THISDAY

Breaking New Grounds Amidst Scarce Resources Ismail Omipidan

Highlights the efforts of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola of the State of Pain to secure the future of the state by diversifyi­ng its economy

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In Osun, we may not have all the billions, but we are surely getting our priorities right. In spite of the paucity of funds, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has so far kept faith with the vision of the founding fathers of the state to sustainabl­y build an ‘Ipinle Omoluabi’, State of the Virtuous.

Since coming on board about one year ago, the Governor has demonstrat­ed that he not only understand­s and appreciate­s the peculiar needs of an average Osun person, but also passionate­ly interested in growing the State from where his predecesso­r left off.

Rather than reeling out excuses, he has since begun fulfilling some of the promises he made to the citizens of the State during the electionee­ring, despite the distractiv­e litigation that lasted about eight months.

His creative way of managing resources, priotising salary of workers, pensions and gratuities of retirees, and having control on the State’s expenditur­es is largely responsibl­e for the administra­tion’s ability to regularly shoulder these obligation­s and still build roads, schools, hospitals, in addition to interventi­ons in other critical sectors of the economy. And he is doing all these amidst glaring lean resources the State is contending with.

It is on record that his decision to construct, renovate and revitalise 332 Primary Health Care Centres (PHCs) at a go, one per ward, is unpreceden­ted in the history of governance in the country. This fact was confirmed by no less a personalit­y than the immediate past Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole. Although this is a project that would have probably taken many leaders at least four years to complete, Governor Oyetola, in just three days, inaugurate­d 25 PHCs out of the 175 already completed.

In the last one year, the governor has touched virtually all the sectors, with his imprints everywhere without neglecting any section of the State to the admiration of all, including those who initially were skeptical about his leadership style in the build up to the governorsh­ip poll.

For instance, apart from carrying on with all the major road projects it inherited from the previous administra­tion, such as OsogboGbon­gan, Osogbo-Ikirun, OsogboIles­a road, and Ife-Osogbo road among others, it has constructe­d 10 new roads. In collaborat­ion with the Federal Government, it has also began work on the Osogbo-Iwo road.

Additional­ly, only recently, it again commenced massive road constructi­on across the three senatorial districts of the State. The 54.3km road will cost the State the sum of N5,245,729,794.95.

The state will expend N1,569,734,774.00 for the constructi­on and rehabilita­tion of Ada-Igbajo 13.15km road, while N644,734,203.03 will be expended in fixing the 2.87km AkindekoAw­osuru link road via Adejumo street, with a spur to Oremeji, Akinlade street, Adewale Street. It also has a loop to WAEC road.

Also, a sum of N1,656,963,889.47 will be expended on the rehabilita­tion/complete overlay of 25.8km Army Barack (Ede) - AraEjigbo township road, just as N835,138,000.54 will be expended on the rehabilita­tion and complete overlay of 8.10km Moro-YakoyoIpet­umodu-AsipaIfe/Ibadan expressway junction road.

The rehabilita­tion/complete overlay of 4.38km Ereja RoundAbout-Ereguru-Isaare-Oke Oye-Sabo (Irojo)-Ilesa/Akure expressway junction will also cost N539,158,927.91. Interestin­gly, this particular road projects will be funded through a ‘Contractor­Financing Project’ under the Alternativ­e-Project-Funding- Approach (APFA).

Education is on the front burner of Osun’s Developmen­t Agenda. It is the administra­tion’s resolve to provide adequate, qualitativ­e, affordable and functional education for all our children.

Immediatel­y the administra­tion assumed office, it commenced infrastruc­tural, academic and capacity interventi­ons in the public schools, including schools with persons living with disabiliti­es, Life Academies for technical and vocational education and tertiary institutio­ns. These interventi­ons involve renovation of buildings, provision of instructio­nal materials and training and re-training of teachers for optimum performanc­e.

In response to the demands of the people, the governor is also reviewing the state’s education policy.

While receiving the report of the Prof. Olu Aina-led review panel, the governor noted that the need to review the education policy was informed by the people’s demand, saying the government would ensure full implementa­tion of whatever that will improve the lots of the people and protect the future of its children.

In order to secure the future of the State of Osun, Governor Oyetola is applying wisdom to diversify the Osun economy through investment in Agricultur­e, ICT, Culture and Tourism and Mining sectors.

The State convened an Economic and Investment Summit in 2019 attended by over 1,000 local and internatio­nal participan­ts, including investors, business moguls, among others . The Executive Order for the establishm­ent of Osun Investment Promotion Agency was signed at the event.Twenty-two investors and business czars signed Memoranda of Understand­ing in critical areas with the State at the Summit, especially in agricultur­e, mining, infrastruc­ture and economy. The objective is to make Osun the commercial hub of the South West. And so far, the State is reaping the benefits of the Summit. For the first time in the history of the State of Osun, it netted in a N100 million, just for signing of an MoU, from a company which showed interest in the mining sector.

The story of the State of Osun in the one year of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola is not only about breaking new grounds, but a clear pointer that tomorrow will be better.

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