*STATE BROADCAST BY THE GOVERNOR, THE STATE OF OSUN, MR. ADEGBOYEGA OYETOLA, ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2019, AT THE GOVERNMENT HOUSE, OSOGBO*
Good morning, my fellow citizens of the great State of Osun.
It gives me great pleasure to address you on this auspicious occasion of our Administration’s first year in office.
I remember very fondly that sunny afternoon when I swore to an oath of allegiance and assumed office as your Governor. The mandate you gave to me communicated eloquently your desire for the truth, progress and consolidation on the gains of recent years. I count it a great honour indeed.
I am happy to inform you that over the last one year, I have stayed true to that sacred commitment which I took before you all. My campaign promises, as enshrined in my manifesto, have guided and guarded each step I take.
As an administration, we have dedicated ourselves to serving you sacrificially and with distinction.
With steady hands, we have built bridges and rallied our people to arise and labour for a more prosperous State. We have comported ourselves decently as responsible leaders and have also inspired same among our people, constantly emphasising our proud heritage as privileged citizens of the Land of Virtue and inheritors of the cherished Yoruba legacy.
In my Inauguration Address, I shared with you a broad vision of a prosperous State focused on consolidating the phenomenal gains made by my predecessors. I also promised to hit the ground running. I wish to report that we have indeed recorded great strides since we began the journey one year ago.
We have begun a remarkable journey of deepening our economy and opening up opportunities to empower our people and create wealth. I am happy to note that our policies are already yielding fruits.
TOWARDS A FULLY DIVERSIFIED ECONOMY
We are already looking inwards, having realised that our State has got all that is required to turn around her fortunes. Moving gradually from excessive dependence on the Federal Allocation, we have significantly improved our Internally Generated Revenue.
Just as I had promised during my Inauguration Address, the State recently convened a successful Economic and Investment Summit that attracted top-rated investors and policy makers. We are committed to leveraging on the various commitments received during the 3-day event to further diversify our economy.
WELFARE OF WORKERS
We have also prioritised the welfare of our teeming and hard-working bureaucrats and ensured that their salaries are paid as promptly as possible. We are committed to improving on this as our income improves.
*MINING SECTOR*
The mining sector, which forms a critical component of our economic rejuvenation agenda, has received maximum attention from us. The gains are already evident for all to see. Not only have we increased regulation of the sector, we have also made it sufficiently attractive to critical investors. The immediate result of this is the influx of significant Investment to the State.
We have also enhanced security in the mining areas and contained the activities of marauders.
*AGRICULTURE*
Guided by our roadmap on the agriculture sector, we have also begun a strategic investment to boost productivity and commercialisation. The priority of this administration is to make agriculture profitable. Considering the population of farmers in the state and related occupations, the target of the present administration is to use agriculture as a pedestal to create employment for the teeming youths in the State. We are irrevocably committed to making the State of Osun the food basket of our great nation. We aim to banish hunger in the State and create wealth through massive increase in food production. In the last one year, we have recorded achievements in the sector as:
• Additional fund was injected to further boost the Osun Broiler Outgrowers Production Scheme (O-BOPS)
• Empowerment of Poultry farmers across the State through O-BOPS;
• O-BOPS Scheme enjoyed market linkage with Osun School Feeding Programme (O-MEAL) whereby chickens were bought back by the State Government from the participating farmers to feed primary school children;
• Farm Settlements were revitalised across the State.
• Empowerment of Farmers with 200,000 Hybrid Cocoa seedlings as well as 54,000 Oil Palm seedlings under the Tree Crops Project.
• Provision of extension services to farmers through Farmers’ field School;
• The O-Meals School feeding programme is a ready market for agricultural output thereby ensuring steady income for farmers.
• Continual support in veterinary services to ensure top quality and wholesome meat for the consumption of the populace.
• Farmers across the State continue to have access to improved mechanised farming practices through tractor hiring services.
• A boost with a 10,000ha of land from the Orangun of Ila.
With this development, the desire of the State Government is to acquire large scale farmlands for commercial agricultural development to promote enhanced agricultural production and food security.
Going forward, our Government would renew effort towards the implementation of Private Sector-led Agro-input Distribution Scheme to support farmers through subsidised agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, agro-chemicals, among others.
*INFRASTRUCTURE*
Building on the acclaimed strides in infrastructural development made by my predecessor, I have prioritised the completion of ongoing projects, opened up Access roads to evacuate agricultural produce, rehabilitate existing roads and maintain urban and rural roads. We have also taken into consideration your feedback as noted during our Citizens Needs Assessment exercise carried out across the Local Governments in the State and the result of Budget Consultative Forum from the three (3) Senatorial Districts in the State.
To this end, we have continued funding the dualisation of Gbongan–Akoda Dual Carriage Way, Adebisi Akande Trumpet Interchange Bridge and Osogbo (Old Garage)-Ikirun-Ila-Odo-Erinle-Kwara State Boundary.
These are Federal Roads that span a total of 66km, but the present administration has given priority to these projects and we will not relent in our efforts until the projects are completed, considering the multiplier effects on the state economy. The Osogbo-Iwo Road is undergoing rehabilitation. At this juncture, I want to commend the Federal Government through the Minister for Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, for its assistance and support in this regard.
So far, not less than 55 km roads have been rehabilitated throughout the 3 Senatorial Districts. We have continued with our aggressive campaign of opening up the rural areas.
As at today, 206 km of rural roads have been completed.
On Urban and Rural Electrification, the present administration has re-affirmed her commitment to “Light–up Osun Project”. This is an innovation by our administration to totally wipe out darkness on the major roads of the state capital and in other major towns and cities in the state.
The Small Hydro Power (SHP) plants in Ikeji–Ile jointly sponsored with UNIDO, will be completed in the 2020 financial year. The feasibility study on Erinle Hydro Project is also in progress.
On the provision of shelter for the good people of the State of Osun, efforts are in top gear by our Government to ensure that adequate housing units are provided for the citizenry at affordable prices. In this regard, government, under a Private Partnership Programme (PPP), had set aside 15 Hectares, 7.5 Hectares, 20.5 Hectares and 30 Hectares of land at different locations across the State. On the issuance of Certificate of Statutory Right of occupancy (C-of –O), one hundred and sixty-two (162) applications being processed will be ready within 90 days.
*EDUCATION*
The current Administration in the State is committed to the promotion of functional Education. To demonstrate our commitment, we have constructed 32 blocks of 167 classrooms to accommodate 8350 students/pupils/teachers in 32 government elementary/middle schools.
We shall be giving technical education adequate attention to inculcate relevant skills in our youths to make them job creators rather than job seekers. Just recently, I solicited the support of the French Government in the development of the sector. I believe that their support will help us in producing more people with business skills who will be self-employed and employers of labour.
• Repair/renovation works at 31 government elementary and middle schools.
• Procurement/supply of 3,040 units of pupils’ furniture for 6080 pupils in elementary schools
• Procurement/supply of 3,180 units of students’ furniture for 6360 students in middle schools
• Procurement/supply of furniture for 967 teachers
• Construction of 43 units of 6 holes squatting toilets for 43 elementary and middle schools across the State.
• Construction of 14 units 6 holes squatting toilets with deep well at 14 government elementary/middle schools.
• Drilling and reticulation of boreholes and 9 public elementary and middle schools
• Construction of block wall fence at 30 government elementary/middle school to avoid encroachment and provide security for government properties
We will continue to ensure a conducive environment in all our schools through the provision of necessary infrastructure, such as suitable building, furniture, and learning materials. Our Administration will continue the implementation of the Free Education Policy, covering Elementary, Middle and High Schools. In order to ensure effective teaching and learning activities in schools, instructional materials will be provided for our schools while provision of grants for the running of schools will continue.
*HEALTH SECTOR*
At my inauguration I promised to provide qualitative and equitable for healthcare to the good people of our state without financial embarrassment to them through the operations of Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS). This promise was fulfilled within the first year of my administration through the release of 150million naira take off grant for the agency and over 477million as equity grant meant for the premium for the poor and the vulnerable. Today we can boast of one of the leading State Health Insurance Agencies in Nigeria.
About, 80,000 poor and vulnerable persons have been validated and have started to receive quality health care in our renovated facilities including private hospitals under OHIS without having to pay a kobo.
More that 75% of the entire public servants have been enrolled under OHIS and they and their spouses and four biological or legally-adopted children amounting to about 200,000 persons will be receiving treatment from both government and private hospitals of their choice with only 10% payment of the cost of drugs whenever they access care.
The informal sector comprising artisans and other self-employed persons have commenced enrollment and will start receiving treatment under OHIS at only a cost of 12,066 naira per year for a comprehensive benefit package that covers not only the commonly experienced ailments but also surgical operations like Caesarian Section, appendicectomy, hernia operation etc at hospitals of their choice in the state.
Also, to further ensure universal health coverage for our people, we have commenced a revitalisation programme of 322 primary health centers across the state, one per ward. Of these, over 100 have been completed and are being commissioned in batches. Additionally, we have also embarked on the rehabilitation of nine general hospitals across the state, provided with modern equipment in the hospitals, supplied with drugs, and also enhanced capacity building through the training and retraining of staff with the employment of technology to further improve health care delivery
*COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY*
The Commerce and Industry sector is pivotal to the economic development of the State of Osun. To this end, we are leaving no stone unturned in facilitating rapid industrial development of the state by reinvigorating the industrial Free Trade Zone (FTZ) situated along Ede-Abere road. The cardinal objective of establishing FTZ is to facilitate the rapid industrial development of the state with the multiplier effect of creating massive employment opportunities.
The Omoluabi FTZ which was abandoned for several years is now being revitalised by the present Administration. To this end, government is currently discussing with prospective investors on the possibility of developing the zone, with a view to establishing various industries at the zone. We are equally fast-tracking the development of Industrial Estates in Gbongan and Ilesa.
In our bid to provide economic buoyancy for the state, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMES) will continue to enjoy support. To encourage small entrepreneurs, Micro Credit Agency will continue to play its role in providing soft loan to them.
*CULTURE AND TOURISM*
In the area of Culture and Tourism, our administration will continue to do all things within its disposal to preserve our cultural heritage and use culture and tourism to boost the State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and employment generation. In doing this, a new business model for the rapid social transformation of the state of Osun shall be created using dynamic vehicles of Arts, Culture and Tourism in line with global and natural trend. The government will identify, explore and exploit the tourism infrastructure and articulate policy frame work in order to attract investors on Tourism and Culture. This will be boosted through organisation of exhibition and participation in festivals of Arts and Culture and appropriate regulation of the activities of hotels, fast food services and other tourism enterprises.
*WATER RESOURCES*
On the provision of potable water for the citizens of the State, our administration will continue to give priority attention to drinkable water supply to the people at the nooks and crannies of the State. The Rehabilitation of Ede Water Works which commenced in 2013 will be completed in the 2020 fiscal year. This water works alone provides potable water to twelve (12) Local Governments in the State. All moribund waterworks will be re-assessed while desirable efforts shall be made to resuscitate the viable ones. The consultancy job for the construction of Iragbiji water works and others will be firmed up, come 2020. I am glad to inform the good people of Ijesa land that Ilesa water and sanitation project which is being executed in collaboration with Islamic Development Bank (IDB) is recording a remarkable progress. The contractors handling the project are working assiduously to deliver in record time.
The outstanding works on the construction of pipe networks to Ilesa township estimated at Forty-one million, nine hundred and forty thousand US Dollar ($41,940,000) which would have slowed down the project due to lack of fund has been taken over by the Federal Government of Nigeria for execution, thanks to the magnanimity of President Muhammadu Buhari. The fund has been released and is being warehoused at the Central Bank of Nigeria. With this giant stride, the project has been progressing impressively.
On the part of our Administration, we are striving hard to free the State from open defecation. Apart from the provision of more than 100 sanitation facilities in public places, it is pleasing to note that in the outgoing year, Ifedayo Local Government was validated as Open Defecation Free (ODF) by the State Task Group on Sanitation. Presently, the State is awaiting the Local Government to be declared Open Defecation Free by the National Task Group on Sanitation. This will make Ifedayo Local Government to be the 14th Local Government Area in Nigeria (out of the 774 Local Governments in the Country) and the very first in the South West validated as Open Defecation Free. By early 2020, additional two Local Governments (Ayedaade and Odo-Otin) would also have as well attained this status while efforts are seriously ongoing by the Water & Environmental Sanitation Department in collaboration with the office of the First Lady to drive other LGAs to Open Defecation Free, thereby making the whole State of Osun to be Open Defecation Free on or before the target date of 2025. In addition, the State Government will also provide more water and sanitation facilities in the Rural Areas in order to sustain the improved record of access to safe water and reduction of water borne diseases in the State.
*SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND WELFARE SECTOR*
In our bid to reduce youth unemployment, increase community service and improve neighborhood security, we have continued to provide financial and logistics support to the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES). We will continue to engage our youth through skills acquisition and vocational training programme across the State through collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE). As part of our commitment to engage the youths through sporting activities to reduce society menace and suicide tendencies among the youths, the State Government will continue to fund the male and female football teams to enhance their performances.
Additionally, we have recruited 2,210 food vendors to aid the feeding of over 250 elementary school pupils on every school day.
We have recruited 20,000 cadets for the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme OYES and increased their stipend from N9, 500 to N12, 000. The cadets deployed to schools across the state had theirs increased to N15, 000.
We have also continued the free train ride on three different festive periods for residents residing in Lagos who want to come home to celebrate with their loved ones.
*SECURITY*
As I mentioned during my Inaugural Address, our Administration has ensured that Osun retains its acclaim as one of Nigeria’s safest States. We have demonstrated this by working closely with all our security agencies and also provided adequate gadgets to support their professional activities. In addition to numerous supports, we have just provided 20 Armoured Personnel Carriers and another 20 new vehicles with communication gadgets.
*FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT*
As a way of tightening the State’s finance architecture, our Administration has strengthened the state’s Treasury Single Account policy with every relevant MDAs properly brought into the pool. We have also commenced the usage of the Bank Accounts Monitoring System for the monitoring of day-to-day transactions of government. As recognition of our Administration’s commitment to transparency and accountability, the State met with the eligibility criteria of the World Bank programme tagged State Fiscal Transparency And Accountability Programme.
Indeed, it has been a year of many strides. We assure you that we are not relenting in our efforts. The coming days promise to deliver even more dividends to our State.
On our part as an Administration, we have resolved to fully deliver on our Development Agenda.
That is our Pact.
And we shall not fail.
I charge you, therefore, to come with us on this noble journey, as we take our State to the deserved height.
I thank you for listening.
