OSOGBO- 25/01/2024- Osunstate.gov.ng

Governor Ademola Adeleke has approved the immediate suspension of the Provost of Ila College of Education in line with the interim report of the Investigation Panel headed by the Chief of Staff, Hon Kazeem Akinleye.

The Governor also approved the recommendation of the committee that the Chairman of the Governing Council, Dr Peter Babalola should remain in office as there is no proven case of abuse of power or financial wrongdoings against him.

The allegation of over Two Hundred Million Naira fraud leveled against the Council Chairman was found to be unsubstantiated with documentary proof or transaction details.

The cash advance of Three Million Naira to the Council chairman was found to be within the college’s financial regulations with all documentations verified by the committee.

Based on thorough review, the committee discovered that the allegation of N200m fraud leveled against the Chairman of the Governing Council is untrue, diversionary, baseless and fallacious.

Documentary evidence (voucher) revealed that he only collected a sum of Three Million Naira (N3m) as cash advance which is officially allowed.

On the Provost, the Committee reviewed three previous reports of investigations into various allegations of financial malfeasance, abuse of power and corruption leveled against him dating from past administrations to date.

The Committee after a thorough review of the reports including that of the State House of Assembly alongside its own investigations recommended immediate suspension of the Provost, which is now endorsed by the State Governor.

Sequel to the findings of the investigative Panel, the Provost of Osun State College of Education,Ila- Orangun, Dr.Jimoh Atanda Afolabi is hereby suspended on the grounds of financial impropriety, concealment of official information/ records; and failure to update the Governing Council on the important issues of the College.

The Committee is billed to submit its final report at a later date.

Signed
Mallam Olawale Rasheed,
Spokesperson to the State Governor

osunstate.gov.ng

Abuja- 26/01/2024

The Ministry of Federal Affairs under the leadership of the Honourable Commissioner, Mrs Adenike Adeleke, has commenced a series of visits to various embassies and foreign missions in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with the sole purpose of exploring specific areas of mutual interest for collaboration and partnership with Osun state.

In a series of some of the scheduled visits, the Hon Commissioner visited the embassy of the United Arab Emirates this Thursday, 25th of January 2024. The Ambassador, His Excellency Salem Saeed AlShamsi welcomed the Honourable Commissioner and her team which included the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Federal Matters, Oluomo Abiodun Oladoyin, warmly and expressed his happiness at the robust relationship between his country and Nigeria, especially since the advent of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Hon Commissioner, Mrs Adeleke in her address enunerated specific areas of focus where Osun State would require collaborations, partnerships and intervention such as – Women’s Education and Empowerment, premised on the fact that the Emirate is popularly known for equipping women globally on the knowledge of their countries economy, governance, and social development, and how to harness opportunities that come with them to the benefit of the women gender.
The Hon Commissioner also harped on collaborative efforts to boost Production and Exportation of agricultural products from Osun State such as Cocoa.
In an earlier development, the State Government had announced the resuscitation of Cocoa Production and its industries in the state and sort for global investors to partner with Osun State in a bid to grow the states economy and allow for ease of doing business to every intending investors.

One of such areas of collaboration which the Hon Commissioner also discussed was Artificial Intelligence(AI), and how the Emirate could aid in the development of technology hubs as part of the plans of the state ministry of science and technology to help the youths in states with acquire technological expertise and tech gateways for businesses.
Participation in Seminars/ Workshops/ Exhibitions in the UAE, and Tourism development was also included as part of the discussions with His Excellency, the ambassador of UAE.

The ambassador, HE, Salem Saeed Alshamsi in his response expressed his country’s readiness for collaboration and partnership with Osun State in those specific areas. He further advised that the Honorable Commissioner should come up with proposals for that highlighted subject. He directed that his team of experts be ready to meet a similar team from Osun State at any time when the proposal is ready.

The SSA to Governor Adeleke on Federal matters, Oluomo Abiodun Oladoyin appreciated the Ambassador on behalf of the ministry for receiving them, he promised that the proposal would be made available in no distance time for effective collaboration and partnership.

Signed:
Media Unit,
Office of the Federal Affairs Commissioner,
Osun State.

OSOGBO – 20/01/2024- osunstate.gov.ng

Secretary to the State Government and former Chairman of ALGON in Osun state, Hon Teslim Igbalaye has denied a statement credited to an Ondo born civil society activist, Ayo Ologun in which he  claimed Council Chairmen who served under former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola went away with their official vehicles.

Responding on behalf of former Council bosses which also include the current Chief of Staff to the state Governor, Hon Kazeem Akinleye, the Secretary to the State Government described the assertion as “a lie from the pit of hell”, declaring that no council Chief took away any official car.

He corrected the civil society activist by noting that the official vehicles for which the then council bosses pay part payment were taken from them immediately the court ruled against former Governor Oyinlola.

Wondering why Ologun decided to assert what he knew nothing about , Igbalaye stated further that similar treatment was meted out to the wives of former council bosses whose official cars were also taken away.

He narrated that under Aregbesola, caretaker council bosses of the ACN were allowed to take the official vehicles away after serving five years in office, a privilege not accorded the Oyinlola appointees.

“I affirm here that none of the local government  chairmen and their wives took away their official cars during Oyinlola’s administration. We were eased out of the government through the Supreme Court Judgment.

“The official cars bought by local government chairmen during the Oyinlola regime were given as take home to all ACN caretaker  local government chairmen that took over from us under Aregbesola administration.

“The only car that I took home as an official car was the one bought by ALGON as ALGON State chairman. This has been the practice from National Headquarters in Abuja by paying  the necessary fees which I did with my receipt intact.

“And I was not the only beneficiary of the practice. During Chief Bisi Akande’s administration, the ALGON chairman, Dotun Adebiyi (of blessed memory) went away with his own ALGON official car as ALGON Chairman then”, the SSG asserted.

While cautioning commentators against spreading fake news, the SSG reaffirmed the decision of the state government to enforce the recommendation of the Committee on Recovery of Government Assets.

“ No fake news will stop recovery of vehicles and other assets belonging to the state. The Taskforce will soon commence operation. My advice to those who took away government vehicles is to return it as quickly as possible’, the SSG concluded in the statement.

Kehinde Adeoye,

Media Assistant to the Secretary to the Osun state Government.