $2 million, depending on the type.

The ‘D’ Check for the Boeing 737- 300, 737-400 and 737-500, is conducted after 24,000-flight hours, while the Boeing 747-400 requires a ‘D’ Check after 28,000-flight hours, and the Airbus A-330-341 goes for routine check after every six years.

In a chat with senior journalists, Aregbesola said the hanger would be constructed over a period of four years.

“Airport is not for passengers alone. Airport is targeted at economic development: Aircraft maintenance (hanger), cargo and passengers. Other things can follow.”

Continuing, the governor noted: “Some people wonder why Osun must have an airport when there is one (neighbouring) Akure (Ondo State) and Ibadan (Oyo State). We went to people who would invest in aircraft maintenance. I have with me now, two contracts already signed to site an aircraft maintenance hub. When I deliver the aircraft, my aircraft will succeed, whether or not there is passenger traffic.”

Governor Aregbesola also wonders: “But must there be an airport before I can set up an aircraft hanger?” 

He said the firms to build the hangers are asking already if they can carry the cost of constructing the airport along with that of the hanger, noting that the venture would be profitable, given the fact that there are only two of such maintenance hub in sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and Ethiopia. 

Another reason for enthusiasm, the governor added, is the reality that aircraft maintenance must happen at specified times, just as he wonders why people continue to limit the argument for an airport to passenger traffic alone, instead of looking at the broader perspectives.

He also spoke of discussions with a firm in the Middle East for a cargo section of the airport to supply agric produce from Osun and further broaden the state’s revenue base, as part of efforts to ensure it becomes self sufficient.

Aregbesola stressed the need to restructure Nigeria as it is today, because most of the 36 states are not viable and cannot survive without help from the centre, thereby making them mere appendages, and defeating the essence of the nation’s federalism.

As a result of that, he continued, “It would be a miracle for the roads in Osun to be tarred without help from the Federal Government.”

The governor assured that the state remains resolute in its determination to become an agricultural base and has not abandoned the plan to contribute just 10 per cent of the food consumed in Lagos, the nation’s economic and commercial capital.

So far, he said, his administration has invested N3 billion in the sector and that the bulk of the food for feeding students of public schools in the state have been locally sourced, saying the system has not produced enough for the second leg of the dream of selling farm produce to Lagos.

The greatest problem of agriculture in Nigeria, he also noted, is the failure of government to give incentives that would encourage people to go back to the farm, thereby ensuring self-sustenance in agriculture. One way of achieving such, he believes by government put in place a regime of guaranteed minimum purchase price whereby it becomes the buyer of last resort, ensuring that what ever is produced is not allowed to rot or die because there is no ready buyer.

Aregbesola said his administration, being pro-poor in all its projects is also “giving interest-free credits to micro entrepreneurs,” just as it has so far spent N3.6 billion on the state’s youths’ employment drive and N3.5 billion on feeding school children, a situation that has endeared the ordinary people across the state to his government.

DAILY INDPENDENT

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The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf  Aregbesola, received encomia Wednesday night as the Republic of Cuba said his numerous programmes directly lift the conditions of the people.

Specifically, the Governor was commended for what the Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria Mr. Carlos Trejo Sazo, called Aregbesola’s compassion for humanity.

A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon, quoted the Cuban Ambassador as speaking during a dinner organised in honour of the Cuban Ambassador and other embassy officials who were on a three day condolence visit to the state over the demise of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

This was just as the governor commended President Barack Obama of the United States of America over the restoration of diplomatic relations with Cuba after about 50 years of hostility.

Sazo commended Governor Aregbesola on his total commitment and dedication to the people’s welfare irrespective of socio-political, religious and economic affiliations.
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Soza said his visit to several places in the state was a clear manifestation of the information about the ongoing positive changes and good governance the Cuban Government has been receiving from Aregbesola’s administration over the years.
The envoy stressed that with the level of development he has witnessed in the state, the Cuban Government was ready to partner with Osun to foster more unprecedented development in the state.‎
“I actually came to Osun State to pay a tribute to the late Imperial Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, but my visit has given my people and I the opportunity to attest to the level of hospitality naturally endowed with the good people of Osun most especially Governor Aregbesola whose level of compassion to humanity remained immeasurable.
“We have been to several places in Osun in the course of our tour and we have seen physically and technically the level of rapid development of all nooks and crannies which the current government has brought to the state in terms of public infrastructures and social services which had transformed and placed the state to the viable position among its peers in the world.
“With all these developments in Osun State, our government in Cuba would not hesitate to partner with Osun State Government in all areas of socio-political, cultural and economic development by ensuring that the state continuously move forward as being aspired by her citizens.‎
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” I have had comprehensive conversation with Governor Aregbesola on the need to move the state forward and as well build upon excellent relationship that would snowball into the expected all round transformation which is the political ideology of the current administration.
” I am not a stranger in Yorubaland because it is my ancestral home. This is where Cubans belong. We are descendants of Yorubas. Our ancestors lived here. We Cubans need to foster our cordial relationship in terms of human and material development with Yoruba people most especially the people of Osun and Ile-Ife which is the cradle of civilization and humanity.
“I will return to Cuba with all the promises I made to the Government of Osun and ensure that our government partner significantly with the administration of Governor Aregbesola in all areas of human endeavours”. He pledged.‎
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Speaking, Governor Aregbesola noted that the world would be a better place if nations are allowed to do what they know best within the ambit of the constitution.
‎The governor pointed out that his relationship with Cuba dated back fifteen years when he had his first trip to the country, adding that Cuba has demonstrated high capacity for international human compassion based on humanitarian commitment to the development of mankind.

He held that Cuba has shown to the rest of the world the best way to effectively relate to people regardless of needs or desires.

Aregbesola lauded the Cuban Government for always being on the side of the developing countries and other nations without any sense of discrimination.

He added that the significant contributions of the Republic of Cuba towards the independence of many African Countries especially Angola was highly remarkable.
Speaking on the reason why Cuba remained formidable in the world in spite of its limited resources and tiny population, he held that Cuba is the only country that is ready at all times to share its meagre resources with the world.

According to him, “If not for the strong determination of Cuba, it is impossible to even think that Cuba can survive for one day without the support of America.
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“Cuba is not assisting countries of the world because it has excesses, but Cuba is ever ready to quickly come to the aid of any country that is actually constrained in terms of material wealth, and this is the reason for the significant recognition of Cuba’s contribution to human development and welfare among the people of the world,” Aregbesola said.

The Speaker of Osun House of Assembly, Mr Najeem Salaam, has urged the 30 local governments in the state to increase their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
This is contained in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Goke Butika, and made available to newsmen in Osogbo on Thursday.
He said the local governments should not continue to depend on allocations from the Federation Account to finance their operations.
Salaam also advised the Local Government Service Commission and the Ministry of Local Government to, as a matter of urgency,
fashion out ways through which the councils could improve their finances.
Salaam said the Assembly, through its standing Committee on Local Government Affairs, would also monitor the councils.
He advised each council to develop its agricultural potential so as to generate revenue for the development of the area.

The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has presented 4,000 high yielding Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) vines and pumping machines to members of the Potato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (POGPMAN), Niger and Osun  states’ chapters.
In a presentation ceremony held at the council’s headquarters in Abuja, Dr Husseaini Doko Ibrahim, the Director General of RMRDC, said that the initiative was meant to promote development, production and use of improved planting materials of elite varieties of agro raw materials to bridge the gap between demand and supply in the country.
“To leverage on the potential contribution, which the beta carotene-rich orange fleshed sweet potato can bring to improving nutrition and food security in Nigeria, the council, under its boosting programme, is promoting the production of this crop,” Ibrahim stated.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr Eddy Nwaogu of the National Root Crop Research Institute, Umudike-Nyanya substation, which developed the technology, stressed that the orange-fleshed potato is a nutritious food for households, especially those with children below 5 years, pregnant and lactating mothers.
Nwoagu noted that OFSP is a valuable crop for the makers of baby food items, stressing that its richness in beta carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin A, will solve deficiency problems in children.
President, Potato Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chief Bayo Ajibade, applauded the effort of RMRDC in scaling up elite varieties of crops in Nigeria, saying: “POGPMAN is particularly happy that RMRDC has uplifted POGPMAN with 2000 bundles of 100 vines each and 20 water pumps to water OFSP farms during the dry season in Niger and Osun states.”
In their appreciations, Alhaji Umar Aliyu, the Niger State Coordinator and Mr Olusegun Adepoju, the Osun State Coordinator, expressed their gratitude to the council for providing them with the equipment and technology to be self-sufficient in orange fleshed sweet potato production in the country.
DAILY TRUST

..As new Commissioner of Police promises to sustain peace

The Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday stated that no ‎state in the federation has invested in equipping the Police has Osun has done in the last five years.

This was even as the newly posted Commissioner of Police, Osun state command, Mr. Kola Sodipo noted that the police in Nigeria cannot succeed without community policing.

Aregbesola stated this while playing host to the new Commissioner of Police and the out-going Commissioner, Mr. Abubakar Marafa who paid him a courtesy visit at the Government House in Osogbo.

The governor added that Osun is committed to ensuring that the Police and other security agencies are given maximum and adequate support so as to protect lives and property as well as maintain peace and security.

He noted that police are the extension of civil society‎ and the most visible agents that protect the people against any security threat.

The governor called on the new Commissioner of Police to maintain strict professionalism, and enjoin his officers and men to uphold ethics, rules and regulations of policing.

He said, “In the last five years of my administration in Osun, no state has invested in support of police as this state has done.

“We have demonstrated this support in the area of procurement of requisite gadgets for effective policing as well as remunerating officers and men of the state command.

“‎As the agency of government that is most visible to the society, we must see police as an extension of ourselves so that we can live peacefully without threat to our lives and property.

“The only way that the police can return the gesture of government is to uphold the ethics of professionalism and the management of men and officers of the force.” he said.

He commended the out-going Police Commissioner for his quick response and capacity to checkmate crisis before it happens.

Aregbesola added that throughout the tenure of Mararfa as the boss of the state Police Command, no single case of incident armed robber‎y was recorded, saying that virtually all other Commissioners of Police that have served in the state left indelible marks as a professinal.

In his response, the new Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kola Sodipo stressed that he will do his best to keep the state secured and devoid of criminal activities.

While seeking the cooperation of government and people of the state, he noted that police can not succeed without the cooperation of the people within the community, he promised to leave the state better and peaceful than his predecessors left it.

According to him, “I want to do better than what Mararfa‎ has done, I will do as much to keep the state peaceful, I will make use of community police, all over the world the police can not succeed without community police.

“If other civilised nations like the United States and the United Kingdom can be making use of community police, our country can not be an exception in the use of community policing”. The police boss emphasised.

In his remarks, the out-gone Commissioner of Police, Mr. Abubakar Marafa thanked the governor‎, Osun executive council, the judiciary, Osun monarchs and journalists for their maximum cooperation when he was at the helms of affairs in the state.

He stated that though there are financial itches here and there  in the state but the state will put it behind and move on to glory.

Photos of the Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, Welcoming the newly posted Police Commissioner to Osun, Mr Kola Sodipo. With them is the outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, presenting the State plaque to the
outgoing Police Commissioner, Mr Abubakar Marafa, during the farewell
programme of the outgoing and introduction of the new police
commissioner, at the Government House, Osogbo, the State of Osun on Wednesday 02-09-2015