It was a historic moment for Nigeria and Africa yesterday as the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) in the British House of Commons, London, commended Osun State’s the Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme, tagged O’Meals, as a successful model to be copied worldwide.
Governor Rauf Aregbesola received a loud applause as he made an eloquent and statistical presentation to the British parliament at Committee Room 9.
He suggested the biometric registration of beneficiaries of the programme wherever it is replicated to guarantee transparency.
To guarantee a sustainable future for Nigeria, the governor called for the replication of the programme in all states, with appropriate legislative backing extending it to the first nine years of schooling.
At the meeting presided over by Lord Cameron of Dillington, Aregbesola said technology was the best way to address the concern of development partners and international donors on.
Regretting that project funds were lost to corruption in the past, the governor said once beneficiaries are registered biometrically, banks linked with the programme funding would rely on the data to process payment.
He said: “Technology remains the only effective way to remove corruption from the implementation of the HGSF programme. Once biometric registration is introduced to beneficiaries, the data will be linked to banks and vendors would be paid. Beneficiaries are then able to register their biometric features through the Point of Sales (PoS) terminals to guarantee a transparent, corruption-free and efficient HGSF system worldwide.”
The Lead Health and Education Specialist of the World Bank, Prof. Donald Bundy; the Chief of School Feeding and Chronic Hunger Unit of the World Food Programme (WFP), Peter Rodrigues; Ms. Boitshepo Bibi Giyose of the New Economic Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the Senior Technical Adviser of the Partnership for Child Development, Imperial College, London, Prof. Josephine Kiamba, praised Aregbesola for successfully implementing the O’Meals despite the state’s limited finances.
Describing the programme as worthy of emulation by all African countries, Bundy said the scheme would be a safety net for feeding the poorest children in many countries, if Aregbesola’s community-based implementation strategies are adopted.
Rodrigues said Osun had shown practical ways to achieve the best result as the cost per child, per day and per annum demonstrated by Aregbesola clearly showed that the HGSF programme saves money and guarantees food security.
Promising that WFP would, in six months, provide evidence to back this assertion, Rodrigues said: “The programme is very complex. We need to get the local governments to buy into it and change the mindset of the host government.”
Aregbesola said from April 30, 2012, when the programme was rebranded as O’Meals, to December 31, 2013 (330 school days), enrolment in elementary schools increased from 203,858 to 252,793 representing 24 per cent increase.
He said his administration had spent N3,813,700,000 on the programme, which covers pupils from primary one to four.
Aregbesola said: “The cost per child per year is N15,100 (£57.60) and the cost per child per day is N45.70 (£0.17). In the same breath, 3,100 women were appointed and re-trained as community-based food vendors, while 462 out-growers of fish were successfully empowered for massive fish production to cater for the programme.
“In line with our promise two years ago to introduce the highly nutritious cocoyam to the food timetable, our administration mobilised a professor from the state university to train 1,000 farmers, including 90 women, in the Pink Cocoyam Rebirth Scheme.”
Aregbesola expressed hope that other states in Nigeria and the Federal Government would adopt the Osun model of the programme.
He said: “We require more support from our technical partners in capacity building to achieve biometric registration and digitisation of O’Meals to guarantee transparency and efficient resource management.”
THE NATION

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Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has urged his colleagues to be committed to implementation of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) programmes.
He said this would improve the quality of primary education and give children access to basic education.
Aregbesola was represented by his deputy, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori, at the 11th quarterly meeting of the UBEC management with chairmen of the State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEB) in Osogbo.
He urged governors to embrace UBEC’s Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme, which has been rebranded as O-Meals in Osun.
Aregbesola said the programme improved enrolment in primary schools from 155,318 in May, 2012, to over 380,000 this year.
He urged the Federal Government to assist states through UBEC by increasing funds for the meal from N98 million, saying it costs his administration N3.6 billion annually.
Aregbesola, in his speech, titled: “Assuring and sustaining quality basic education delivery in Nigeria”, said UBEC programmes should be reviewed and implemented religiously.
He said basic education should not be handled with levity, going by its role as the first exposure children get.
Suggesting ways to improve primary education, Aregbesola called for the recruitment of professional teachers.
Minister of Education Ezenwo Nyesom Wike urged SUBEB to work with UBEC to improve education.
He urged governors to pay their counterpart funds and use funds provided by UBEC for primary school development.
UBEC Executive Secretary Dr. Dikko Suleiman said the meeting would enable UBEC to improve primary education.
SUBEB Executive Chairman in Osun State Prince Felix Awofisayo listed some gains of the administration in Education as the recruitment of teachers, increase and prompt payment of running grants, prompt payment of teachers’ salary and building of fully equipped schools.
THE NATION

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The budget is being creatively used as the engine room for Ogbeni Aregbesola’s Six-Point- Integral Action Plan. This in itself shows that a roadmap is in place and that the budget will be used to implement it.

Presenting the budget the Ogbeni emphasized that “The budget is about growth enhancement and development. It clearly shows the ratio that is of best international practices, in terms of recurrent and capital expenditure. That is why our capital expenditure is far higher than the recurrent expenditure.

“Part of our agenda is to drive the IGR more critically in the 2014 fiscal year. We have to use innovative financing with adequate measure to provide necessary financial structure for most of our developmental project. We will focus clearly on Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives, which is the practice going round all over the world now.”

That this year’s budget is lower in size than that of last year’s is not the Ogbeni’s fault or that of his government. It is another fall-out, arising from Nigeria’s defective quasi-federalism. The 2014 budget is slimmer because of the reduction in the oil benchmark from $79 barrel to $77.5 per barrel as well as of course the numerous cases of oil theft with its attendant reduction in remittance to the federation account by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), and which has also sadly led to drastic reduction in allocations to states.

This is a damning condemnation of the government at the center. It also shows the difference between the two approaches. For example, the central government is just prepared to as it were swim along with the tide. Whereas in contradistinction the government of the state of Osun really wants to make a concerted effort to break out of the vicious circle of boom and bust. Here the difference in approach is clear.

The emphasis placed on growing the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) is important. It is a very sensible way out of breaking out of the dependency syndrome and unhealthy reliance on the centre. As the Ogbeni stated innovative financing is essential to provide the necessary financial structure for most of the state’s developmental projects. This is a commendable example of the Ogbeni’s capacity to think outside of the box.

Think outside of the box, this contrarian has actually done. Notably for example in being able to use new emerging financial instruments such as the sukuk. A key element here is that the Ogbeni appreciates the need for the use of ‘social capital’. Social capital is more than important at this stage of development. It fulfills the need to direct long-term capital and finance as a way of developing the state’s social and physical infrastructural base. It is only a co-habitation of the state and the private sector through Public Private Partnerships (PPP) that can achieve this.

This the Ogbeni realizes. This means that co-partnerships in this direction will be intensified in the years ahead. The enhancement of prudent management of meager resources and the emphasis on social capital will certainly help to deepen the state’s developmental base. Furthermore it will lead to social cohesion and social solidarity. This has already manifested itself. Osun state has demonstrably known peace for the first time in a long while.

Gone for example are the days of blood and thunder under Oyinlola ancient regime. This is as a result of the ongoing socio-economic transformation. Employment generation for example is absorbing a lot of hitherto restless unemployed youth. A future is now being created for them. This means that there is less canon- fodder for people like the discredited Iyiola Omisore to use and subsequently dump.

We commend the symbol of our aspirations in the state of Osun for the policy thrusts in this budget. Through it the foundation for the construction of a new era in Osun state is being laid. A glorious future awaits a much denied populace. The expected overwhelming endorsement of the Ogbeni through re-election this year will further consolidate this. In the state of Osun, we are on our way to ‘life more abundant.’ And about time too.

OSUN DEFENDER

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The RLG ICT Concept Team paid a courtesy visit to the Governor at Government House Osogbo, State of Osun, at the weekend

Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in hand shake with the
Chairman of RLG Communication, Mr. Roland Agambire, Director ICT State of
Osun, Mr. Adebambo Bashorun (2 right) and Prince Adefioye Ade (2nd
Left), during a visit to the Governor at Government House Osogbo,
State of Osun, at the weekend

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Governor, State of Osun,  Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has advised people of the state against double registration when The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) begins the registration of voters so as not to be disenfranchised.
Speaking in Ilobu near Osogbo, the state capital, Aregbesola described 2014 as a crucial year for the state because of the election and explained that the state cannot afford the decay and lack of infrastructure it has witnessed before the advent of his administration.
He also charged the people of the state not allow desperate politicians to manipulate or deceive them by trying to buy their voters card from them. According to him, “the year 2014 is a crucial year for our state as we cannot afford to go back to the Dark Age in the state where there was no infrastructural development”. “I will like to call on those of us who will be registering for the first time to avoid double registration when INEC begins the registration of voters so as not to be disenfranchised.”
 
The governor reiterated the commitment of his administration to the development of infrastructures, He added that the sole aim of the administration is to make the state an envy of other states in the country in terms of infrastructures.
DAILY TRUST

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Special Adviser to Governor on Environment and Sanitation in the State of Osun, Hon. Bola Ilori, has stated that the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s government has never handled any issue relating to tree planting, as a political party programme.
Hon. Ilori made this disclosure in Osogbo during a press interview.
According to him, although the current tree planting programme in Osun enjoys tremendous motivation from Ogbeni Aregbesola’s experiences as former Commissioner for Works in Lagos State, yet the programme in the State has never been handled on political party basis.
He added that in particular, tree planting is not new in Africa as it pre-dated our colonial experiences when our forefathers planted trees to demarcate boundaries, to commemorate enthronement of a new King, to provide shades in palaces, Markets or Town squares, where meetings, festivals and other events are held.
Hon Ilori disclosed by the time Ogbeni Aregbesola resumed as Governor in the State in 2010, the worldwide campaign on climate change had reached a level that made the State to send delegates to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Durban, South Africa and Rio de-Janeiro, Brazil in 2011 and 2012 respectively, where the State of Osun signed pacts with International Development Agencies on Climate Change.
The Governor’s aide further added during the past eighteen months, the State Government must have distributed more than one million seedlings exotic and other trees to indigenes of the State, free of charge without regard to Political Party affiliations or other similar factors.
Hon. Ilori also disclosed that the recent directive that the State indigene should obtain permission from the State’s Ministry of Environment and Sanitation is to discourage unprofessional and mindless practice by certain people who cut down trees to defoliate and disfigure the environment.
OSUN DEFENDER

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The General Manager,  Osun State Sports Council, Akin Adio has urged players of Osun Babes to put in their very best in the quest to make a statement in the 2014 Nigeria Women Premier League (NWPL).
The State of Osun  sponsored girls finished in the top six in the Pool A division of the Abridged League last season.
In a meeting with the management, technical crew and players of Osun Babes were urged to work hard to improve the standard of the team.
Adio, believes the team has the quality to challenge other clubs in the elite division.
Addressing the girls in Oshogbo, the administrator promised the team of improved support in terms of welfare and renumeration package in the new season.
Osun Babes will play 11 other teams in the Maiden edition of the Nigeria Women Premier League billed to kick off on February 15, 2014
FC NAIJA

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To attract more industries, Osun State government has concluded plans to build N2billion power sub-stations.
The power clusters which are to be located in Dagbolu, in Osogbo will guarantee industries 12 hours uninterrupted power supply.
This was disclosed by Osun Commissioner for Finance Wale Bolorunduro who was the guest of the month of the Oyo State Correspondent Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
In a paper entitled “Improving Public Finance for Better Governance: The Example of the State of Osun” Bolorunduro maintained that the government will drive employment of Osun people through local content policies by impressing it on foreign companies to employ Nigerians to work in their companies.
In education, the finance commissioner stated that the government spent N900million to produce 70,000 school uniforms for schools during which 3,000 indigenous tailors were employed.
The finance commissioner stated that the through ‘Opon-Imo’ (Tablet of Knowledge), the state has saved over N8 billion in buying text and note books for schools pupils.
While saying the Opon Imo cost close to N3billion, he added that efforts are on the way to improve the tablet to check its misuse among pupils.
He disclosed that government will renovate and rehabilitate nine state hospitals at the cost of N1.7 billion.
The Commissioner explained further that instead of going to the banks,” we went to the capital market and register a programme and before you know it, we have raised enough money needed for the development of our state”.
While acknowledging greater feats in terms of infrastructure, education and other sectors, the Commissioner for Finance said the administration of Ogbeni Aregbesola has succeeded in creating 45,000 employments, through the Youths Empowerment Programme and 5,000 teachers for primary and secondary schools in the state.
He said “We have achieved in terms of better governance, I wish to reiterate our commitments and resolution not to rest on our oars until ours become the best governance which governments at Federal level and other states will continue to mirror.
BUSINESS DAY

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Osun State government has commenced moves to take up a housing development loan facility of N1.5 billion offered by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN)
To this end, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola recently wrote a letter to the State House of Assembly seeking approval to access the loan. In the letter, the governor said if approved, the loan would be used to build 342 housing units by the State Property Development Corporation. He said the houses would be sold to the contributors to the National Housing Fund in the state public service.
Aregbesola said his administration had deemed it worthwhile to accept the loan offer because of its benefits, noting that the move to build the houses is part of efforts at realizing the objectives of the Urban Renewal Programme of his administration.
The letter read in part: “FMBN offered the state in principle, loan facilities of N1.5 billion on April 8, 2011, the opportunity which the last administration missed in May, 2010. OSPDC has been directed to access the loan, as all requirements have been met towards gaining access to the loan facility, except forwarding the loan application to the State House of Assembly for ratification.
“This administration has deemed it worthwhile to accept the offer taking cognizance of the numerous advantages deliverable from it, if adequately administered. The physical growth and development of our urban centres which is a clear testimony of the Urban Renewal Programme this administration is intending to achieve can become realizable. Land affordability, job creation, our doggedness towards revenue generation, among other things, are consequences of this venture. This is a rare opportunity that should be embraced with open hands by a state that has not experienced such.”
The letter also indicated that Ajaka Estate, Ilesa; Moremi Estate, Ile-Ife; Owamiran Estate, Esa-Oke; Olufi Estate, Gbongan; Akoda Estate, Ede; Oluwo Estate, Iwo; Okinni Estate, Okinni; Okuku Estate, Okuku, and Agunbe Estate, Ikirun, would benefit from physical development through the loan facility.
VANGUARD

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