The Independent Electoral Commission in the state of Osun has stated that it is eighty percent ready for the conduct of a credible gubernatorial election in the state.

The Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Osun,on Sunday said the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration’s concerted industrialization efforts are yielding fruits.
The Bureau said the berthing of the Rlg Adulawo Technology City, in Ilesa represents the gradual realization of the dream of an industrialised Osun where economic and commercial activities will be buoyant enough to sustain the people.
In a statement against the backdrop of the commissioning last Thursday of the Rlg Adulawo Technology City in the state, the Bureau explained that an ingenious approach to industrialization of a hitherto unindustrialized state has opened fresh hopes of more industries that will make job opportunities more abundant.
The Bureau’s statement, signed by the Director, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said with the opening of the new technology city, Osun has recorded a landmark with the assemblage of Information Communication Technology devices such as ipads, laptops, telephone handsets, plasma television where youths from the state are assured of more employment opportunities.
“The consistent, ingenious job creation strategies being employed are helping to realize the dream of banishing poverty and unemployment in Osun. The Rlg Adulawo Technology City, a $50million worth investment by Rlg of Ghana, opens yet another opportunity for our people. At least, no fewer than 100 graduates of the OYESTECH scheme have been absorbed in the first instance. There is certainty that more graduates will be employed in that company.”
The Bureau reminded the people of the State that the same initiative that brought the Omoluabi Garment Factory to Osun assisted in facilitating the coming of the Rlg Adulawo Technology City.
“Having realized that Osun requires immediate industrialization, the government of Rauf Aregbesola is employing all methods to encourage investors to come this state. This is a complete departure from what obtained before the advent of this administration where the entire environment was unfriendly to investments either for local or foreign investors.
“What is more? With adequate security put in place, good road networks that link the various parts of the state, a re-orientated populace that now embraces the ethics of hardwork and honesty in businesses, the state is now more than positioned for new job creating ventures either through the government or public private partnership initiatives,” the Bureau explained.
The Bureau therefore called on the citizens to further increase their support for the government, adding that this would only strengthen the government’s resolve to facilitate the berthing of more rewarding ventures in the state.

 
By Gbenga Faturoti/Osogbo

Najeem Salaam.
Osun State House of Assembly has threatened to scrap any ministry or agency of government that deviates from the budget plan for 2014.
The Speaker, Najeem Salaam, gave the warning at a budget defence of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) at the floor of the parliament.
While tasking the MDAs in the state to always work in tandem with the outlined Six Point Integral Action Plan of the government, he said “the state parliament would not hesitate to wipe any ministry or agency of government that deviates the budget plan to the line”.
Salaam, who stressed that the era of foot-dragging on budget implementation was over, said setting the positive evaluation of budget in the previous year was made possible by the openness of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration which was not averse to the oversight functions of the parliament.
He said: “We shall continue to give the MDAs the way they choose to give it to us. We shall step up our constitutionally-guaranteed oversight functions on all agencies of the government, not to witch-hunt anyone, but to procure positive result for our people.
“Let it be known that we are working for the people, and the overall interest of the state must come first in our dealing. So, it must be registered that where people’s interest clashes with the narrow interest, the former must prevail.”
The Speaker, while appreciating the enormous task before the Finance and Appropriation committee, demanded the cooperation of all heads of ministries and agencies of government, saying that all books would be checked for transparency and accountability.
DAILY INDEPENDENT

RLG, a technology company based in Ghana has announced that its plant sited in Osun State has capacity to roll out 5000 mobile phones and 2500 laptops daily.

The facility named the “RLG & Adulawo Tech City” is being promoted in partnership with the State of Osun under a programme to deepen technology development in the state.
“The factory is a fruition of government private partnership. The plant is designed to assemble a minimum of 5,000 mobile phones and 2,500 laptops per day”, the company announced.
RLG & Adulawo Tech City also has a training centre, research & development (R & D) lab, corporate office building and staff quarters amongst other facility.
The company said that the facility is also fitted with Green Technology – Biogas Plant, which will provide cooking gas for the staff quarter and also the capacity to generate 3KVA electricity that can be used for lighting.
Under the plan, RLG says the facility has the capacity to employ 10,000 people directly and indirectly.
The first set of employees are the beneficiaries of Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme Technology (OYESTECH), a programme set up by the state government to equip youths in ICT and it was implemented by the RLG Training Institute, according to the company.
According to RLG, “a total number of 20,000 beneficiaries will be trained on this programme. The first set of 5,000 beneficiaries have graduated already.
The launch of this factory will bring together all stakeholders from around the world especially where we have business interest.”
TECHNOLOGY TIMES

OSUN State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, took yet another giant step in his effort to revolutionize the economy of the state, on Thursday, when he commissioned the multi-million naira technology complex, tagged RLGAdulawo Technology City, along Akure-Ilesha road, in Ilesha, Osun State.
The project, a partnership with telecommunication company, RLG, is expected to offer employment and training to 20,000 graduates of the state government OYES programme. The centre is expected to be one of the most productive assets through technological innovations, production and assemblage of electronics communication devices. While commissioning the complex, Governor Aregbesola, said the project was part of his administration’s efforts to create wealth in the state and improve the living standard of citizens. “Time is running against Africa and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the continent attains its rightful position.
As a government, political power is obtained for the service of the people and we shall continue to serve our people with all sense of responsibility. “At the inception of our administration, out of our voluminous programmes, we set two agenda as a priority: to create employment and make our state a hub of Information Communication Technology. ICT is no longer a future phenomenon but current tool for best communication. “Our World has changed. In the last 20 years, NITEL estimated all available phones as 150, 000 and the recent figure puts mobile lines in Nigeria at 117 Millions with 200 million mobile phones and the number will keep growing because we must add RLG product to it.”
The governor was supported by his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, the governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the Chairman of RLG, Mr. Roland Agambire, to open the facility for business. The technology magnate said Aregbesola has the vision to carry Osun State to an enviable height with the citing of RLG assembly plant in the state. According to him, “we invested this huge facility here to demonstrate that we are here to stay to catch the opportunity of mobile technology.
Let one in every 100 million Nigerians has only RLG devices and Osun State will make billionaires that will also be in the world map. “Our product is cheap, quality and durable. The facility will also employ direct 800 people and over 10,000 people across the country, some will be at coupling plants while others will also be at selling points,” he pointed out.
THE NATION

The State of Osun on Thursday recorded another landmark achievement with the establishment of a technology city tagged “RLG-Adulawo Technology city” in Ilesa. The centre will be one of the most productive assets through technological innovations, production and  assemblage of electronics communication devices.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola, while Commissioning the state of the art facility in company with the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi and former Nigeria Bar Association President, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, said the innovation of the centre is to create wealth in the state to improve the living standard of citizens.
He said ” Time is running against Africa and all hands must be on deck to ensure that the continent attains its rightful position. As a government, political power is obtained for the service of the people and we shall continue to serve our people with all sense of responsibility.
“At the inception of our administration, out of our voluminous programmes, we set two agenda as a priority: to create employment and make our state a hub of Information Communication Technology. ICT is no longer a future phenomenon but current tool for best communication. Our World has changed. In the last 20 years, NITEL estimated all available phones as 150, 000 and the recent figure puts mobile lines in Nigeria at 117 Millions with 200 million mobile phones and the number will keep growing because we must add RLG product to it”. The governor stressed.
Aregbesola said through the partnership with RLG, the state government in its OYESTECH Programme has trained 5000 youths both in Nigeria and Ghana on electronics devises assemblage.
He said ” Apart from the  thousands of employment the company will create for the people of the state, it will also allow the state to compete in the ICT world and by God’s grace, we shall continue to support the RLG to make the $50 Million investment worthwhile”.  Aregbesola said.
The governor disclosed that the state investment in the technology city through OSICOM is the provision of lands and provision of certain logistics.
The Chairman of RLG, Mr. Roland Agambire, while speaking said what a country, state or people need is a visionary leader to translate people’s wishes into reality. The technology magnate said Aregbesola has the vision to carry the State of Osun to an enviable height with the citing of RLG assembly plant in the state.
He said ” we invested this huge facility here to demonstrate that we are here to stay to catch the opportunity of mobile technology, out of 100 million Nigerians, let every one has only RLG devices and the state of Osun will make billionaires that will also be in the world map. Our product is cheap, quality and durable, the facility will also employ direct 800 people and over 10,000 people across the country, some will be at coupling plants while others will also be at selling points”. He pointed out.
He disclosed that the assembly plant has commenced production shortly after it was declared open, promising that the state would in the nearest future be the technological centre in the whole of Africa.
Speaking earlier, the Owa of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, said the solution to Africa’s problems is technology and Nigeria cannot afford to sit down and wait for or watch other  countries do it for the continent. He commended the governor  for his foresight in finding solution to the problems of youth unemployment in the state, saying with the location of the assembly plant in Ilesha, the economy of the area and indeed the entire state would be boosted in no small measure. He called on the people to give their ultimate assistance and to support  because it is in such support that the survival of the company hinges its existence.
 

OSUN State governor, Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, has won the National Chronicle Newspaper Man of the Year award for 2013. According to a statement by the organizers of the awards, Aregbesola defeated the governor of Katsina State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sheu Shema and the Minister of Agriculture, Akinwunmi Adesina, to the second and third place respectively.
To emerge as the National Chronicle man of the year award for 2013, the Osun State helmsman polled total of 71,000 votes out of the over 100, 000 readers of the newspaper who participated in the poll. Governor Shema came distant second with over 20,000 votes, while the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina came third with over 10, 000 votes.
In the letter of announcing his victory and nomination as the National Chronicle Man of the year 2013 Award, the publisher and Editor- In- Chief of the newspaper, Mr. Timothy Okojie-Ave, described the Osun State governor as a leader who has reached unsurpassed level of excellence and achievement, a hero and quintessential nationalist who has become a driving power in shaping our society and who deserves a second term.
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