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.
THE NATION

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu has commended the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for the steps taken on the rehabilitation and provision of new equipment for all state hospitals across the state.

The Special Adviser gave this commendation during a monitoring visit of the State of Osun Hospital Management Board to the State Hospital Ede. Dr. Isamotu said when the rehabilitation going on in all state hospitals across the state is fully completed, the people of the state would have easy access to health delivery in the state.

Speaking further during the monitoring, the Special Adviser said since the restoration of healthy living is one of the Six Point Integral Action Plan of Ogbeni Aregbesola, the present administration will not relent in its efforts at ensuring that the sector is accorded a pride of place in the scheme of things.

Dr. Isamotu therefore enjoined the people of the state to always patronize State Hospitals and Health Centre across the state for their health services.

In her own address at the event, the Permanent Secretary Hospital Management Board, Pharm. Omolara Ajayi urged the staff to be alive to their responsibilities at their various places of work as government would not tolerate any act capable of sabotaging the efforts of the state government at constantly enhancing healthy living of the good people of the state.

Speaking further, the Permanent Secretary said lateness to work will not be tolerated whatsoever.   She then implored all health workers to always resume at their duty post on time.

Places visited during the monitoring visit include Comprehensive Health Centre Awo, Comprehensive Health Centre Iragberi and General Hospital Ejigbo
ONEWSPORTAL

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (left) Presenting a key of an Ambulance to State Chairman, Nigerian Red Cross Society of Nigeria, Osun Chapter, Mr Ademola Ojo (4th right); Onirun of Oke-Irun, Oba Isaac Ilori (right); Deputy Secretary of the Society, Evangelist Folorunso Bamidele (2nd left); Divisional Secretary, Alhaja Ajileye Muyibat (4th left); Divisional Chairman, Red Cross Society, Osogbo Branch, Mr Nathaniel Fajoye (3rd left) and others, during the Presentation at Government House, Osogbo, State of Osun on Friday 31-01-2014

Photos from the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City,  at Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori and Chairman, RLG and AGAGAMS Holdings, Ghana, Mr Roland
Agambire, during the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, at Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Chairman, RLG and AGAGAMS Holdings, Ghana, Mr Roland Agambire (2 right); Acting Chairman, Osun APC, Elder Lowo Adebiyi (left) and Leader of the State House of Assembly in Osun, Hon. Timothy
Owoeye, during the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, at Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30 – 01 –
2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, exchanging
pleasantries with Dominican Partners RLG, Mr Javier Dotel (left); Stephaine Dotel (2nd left); APC Chieftain, Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu (2nd right) and a Veteran Journalist, Mr Segun Babatope (left), at the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, in Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; the Akirun of Ikirun, Oba Abdul Rauf Olayiwola (right) and others, during the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, at Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State (2 right) and
Chairman, RLG /AGAGAMS Holdings, Ghana, Mr Roland
Agambire, during the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, at
Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs Titi
Laoye-Tomori; Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State (2 right) and Chairman, RLG /AGAGAMS Holdings, Ghana, Mr Roland Agambire, during the commissioning of RLG/Adulawo Technology City, at Ilesa/Akure Express Way, Ilesa, State of Osun, on Thursday 30-01-2014

The National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) under the Federal Ministry of Agriculture is set to establish the first substation of the institute for the South West in Osun. Chairman Governing Board of the Institute, Dr Oluwole Aina disclosed this during a courtesy visit to the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo.
According to him, the establishment of the substation will commence in the first quarter of 2014 which will go a long way in assisting the government agriculture programmes and strategy.
He said the benefit of the station to the state includes direct youth employment, development of beneficial linkages between the state government agricultural programmes and the institute’s research work Dr Oluwole added that the institute will be assisting in regular access to new varieties of root and tuber crops and increase agricultural production, economic growth and wealth creation. He also said that the farmers and government officials will have access to training in shot courses and degree programmes including the extension service to the farmers.
He said, “the benefit of the Institute for hosting the station include but not limited to direct youth employment; development of a beneficial linkages between the state governments agricultural programmes and the institutes research work.
“It will also increase agricultural production, economic empowerment for wealth creation as well as direct asses to training in short courses and degree programmes for staff of the station that will mostly be indigenes of Osun.” Dr. Oluwole stressed.
The institute however demanded from the state government the provision of land to site the substation, payment of compensation to the landowners, and provision of access road to the station as part of the partnership.
Responding, Governor Aregbesola commended decision of the institute to site the substation in Osun. He noted that his administration is serious and committed to agricultural development and food security.
Aregbesola assured the institute of cooperation of his administration since agriculture is one of the six Integral Action Plans.
DAILY TRUST

The commitment of the government of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola to the development of Technical and Vocational education has been reiterated. The Chairman, Board for Technical and Vocational education, Prof. Olu Aina OFR made this known while interacting with pressmen at Government Technical College, Osogbo shortly after the board meeting.
Prof. Aina explained that, there is going to be improvement in the area of formal training and education through the nine Technical Colleges in the state.
He added that intensive informal training will also be incorporated into the system through the 31 ‘Life Academies’ (Skill Acquisition Centres) that will be located in each Local Government and the Area Office.
The Board Chairman stated that in the past, technical education focused only skill development but today the focus is now on the teaching of the science of technical and vocational education and training with the primary aim of producing all round technicians.
Prof. Olu Aina said that the renovation and renewal of the 9 Government Technical Colleges is on-going. He promised that the renovated colleges will be delivered to the state in a complete and modernized form in six month’s time.
Meanwhile, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Board, Mr. Isaac Olowoyeye has enjoined all stakeholders in the Technical and Vocational education to join hands with the government. He explained that government will use technical and vocational education to arrest the spate of unemployment in the State of Osun.
OSUN DEFENDER

The Nigerian Baptist Convention is a peace loving denomination that takes challenges with ease and always ready to work harmoniously with government.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Water Resources, Rural Development and Community Affairs, Mr. Adekunle Ige dropped the hint while hosting a delegation led by the new president of Osun Baptist Conference Rev. Dr. Paul Kolawole who were on a courtesy visit to his office.
According to Mr. Kunle Ige, the role played by the Baptist church, in terms of Children Training right from childhood makes them act like responsible citizens of the society and to relate well with people of other faiths in the society.
The Special Adviser who said that, the Ministry belongs to the Baptist setting emphasized that, his door is always open to receive them at any point in time while also charging the new president and his entourage to continue with the good foundation laid by the Elders of the church.
In his remarks, the new president for Osun Baptist Conference, Rev’d Dr. Paul Kolawole appreciated the unprecedented development across the state since the coming into power of the present administration in just a little over three years while stressing that, the State of Osun can be said to be the most peaceful state in the South West and the nation at large through the various steps of Ogbeni Aregbesola to ensure that the state is peaceful.
Dr. Kolawole prayed for a successful tenure of office for Aregbesola’s administration and the ability and capacity to achieve all its goals. He then highlighted the challenges of the conference and urged the present administration to take note of them for prompt action.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engr. Adelere Oriolowo praised the Nigerian Baptist Conference for being an organized set up, saying that successful democracy all over the world are built on the quality of its system and good educational background it has laid down over the years.
He then assured the new Osun Baptist Conference of their good representation in the seat of government while imploring them to be calm and that the misunderstandings shall soon be resolved through the ever listening government of Ogbeni Aregbesola.
OSUN DEFENDER

Education experts, including the World Bank Lead Health and Education Specialist, Prof. Donald Bundy, have lauded the school feeding programme initiated by the Osun State Government.
The All Progressives Congress Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy in the state, Mr.  Kunle Oyatomi, in a statement, on Thursday, said the governor received the commendation at the All Party Parliamentary Group in the United Kingdom.
The commendation came as the Peoples Democratic Party in the state accused the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola of wasting the resources of the state on frivolous projects.
But Oyatomi said Aregbesola’s policies had continued to receive international acknowledgment despite criticisms at the home front.
This, he said, was a proof that the policies were laudable and deserved commendations.The statement read, “He ( Aregbesola ) was also commended for making such a world-acclaimed project possible in a state with limited resources as Osun in Nigeria.”
THE PUNCH
 

The Osun State government said on Thursday in Osogbo that it had budgeted N800 million as compensation for land acquisition from its citizenry.
Mr Muyiwa Ige, the Commissioner for Lands, Physical Planning and Urban Development, said this in Osogbo during the 2014 budget defence before the House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation.
Ige said the budgeted sum would be used to clear the backlog of compensations to land owners as well as new land that might be acquired by government for developmental purposes.
“The provision made for compensation in the budget is targeted towards new land acquisition as well as the existing ones within the limit of the budget.”.
The commissioner said that government paid more than N670 million as compensation for land acquisition in 2012.
He added that the sum of N200 million was expended for the same purpose in 2013.
Ige said that in addition to payment of compensation, the government had also provided some palliative measures to affected land owners.
He said that the government would continue to work towards creating opportunities that would alleviate the suffering of the people.
The commissioner explained that land acquisition by government was for overriding public interest.
“Once government identifies a place for development, the next step is to engage the land owners in discussion.
“If there is a structure or livestock on such land, we enumerate it and through proper documentation, will ensure the money gets to the direct beneficiaries.”
Ige said that the government had been fast tracking the process of compensation to ensure the affected land owners were adequately compensated.
(NAN)