Residents of Ijebu-Jesa in Ijesa North Federal constituency, have assured the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, of their unalloyed support and loyalty.
 

 
They made the pledge while hosting the Governor on his tour to the Federal constituency on Monday.

The people who trooped out to welcome the Governor, described him as an exceptional Governor who has worked in the general interest of the State.
From the representative of the Elder’s council to the local government party leader, representative of the woman leader and youth leader, Ogbeni Aregbesola was commended for his people oriented and life changing developmental projects.

The representatives in their separate addresses, also lauded and appreciated Aregbesola for being a peoples’ Governor, adding that he was the first Governor to take care of all party members.
In his speech, Aregbesola urged the party members to start working towards the Governorship election to be held on September 22.

He also implored the party members to be united and work collectively towards retaining the party in power.
According to him, ” This meeting is to sensitize ourselves in readiness for the fast approaching governorship election. Let’s start holding ward meetings, the party starts from the wards and the time has come for us to start mobilising people, we must work towards the party’s continuity.”

Earlier in his speech, the party Chairman in the State, Prince Gboyega Famodun, also emphasized the need for the party members to work towards retaining the party in power, adding that the APC is the only political party which has successfully tendered to the needs of the people through various developmental programmes, both physical and non-physical.

• Commits Over N2bn to Healthcare

The Restoration of Healthy Living part of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Six-Point Integral Action Plan in the State of Osun has since 2010 saved over 12,000 lives.
 

 
The initiative which revolved round all strata of improvement, development and upgrade of the health sector of the state has its legacies in all segments.
Efforts to restructure the health sector of the state started with the upgrade of 18 health facilities across the state with the three of the state General Hospitals in Asubiaro Osogbo, Ile-Ife and Ijebu-Ijesa being upgraded to the state-of-the-art Specialist Hospitals.
Aside this, 50 ambulances were procured to provide emergency services to residents of the state in distress during accidents or other emergency needs with 404 paramedics employed, trained and allocated dedicated phone lines to aid their operations in every nook and cranny of the state.
Also, about 53 health projects ranging from Primary Health Care centres to important health initiatives were initiated and completed during the time frame with support from the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The government in the last seven and a half years has also spent over 290 million naira on the procurement of equipment and basic amenities with half a billion naira expended on drugs that are provided free for patients across the state.
A patient who spoke to newsmen at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo expressed her gratitude to the State Government of Osun for its support towards catering for the health conditions of its citizenry.
She said with the mechanisms put in place, adequate care and attention is given to patients for their quick recovery and wellness which she is also a beneficiary.
Her words “I want to thank the government for taking care of me despite how critical my condition was. I am also grateful to them for the grant they have given me to take care of myself when I leave here. If not for their efforts, I may not have been alive today but I’m grateful to God that through their support, I am alive today.”

The Oba of Benin, Omo N’oba N’edo, Uku Akpolokpolo, Ewuare II has urged the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to work with his colleagues in the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on to stop the incessant killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the country.
The monarch challenged the Presidency to surmount the national security challenges confronting the country by taking the necessary steps that would strengthen security in every part of the country.
 

 
Oba of Benin made the call on Saturday during a courtesy visit to Governor Aregbesola at Government House, Osogbo. He said it is necessary to promote peaceful coexistence among Nigerians and as well rescue the country from the shackles of insecurity that has daily become the lot of the citizenry.
The revered monarch lamented the level of insecurity in the country which he said has painted Nigeria in bad light in the comity of nations, hence the need for government at all levels to do the needful to end the menace.
According to him, “I want you to mobilise your colleagues in the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to address the issue of insecurity in the country and do something to stop the unwarranted killings by Fulani herdsmen in Benue, Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Edo and other parts of the country.
“It is unfortunate that this is going on in our land, we want something to be quickly done as soon as possible so that Nigerians can know peace because people are being swallowed by cattle in the land.
“We even learnt that there might be some international connections to it, we don’t know anything about that, all we want is for it to stop so that our people can know peace again.
“Nigerians cherish their comfort and a peaceful environment so much; so we are charging those of you at the helms of affairs in the country to do everything humanly possible to guarantee peace for Nigerians.
“The bloodletting is too much in the land and the nation is bleeding, we want a stop to this. The killing of innocent citizens has to stop in every part of this country. It is worrisome that the trending news in the country today is killing here and there, no day you will not hear the news that people have been butchered by herdsmen. Mr Governor, something urgent needs to be done about it.
“I want to use this opportunity to implore Nigerians on the need for them to be vigilant and security conscious more than ever before in our society, it is important for us all to know our neighbours for our own safety’, the monarch stressed.
The traditional ruler also condemned in its totality the prevalence of human trafficking in the country particularly in Edo State, describing the menace as modern day slavery that must be urgently confronted.
Oba Ewuare II said it is time for Nigerian government to be on top of its responsibilities, emphasizing that all hands must be on deck to put a stop to the ugly trend.
Describing human trafficking as crime against fellow human beings, the traditional ruler admonished Nigerians not to see it as an Edo State problem but a national challenge which everybody must rise against for the good of the nation.
Oba Ewuare II commended the British government and other members of the international community for being sensitive to Nigeria’s plights, saying ‎their impacts at recognizing the efforts of the royal stool in a bid to put an end to the scourge had yielded positive results.
The monarch called on Nigerians to ‎support the campaign against corruption in the country, noting that for a nation to grow, her citizen must detest any form of corrupt practices.
According the Oba, “The modern slavery in our land today is that of human trafficking and unfortunately many people see it as an Edo State problem, but I tell you it is far from it. We all need to come together and fight this menace that is staring us in the face or else we will all suffer for it.
“On our part we are doing all that is humanly possible to put an end to human trafficking in our land because it is a crime against a fellow human being, other parts of the country don’t need to stigmatize Edo State, we need to see it as a national issue.
“It now a national and international issue and I am happy to inform you that the British government has recognized our effort in trying to curb the menace and it is gratifying to note that the Ife and Benin kingdoms have agreed to work together on solving the problem”, he added.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed that efforts are in top gear to eliminate all forms of insecurity in the country,
He described the spate of gruesome killings in some parts of the country as criminal and an act of lawlessness which is beyond the issue of farmers, herdsmen clash alone.
Arebesola held that the issue of Fulani/herdsmen killings have been extensively discussed at the last National Executive Council meeting held in Abuja, assured Nigerians that the unfortunate killings by the Fulani herdsmen will soon be a thing of the past.
He said the killings became worrisome for the government to the extent that last National Executive Council meeting was devoted to the discussion on how to tackle the menace, stressing that an end to the lawlessness is already in sight.
The governor who assured Nigerians that government is not folding its arms on threat to national security, charged Nigerians to always go about their lawful duties without fear as the government at the centre is doing everything possible to ensure that Nigeria continues to be peaceful.
“I want to assure that government is not folding its arms as to the security situation in the country, we are pained about what is going on and I want you to know that the last National Executive Council meeting was devoted to discussing a way out of the current security challenge in the country.
“The act is criminal and lawless and we condemn it entirety. I want us to begin to see it beyond just farmers and Fulani herdsmen clash but a monster that shouldn’t be allowed to grow.
“The cheering news is that I want Nigerians to know that we will be over this crisis in the next few weeks by God’s grace”. Aregbesola stated.
Aregbesola also assured the visiting monarch that all efforts will be put in place to mobilize the state’s traditional institution on the need to champion the campaign to completely eradicate human trafficking in Nigeria.
He therefore described the visit as the re-enactment of Yoruba heritage.
Earlier, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi expressed delight on the visit of Oba Ewuare II, saying it is an affirmation to the fact that Yoruba people remain united.
Oba Ogunwusi said the visit has demonstrated the huge love, unity and cohesion between the people of Benin and the whole Yoruba speaking States in Nigeria.
He called on Yoruba people to continue to love one another and always uphold the culture, heritage and values that the race is known for.
“Today, it is evident that we have made another history‎ by our common ancestry and cultural heritage through this visit.
“It shows that Yorubas are one and united, irrespective of place and location because there is no joy as joy of one’s origin, which we have felt through this visit”, Ooni stated

Osun  has scored high in human satisfaction and happiness index, according to the 2017 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 5) report conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics.
 

 
The state Statistician-General, Prof. Alagbe Wasiu Gbolagade, who addressed reporters at the weekend in Osogbo, said the Bi-monthly of Central Pricing Reference System, when compared to other Southwest states, showed Osun was in the lead.
He said: “This fact was attested to, considering the prices of goods and services in market transactions in the state. The publication of the February 2018 edition of Central Pricing Reference System (CPRS), a bi-monthly Price Bulletin of Osun State Bureau of Statistics, showed that the majority of the commodities witnessed a downward price movement  compared to February 2017 commodity prices.
“The significant downward inflation rate is an indication that efforts of the present administration under the leadership of Ogbeni Abdul-Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola are yielding fruits in the lives of Osun indigenes.

The state Government of Osun has released a sum of N1.8bn bond to retired workers under the Contributory Pension Scheme in the state.
No fewer than 210 civil servants would receive their bond certificates which would be presented to them on Tuesday at the state Secretariat, Abere.
 

 
A press release from the Office of the Head of Service, Dr Olowogboyega Oyebade, on Friday explained that 171 retired officers and 39 retired workers from the local government would received their bond certificates totaling N1.6bn and N200m respectively.
According to the release, the money has already been deposited with the Central Bank and the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) for immediate payment.
Similarly, the government has also released part payment of gratuities to 720 retired public servants under the old scheme.
It would be recalled that the state government had few weeks ago released a sum of N40 million for fresh set of 400 pensioners in the state.
The sum was meant for the payment of pension of 148 retired secondary school teachers, 250 retired civil servants and 2 retired parastatals workers.
Of the money, a sum of N25m, N14.8m and N200, 000 were to be paid to the retired civil servants, teachers and parastatals workers respectively.
The beneficiaries of the money were the 3rd batch pensioners.