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Category: Politics

AAC OLUSESI writes, LUC, Land Use Charge is a single most salient source of internally raised revenue that will evolve considerable equity in income distribution and solve the problem of expanding urban service system in the State of Osun.

“From the Land Use Charge Collection Fund, consisting of all land use charge payments deposited in designated banks, the share to be paid to each local government council shall be such percentage of the net land use charge on deposit, being 80 per cent of the gross collection at the end of each month as agreed between the state and local government areas. The state portion shall be remitted to the General Revenue Accounts of the state,” a law, establishing the State of Osun Land Use Charge (LUC) states.
LUC is one of Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s numerous inventions in Osun, with considerably enchanting emphasis on greater mobilisation of internal financing sources to eliminate adverse effects of his development finance policy by constantly making efforts to increase the states IGR, internally generated revenue. His LUC aims at cutting down recurrent expenditure, to match the growth of current expenditure with the growth of revenues for the development of the state, having fully convinced self that governance at all levels globally, is hindered or slowed down by acute shortages of financial sources.
Aregbesola is constantly convinced that Osun could no longer afford the luxury of perpetual dependence on the central government inadequate finances which either have dangerous implications for the state political economy even in the face of shared party identity with the centre; or had in the past, directly contributed to incoherence and retardation of the economies of the federating states in Nigeria, especially in the erstwhile Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government at the centre.
There was thus that exigency for a  revolutionary overhaul of the tax lists in Osun which Aregbesola  actually did, heightened by factors  of equity, revenue loss and tax administration efficiency requisite, to upsurge tax revenue from both the existing and additional sources. One of such latest sources to be intensively explored in his dive to mobilise more revenues is LUC, a consolidation of all Property and Land-based rates and charges payable under the Land Rates law, the Neighbourhood Improvement Charge law and Tenement Rates law. LUC will evolve an equitable distribution of incomes and accelerate considerable equity between tax payers in the different income groups and same income groups.
Regrettably, however, the tax structure in the PDP days in Osun was not only abysmally regressive if tax payments were related to the benefits received from the government expenditures. Those who plundered Osun vaults in the PDP days in government were invariably the people in high income position who transferred tax revenues from the low income group to themselves, with obvious regressive consequences. Horizontal equity was also violated in the sense that fraudulent officials transferred income to themselves from honest tax payers in the same income group as themselves.
In summation, instead of using the tax expenditure mechanism to redress income inequities, the PDP government in Osun actually deployed its own paradigm that accentuated them. The PDP government in its widest imagination, never consolidated revenues from sources for assessment purposes. The state was considerably under taxed most effectively in terms. Worst still, the degree of tax evasion was so high, and mal-administration so pronounced that the taxable escaped tax net, that brought the average effective tax rate in the state to its nadir.
Why LUC in Osun? Land use charge is practically most useful to tool-up equity among tax payers, directly attuned to the re-distributional objectives and persuasive resource allocation effects of Aregbesola’s All Progressives Congress (APC) government in Osun. LUC is a single most salient source of internally raised revenue that will help solve the problem of expanding urban service system at low cost, judging by  the forces of rural-urban migration with accelerated effect on the growth of properties/buildings in the urban centers.
In Osun, the LUC demand notice has gone ‘viral,’ it is everywhere, here and there. The assessed value of the property in the designated areas of the state is subject to land use mill rate, determined by the annual amount of LUC and the assessed value of the property – its classification, land parcel in square meters, land value rate, building quality, building value rate in the neighbourhood; and property code rate, with a view to reinforcing both growth and equity in Osun.
LUC is administratively simple. The authorized assessors are to enter, inspect, survey and assess the property; and issue LUC demand notice and deliver it to the owner/occupier of the property for payment to be made within 90days in any of the designated banks specified in the demand notice. The LUC payment slip carries annual demand notice number, identity number, revenue code, local government code, and the amount payable or paid. What’s ultimately required is that the payer drops the bank copy of the LUC payment slip at the bank, and the other copy deposited at the LUC corporate office, or in the state Ministry of Finance, Osogbo, state capital.
Interestingly, there is discount if the property owner/occupier pays within 40days of receiving the demand notice, and a corresponding 10 per cent increase in the amount payable when the property owner/occupier fails to pay the LUC demand notice within the specified period. It is more interesting that, by fiscal analysis, LUC in Osun is a source of financing public services in the state. It is one basic exchange, with the payment of the land use charge by property owner being traded for public goods and services for accelerated development of the state.
The LUC in Osun is progressive; and on the right track, exempting  substantial properties/ buildings used exclusively as Oba’s palace, public library, public cemetery, public worship, public recreation, non-profit making educational institutes, non-governmental organization work; and any other property being used for benevolent purposes owned by the state, local and federal governments, or any property specifically exempted by the state governor by notice published in the state government official gazette. But the exemption ceases when the use of the property or its use by the owner /occupier changes to one that does not qualify for exemption.
There is a warning. If the payment is not made on non-exempted, but assessed property after 365days, then the property becomes liable to receivership by the state government, and such property under receivership will be advertised in national newspapers. But the owner is entitled at any time to apply for a release of the property upon payment of the outstanding taxes, penalties and administrative charges. However, property owner could go to the LUC Assessment Appeal Tribunal, convinced of excessive assessment of his property. The tribunal, with powers akin a Magistrate Court’s could subpoena the appellant’s witnesses to appear before it, and  also has power to confirm, reduce, increase or annual the assessed value and rule that payment should be made into the state government Assessment Appeal Account.
Meanwhile, the property owner/occupier who mutilates, damages or destroys the LUC identification placed on assessed property/building, or incites another property owner  to misrepresent his chargeable capacity, commits an offence, attracting a maximum fine of #100,000 only or a term of 3months imprisonment, or both. Payments of all such monies including actual LUC demand notice, outstanding taxes, penalties and administrative charges are made on Electronic Banking System of Revenue Cycle Management (EBSRCM) platform, and automated receipt and bank teller obtained.
Good enough. The government of Aregbesola is a government of bio-metrics in all matters and in all circumstances. The government is not inhibited by inadequate availability of data and documented information on the extant buildings in the state. In fact, cadastral maps of properties/buildings in Osun are available on finger-tips, considered requisite for LUC identification and assessment. Neither is Aregbesola stifled by inadequate manpower situation germane to the operational efficacy of LUC. Rather, he’s brimful of emulsifiers for the evaluation of the effectiveness of LUC with no encumbrances to Osun economy.
The expedient LUC could be expanded to inaugurate site value taxation, vacant land taxation and property transfer taxation on land development to induce land use effect, and importantly as revenue raising measure. Such expanded LUC will publicly recover land value increase or land betterment value and influence better planning of land development in the Osun.
The LUC is a must tax to pay.

  • OLUSESI is Assistant Director, Directorate of Publicity, Research & Strategy, All Progressives Congress (APC) State of Osun.

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Cooperative Societies in the State of Osun have been charged to be tools for economic development and wealth creation in the State.  

This charge was given by the Special Adviser on Cooperative Matters, Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives, Mr Gbenga Awosode while addressing Cooperative societies at the Zonal meeting held in Ikirun and Osogbo.
In his remarks, Mr. Awosode said the purpose of the meeting was to have an interactive session with stakeholders to address issues affecting cooperative societies and to bridge the gap between the Ministry and the societies.
He stated that the State Government recognises the importance of Cooperative societies and has initiated various empowerment programmes in line with its six-point integral action plan to banish poverty and unemployment in the State.
Awosode explained that in order to benefit from the empowerment programmes, there would be revalidation of certificate of cooperative societies to know those that are functioning and those who are not in the State.
He added, “Cooperative societies that refused to comply with the revalidation exercise would not benefit from government empowerment schemes.
The Special Adviser reassured the societies that the revalidation exercise is not a means to collect tax but as a way of sensitising people to their civic obligations.

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The Executive Secretary, Ayedaade Local Government Council area of the State of Osun, Mr. Bashir Oduwole has warned teachers as well as pupils to take proper care of government’s properties in their various schools.

He gave the warning during his visit to some public elementary schools in the Council Area recently.
The schools visited included Olufi Government Middle School, Gbongan; St. David’s Mega High School, Ode-Omu, and Baptist Middle School, Ode Omu; St. Michael’s Government Elementary School, Ode-Omu, and Muslim Middle School, Ode-Omu.
In a statement by the Information Officer of the Local Government, Mrs. Khadija Amusan, the monitoring exercise also afforded the ES the opportunity to call on parents to make good use of the Open Day to visit and assess their children performance in the school.
The council boss stressed that the Open Day is designated worldwide to afford parents the opportunity to ask questions about the attitude of their children or wards, behaviour and general comportment in school.
Oduwole commended Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the initiative and promises to ensure that the standard of education is elevated across all the local governments of the state.
The ES then appreciated the government of the state for the computer systems introduced into schools to aid pupils’ knowledge about Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The Open Day adopted into the state’s curriculum by the government through the Ministry of Education is a window which allows all parents and guardians to visit schools during session to ascertain the level of performance and attendance of their children/wards in school.
The council boss was accompanied on the tour by his cabinet members which include, the Council Manager, Alhaji Yinus Akande; Head of Administration Department, Mr. Odebode Adesayo; Head of Finance Department, Mr. Afolabi Kehinde; Auditor, Alhaji Mustafa Mutair among others.

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The Caretaker Management Team of Isokan Local Government under the Leadership of Hon. Orewaju Maruf has commenced the dredging of some flood-prone water channels in the council area.

 
 
 
The flagging off of the dredging exercise according to a statement by the Information Officer of the council, Mr. Rufai Kehinde, was aimed at putting an end to perennial flooding which has resulted to loss of many lives and property worth millions of naira, hence rendering  many homeless in the area.
The statement said that as at the time of filing this report, dredging on Agbowo river to Mogi-Mogi and Ahoyaya rivers was nearly completed.
Residents of the council area, have then commended the council authority for the dredging and channelisation of major rivers in the council.
The residents of the affected areas also commended the Governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for bringing dividend of democracy closer to their doorsteps, saying the gesture would save them from flood disaster.
The Executive Secretary, in the statement, has however urged the people of the area to desist from act of dumping refuse on water ways and also should not embark on any building construction project that does not have government approved plan, particularly on waterways.
Besides, the Executive Secretary has reaffirmed his administration’s determination to promote solid infrastructural development in the council area.
He made this assertion during the foundation laying of the on-going reconstruction of the burnt parts of Isokan Local Government Secretariat.
According to the statement by Rufai, the council boss implored the people to support his administration through prompt payment of all levies, dues and taxes for further development efforts.
The Executive Secretary promised that the project would be completed very soon, just as he commended Governor Aregbesola for his visionary and purposeful leadership since inception of his administration in the state.

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imply put, human capital is defined as the skills, knowledge, and experience possessed by an individual or population, viewed in terms of their value or cost to an organisation or country. These are what actually facilitate or constrain the development of any organisation, state or nation. We are sometimes deluded to think in terms of natural resources such as oil, gold and all what is not, to measure potential development. But recent happenings in our nation have shown us that these are mere mirage to true development. If anything, they are albatross to our journey and our quest for a secured future. Oil is fast on its way to irrelevance with “oil-less” technologies coming on board in all facets as technological advancement is inevitable. After all, the Stone-age did not disappear for lack of stones, but for its faded relevance.

 
 

 
Looking closely, it has been identified that nations with vast natural resources are almost always those with the least development index, except if blessed with visionary leaders who acknowledge that something must be consciously and seriously done. Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore’s Prime Minister for three decades. And realising the limited natural resources of his country, he is known to say and demonstrate that Singapore’s only natural resources are its people and their strong work ethic. During the three decades in which Lee held office, Singapore grew from a developing country to one of the most developed nations in Asia.
In similar vein, the Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Sheik Mohamed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum initiated a number of human capital development prorammes and mechanisms that was aimed at achieving excellence. Dubai is naturally in an arid region with little or no mineral resources for survival. He invested heavily in knowledge economy and creative human resources in order to reach his ambitious development goal which today is attracting businesses and tourists to this nation-state.
In his epic book, “My Vision” (2012), Rashid Al-Maktoum addresses wider Arab nations thus, “Our experience in the UAE has taught us that there are no big secrets to the development process. The quality of a group is derived from the quality of its members, and the strength of a community is derived from the strength of its sons and daughters. When we free the potential of the individuals, we simultaneously free the potential of the whole community they are part of, and when we let the creativity of individual blossom, the creativity of the community as a whole blossoms”. He was referring to human capital development.
One of his most favourite quotes which inspire personal strives for development is referred to as the gazelle and lion quote: With each day in Africa, a gazelle wakes up knowing he must outrun the fastest lion or perish. At the same time, a lion stirs and stretches, knowing he must outrun the fastest gazelle or starve. It is no difference in human race. Whether you consider yourself a lion or a gazelle, you simply have to run the race of your life (human capital) to survive, says Al-Maktoum.
When Nigeria discovered oil in awesome commercial quantity post-civil war, then head of the country’s military government, Yakubu Gowon was quoted as saying that money was not Nigeria’s problem but how to spend it. His government went on spending binge. This behaviour did not stop even up to this present dispensation. What with petro-dollars that are at the beck and calls of successive governments?
While our contemporaries in other nations were utilising the proceeds of these resources to develop their countries’ human capitals, the same way Osun government is doing presently, the national government  was busy on spending jamborees, creating false development indices which are themselves counter-developments, thinking that throwing money at problems and merely building structures and infrastructures alone, without corresponding human capital development will one day take us to our Eldorado. The rise of corruption in our system is a direct result of the inability to focus our rapt attentions on human capital development.
When Governor Rauf Aregbesola came on board in 2010, he met unbelievable base level of human capital, so low that conscious effort to do something to reverse it was not an option but the only chance he had. He had to convoke an education summit as an initial move, which catapulted the vast infrastructural and human capital atmosphere we are witnessing today. It is a long journey, no doubt. But the journey of a thousand miles, they say, starts with the first step forward.
The state of Osun has again been ranked second, only after Delta State, in human capital development idex in the first sub-national competitive index released by The National Competitiveness Council of Nigeria, NCCN. Osun has also maintained the second position in four years in a roll in the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) recently released by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Intiative (OPHI) for the year 2016.
No wonder therefore that statistics shows Osun’s GDP is growing at the rate of 7.3% per annum and is the 5th largest economy in Nigeria.

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In line with its strategy to boost the economy of the state and eliminate poverty, the Government of Osun has once again called on able-bodied youths in the state to engage in productive activities, rather than be idle.

 

 
This directive was contained in a brief issued at the end of the Council of State meeting on Wednesday.
A statement issued by the Media Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Sola Fasure, said government has put in place several empowerment programmes in agriculture such as food cropping, chicken rearing and piggery, among others, for anyone to latch on to and be gainfully employed.
The State Government lamented that despite its efforts to create numerous platforms for productive engagement, these opportunities are yet to be fully taken advantage of by the youths, some of whom have remained dependent on their parents while others have resorted to begging.
The statement noted that with the current empowerment programmes initiated by government, no youth should be unemployed unless he or she proves to be unemployable.
“Many of these opportunities are underutilised. Council therefore urged young people, especially the unemployed, to be engaged in any of these.
“No able bodied person in the state should have any reason to be unemployed or engage in begging,” the statement said.
In a similar vein, the Council frowned at a report, which observed the poor and unhygienic look of pupils in the state’s public schools.
The report noted that many of these pupils wear ill-fitting, old and dirty uniforms to school, a condition the Council said was unacceptable.
Government however, placed the poor dressing and haggard appearances of the pupils at the door steps of their parents, who just abandon the children to their fate.
The Council said: “School pupils are expected to wear neat, fitting and smart uniforms. This is failure on the part of the parents first.
“Council enjoins parents to buy new uniforms for their children and ensure that they leave for school in the best physical shape in a way that inspires confidence in them and equally buoys their self confidence.
“Teachers are also required to take responsibility for the physical look of their wards.”
The state’s Executive Council also directed that the Community Based Management Committees of public schools be visited so as to evaluate their effectiveness and take appropriate actions based on the outcome of this evaluation.
Meanwhile, Council also deliberated on a proposed bill entitled: ‘State of Osun Independent Electoral Commission Bill, 2017,’ a document containing 86 chapters that cut across various issues relating to the conduct of local government elections in the state.
Council approved the document and directed that it be presented to the State House of Assembly as Executive Bill to be passed into law.
Council did not omit to commend the National Executive Council (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on the directive that 33 per cent of elective offices be reserved for women,
It described the policy as an affirmative action that will bring inclusiveness and empower women in the state politically.

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Eleven workers in different Ministries, Department and Agencies of the public service have won the maiden edition of Governor Aregbesola’s Best-worker of the week award for the month of November 2017.

This was contained in a press release from the office of the Head of Service and made available to the press.
According to the release, the membership of the committee which comprises Pharm O.M. Ajayi, Permanent Secretary Women, Children and Social Affairs,  Mrs Femi Webster-Esho, Coordinating Director, Ministry of Information and Strategy and Mr. Abimbola Esho picked Mr.
Oseni  Asifatu of the State Water Corporation,  Mr. Akeem Raji, Osun Education Quality & Morality Enforcement Agency, Mr. Ibrahim Akinwal Morufu, Osun Tourism Board and Mr. Abiodun Akanbi of the Ministry of Information and Strategy as the winners.
Others include Mr. Samson Adeniyi Alake, State of Osun Property Development Corporation, Mrs. Toyin Oyewumi, Ministry of Lands and Physical Planning and Mr. Mukaila Adeboye of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Affairs.
Also on the list are Mr. Dada Oparinde from the Ministry Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives, Mrs Grace Adeyoola, Ministry of Innovation, Science and  Technology, Mrs Margret Banke Olanrewaju of the office of Cultural and Tourism and Moshood Sulaiman of the OSBC.

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Lack of educational law in the curriculum of teachers’ education has been identified as a knowledge gap in Nigerian education.

This observation was made by the State of Osun Head of Service, Dr. Olowogboyega Oyebade while receiving the Provost of his alma mater, Adeyemi College of Education, Professor Olukoya Ogen along with the national officers and State alumni members of the school.
While attributing the myriad of abuses in Nigerian Schools to took of knowledge on the basics of law, Dr. Ojebade submitted that when teachers are acquainted with educational law, they would be refined and become teachers.
He then admonished the authorities of Adeyemi College of Education to introduce it into its’ curriculum, explaining that it will make their programme enriching and promote the School as a model to other Colleges and Universities.
The Head of Service also called on the Federal Government to remove all legislative and legal hindrances in the way of turning the College to a full –fledged university, affirming that it is eminently qualified to be so, being one of the celebrated pioneers of good education in Nigeria.
Earlier in his congratulatory message to the new Head of Service, the Provost of Adeyemi College of Education, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Samuel Akintunde had described him as a beacon of light to the School, expressing the confidence that he would provide exemplary leadership.
The Provost, who later presented a congratulatory letter to Dr. Oyebade on behalf of the management Staff and students of the school, also gave a book and customised clothes.
The National Public Relations Officer of the Association, Mr. Yemi Olugbamigbe, who described Dr. Oyebade as a good ambassador of the College, also appreciated his dedication to service, commitment to self development and versatility which, he observed, had made room for him. He also presented a giant photograph of the Head of Service of him as gift from the national body of the association.
Also speaking, the State Chairman of the Alumni Association, Mr. Abiodun Oyemakinde, who described the new Head of Service appointment’s as well deserved solicited his support for active leadership participation not only at the state level of the Alumni but also at the executive committee of the association.

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The Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) has arrested seven persons for illegal gold mining in Itagunmodi Community, Atakumosa West local Government area of the state.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Mineral and Natural Resources, Hon. Tunde Ajilore, accompanied by men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps had stormed the community where the illegal gold mining takes place without recourse to public interest.
Parading the suspects, Ajilore said that the state government’s effort to curb the activities of illegal miners underscored the importance of a structured biometric database of miners in the state.
 
 

 
While describing the damage done to the site as too enormous, Ajilore said the activities of the miners amount to economic sabotage, warning that the state government will not fold its arms and allow the situation to continue unchecked.
“As a state, what we are saying is that there is need for us to know how many miners are here, a landlord who does not know how many people is feeding will surely run bankrupt.”
“For the past three months, we close the bush in order to appropriate and know the number of people that operate at the mining site. That is why we requested them to come for biometric so as to know their number. We were able to register about 6,000 miners within one and half month.
Ajilore however reiterated that the government will resist all forms of illegal mining in the state, as it will go all out to bring perpetrators to book in a bid to sanitise the system.
Speaking, the State Commandant of the NSCDC Mr. Aboluwaye Akinwande said investigation is on and anyone found culpable will be charged to court.
“Our next action is to conduct a preliminary investigation, then ensure we follow it up before charging them to court.”

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Students have been admonished to work hard and pay adequate attention to their education to justify the huge investment of the present administration on basic education.

Executive Secretary Boripe North Local Council Development Area, (LCDA) Prince Bola Adejumo said this while inspecting public schools in the council area to mark the first Open Day Programme in Elementary and Middle Schools in the state of Osun. He commended the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola for introducing the open day programme explaining that the introduction of open day for parents is to afford them the opportunity of accessing the performance of their children in school.
 
He urged the teachers to be more committed to teaching and to give the children adequate parental care by monitoring, caring and be friendly with them in the classroom. He promised to intensify efforts in the renovation of classrooms in some affected public schools in the council area.
 
Speaking during the inspection, Principal, African Church Middle School, Iree, Mrs. Agboola Kikelomo urged the parents to always be the best friend of their children saying “any parent who failed to cater for their children destroy their end time”.
 
Kikelomo who lamented prevalence of wearing tattered school uniform urged the parents to always strive hard to provide the basic needs of their children for better concentration.
 

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