₦airaland Forum

We’ve Saved N29.5bn For Development Of Osun – Aregbesola

The Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola was seeing to be frank and confident last Monday, as he enumerated his achievements within his short period in office, at an interactive session with journalists, to mark the 2011 Independence Day.
He also revealed the programmes he has in the offing for the people of the state. The State House Correspondents, Kazeem Mohammed was there. Excerpts:

OSDF: Apart from the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) project, what again has been your achievement since you assumed the position of leadership in the state?
AREGBESOLA: When I read in the newspapers the demands of the opposition that what have we done, I suckled. The truth of the matter is that we are not comparable with our predecessors, but most of us did not recognize most of the things we have done, because they are intangible. It will be in the interest of all of us, particularly Nigerians, to recognize the intangibles, because we cannot make any serious headway, if we just look at the society from the area of brick and mortal alone.


We assumed the governance of Osun on November 27, 2010 and in terms of vacuum, the state was vacuous. The only thing that was there was Oyin ni o. That in its sense did not even inspire anybody, besides, worshipping an entity. And luckily before we did anything at all, you were the first set of people we met as fourth estate of the realm. I remember that we met you at a night. I realize that I am a night worker, because I have discovered that between 7am and 12 midnight, I will be looking as if I will collapse, but when it is 12 midnight, strangely, I will just develop the capacity that I could not even imagine. I will just become charged. So I remember that we met you and that was even the day that I told you that I didn’t want to be addressed as “His Excellency” and I am happy that today, it has stopped. The import might not have driven effect as much as we want, but the truth is that people now know that those who occupy this position are not extra-ordinary beings, they are ordinary beings. For the first time in this part of the world, we rejected putting the photograph of the governor anywhere. This might be taken as ordinary, but it has sent a signal that there is nothing peculiar about being a governor. Ethically, we are changing the consciousness of the people about their leaders. Whoever has my photograph anywhere is not official photograph released by anybody, because I believe it does not make any difference.
Second week after my inauguration, we began the process of OYES. Of course, the idea has been there, but I expected that from you, there would be efforts to discuss how it was possible for any government to recruit 20,000 youths, train them and exhibit them to adopt brilliant beliefs within two weeks. The truth is that there is no facility in the whole Nigeria to train more than 5,000 people at a time. How did we get to train 20,000 people, giving them leadership and make them to do the job they are doing? The greatest challenge to the scheme was preparing them for what they are ultimately doing. If I am to write any book on the scheme, it will be on preparing the people, who have not thought about community and social works within few weeks, turning them into highly spirited social workers.


Soon after that, we gave the state an identity that the state did not have before we came on board. We gave the state a crest, a flag and these are not just symbols, they are symbols that have meanings. Before you can do anything, you must get the people to understand who they are, because if they don’t, nothing can work, just as nothing had worked before we came. From what I see and what I heard, people now want to be called Omoluabi. People now understand the reason for being the citizens of this state.
After that, we held an education summit, at which we were able to develop a strategy for education in the state. It has not manifested physically, but it will soon manifest. Though premature, if we must tell you, we have restructured education such that we will have neighbourhood schools, that will cater for Primary one to three; the junior schools, which might not be neighbourhood, will be for pupils in primary four to JSS 3, that would be called Grade 4 to Grade 9; while the high school will be for SS1 to SS3, that is, Grade 10 to 13, where students can go to any institution of their choice. That is a clear fallout of the summit and not many states have been able to do this as simple as it is, even those that were here for the last eight years.


[b]When I read their tantrum about what we have done, I laugh, because, as at the time we took over, this state was carrying a burden of N18.38 billion debt. The debt was not just an ordinary debt, it was a debt that was painful and suffocating. It was so bad that for the state to meet its recurrent expenditure, it had to borrow N1 billion every month. As at that time, the total revenue of the state was N2.1 billion (IGR was N300 million and allocation was N1.8 billion), out of which right from Abuja, N615 million would be deducted, leaving N1.5 billion. The salary as at that time was N850 million, leaving us with N650 million. Subvention to tertiary institution in the state was N850 million, leaving us minus N150 million; and we will pay pensions of N250 million. I wouldn’t know how much specifically, but as at that time, gratuity was already outstanding and it could not be less than N1.5 billion. I only knew that by June this year, the outstanding on gratuity was N2.4billion. What was allocated in December was N30 million and that was what I met, but in that month, I raised it to N50 million and by April this year, I raised it to N150 million. If I want to be very meticulous and factual, let us say we must pay gratuity of N50 million and if you subtract it you will have minus N500 million. Aside that, you must run government with money.
So, a billion naira loan has to be taken from bank to augment every month and by next month, you pay it off and continue. That was the situation I met.[/b]

[b]By March, we noticed the almost impossibility of running any government at all and having realized that there was no hope for the state should that regime continues, we see that our only saving grace was to restructure the loan and we desperately sought for financial institution that could support us by refinancing and I got one finally in the First Bank. We were able to broker a deal that allowed us to refinance the loan, such that today, as I am talking to you, the maximum we get on that suffocating loan is less than N100 million. We have removed the burden of the loan and we have spread it such that the state would not even know that it is paying anything.
If you subtract N100 million from N615 million, we have N515 million and for ease of multiplication, let us say N500 million. They took the loan in June 2010 and we concluded the arrangement of refinancing in March. June to March is 10 months. The loan by their own arrangement was to last for 36 months and if you take 10 months out of 36, we are left with 26 months. If you now multiply 26 by the N500 million we have saved, it means that we have saved this state N13 billion by our action.

No matter how cynical, careless one wants to be, it is a plus to me and my administration. So, whenever you see me, remember that this tiny man has succeeded in holding back N13 billion for Osun development.
Apart from that, we have not taken a kobo from the N25 billion refinance deal we made with the First Bank. The facility was negotiated purely to refinance the suffocating loan already taken.
Many might not understand why I am using the word suffocating loan, but by normal banking practice, if you apply for a loan and you are given, the ethical thing for the bank to do is to give a portion of the money as you need it, not for the bank to claim that all the money should be given to you at once. So, my predecessor collected N18.38 billion and from day one, Osun had the burden of paying full interest on the loan, even though they did not need the whole money from day one. That was the recklessness we stopped. I want to assume that if that is the only thing we could do, it is a major achievement.[/b]


Some people are now coming to me and saying that people are suffering and the OYES project had no positive impact on the economy and when I heard that, I laughed again. [b]Go out as journalists and do a research on whether the sales have improved in Osun or it is the same as it was when we came. The reason for the changes is not magical, it is economical. Most people have forgotten that through OYES alone, we are injecting N200 million to Osun economy every month. This economy has never had such injection since its creation. No state has ever done that as a means of boosting the economy. It is intangible, but a great achievement.
That was not all, the uniforms of the OYES were sown by Osun tailors. The tools they used running to about N200 million were bought in Osun markets. Everything about OYES, except those ones that you cannot find here, were bought from here. That to me is the first time any government would directly and deliberately patronize local people. A similar thing only happened when Baba Akande was there. Not to talk of giving the 13th month salaries to workers that they had never expected, whether in partial or whole.
Apart from that, we had realized that if we did not prepare for the rain, we will be surprised by it. We set about identifying critical areas that would prevent tragedy of flooding and I said that day that the satanic spirit that are causing flooding has been driven out of this state. God spoke through me on this and we began the processes of dredging all the rivers that had been causing flooding in the state. When the Swam Bulldozer entered the slum and was working, people never knew what it was and to the glory of God today, water is now cascading through the waterways and canals and we are all witnesses to it. Okoroko stream has been cleared, Alekuwodo is no longer a death trap because we planned it. That is practical demonstration of governance.[/b]


On agriculture, since Awolowo, as little as it is, by our own estimate, nobody has done anything close to what we have done. As I am talking to you, we have prepared 3,000 hectares of land beside the fact that we have equally given access to loans to farmers. We succeeded in ensuring that we gave support to farmers from money, to seedlings, to chemicals, which get to them directly. Today, our support for farmers is extension, talking of financial, chemical, improved seedlings and others.
[b]I am not in any way disturbed by conventional expectations of some people. Some people believed that all that is meant for the government is road, whether well done or badly done, but they have forgotten that the man that God had granted the opportunity to be the administrator of Osun now was the man used by God to transform Lagos. When you are talking of road and I am around, I don’t even want you to bother. In Nigeria today, I am still the most productive road builder in Nigeria at the level which I operated. Before my ascension to the post of commissioner in Lagos, nobody ever thought that road would be done on credit. I was the first person to develop the capacity of engagement that will ensure that contractors will work on promisory note. That was my strategy for taking Lagos to the level of which people were ready to pay money to the state and that was the basis for the wealth of Lagos. So, if I do not respond to road by your expectations, the question is why? The truth is that, if you do anything on road during the rain, you are simply wasting money because it will not stay. So, I will rather stay with inconvenience of bad road during the rains, because it won’t stay during the rain if you repair it. If you give it to Berger it will fail. If you want to use the road to judge me, you are mistaking, I am simply strategic. Just wait till the season is dry and you will see the amazing wonders on our roads.[/b]


We have equally planned to meet our programmes in education and you have been seeing the schools springing up. Prototypes are going to be built first. We are building the junior schools in Osogbo around Alekuwodo, the primary school would be built in Ife and the high school would be built in Ejigbo. When you see the prototypes, you will judge whether our intervention has meaning, but I know that the total cost of those intervention on education alone will not be less than N18 billion.


Don’t forget that this state that was N18.38 billion indebted by November when I took over, has today, N21 billion to spend on development of Osun. In the history of this state, nothing like that had ever happened. Apart from that, local governments have in their accounts N4 billion for development and If you add it, it means we have N25 billion and if you add it with N4.5 billion that we would have paid out this year on the loan, it means we have N29.5 billion.

OSDF: What effort are you making to ensure that you put up a feedback mechanism that would give you opportunity to get feedback from the people?
AREGBESOLA: On the feedback mechanism, though we are yet to release it to the public, but we have an office that would be called Bureau of Social Services (BOSS). The office will be reporting to my office and the sole responsibility is to police the activities of government everywhere in terms of policies, programmes and projects. It is our own creation to ensure effective monitoring, supervision and control of all activities of government. The office will not be in Abere, it will be in town. Its duty is to follow up projects, programmes on policies and report back to me. It will be superior to any officer in government except me and my office as governor. Even in the Works and Transport ministry of which I am a commissioner, the body will still report to tell whether I have done the work there or not. We are emphasizing this for you to know that we have put in place feedback mechanism.
Apart from that, in a democracy, the party too is an instrument for guaging the mood of the people. We are everywhere by virtue of the fact that we are a party. There is no compound in which we have no representative and through that structure, we equally get feedback from our members. We equally engage social researchers periodically to access the import of the people.


OSDF: There was this rumour sometimes when you were on Umrah that you had cancer; how did you feel then and what was your reaction to it?
AREGBESOLA: When I was on Umrah and my media aide called me that I should take a picture and send it then, I wondered why and I didn’t take him seriously. Being a Facebook frick these days, when I opened my Facebook, somebody sent a message to me and said; ‘don’t worry, I have a traditional medicine for your predicament’. As at that time, I was in the dark of the false publication that I had cancer. I replied that person that ‘Mr. man, I don’t know what you are talking about and I have no problem that will require traditional attention’. Throughout the day, I did not get the import of my aide’s request and all I did was just to send some photographs that we took in Medina. On the following day, while I was browsing, I stumbled on the publication and I was shocked that why could somebody say this to any human being. I asked that on what basis could this thing be reported about me, but I dismissed it and I went my own way. That tells you how inhuman people could get. Even if they don’t respect me, they should respect my children. You can’t just talk rubbish. That was the height of it. It began some months back in May. I left the office around 3am, I came to pick my bag and I left for Dubai for the graduation of my daughter. Before I came back, the rumour was that I fell in my bathroom and I was rushed out with a broken leg. As if that was not enough, when I went to China, they rumoured that I went for medical check-up. So, it was all rubbish and I took it as such.


OSDF: Your predecessor awarded some contracts running to billions of naira, which were not executed. What are you doing to bring the contractors to book?
AREGBESOLA: On the fake contractors, we have stripped them off their covers, by publishing their names in the newspapers. What has not happened is the expected media follow-up. As far as government is concerned, we have taken the first step and we believe that the agency setup to investigate and sanction economic offenders will be courageous enough to do the investigation, sanction them and carry out the retrieval of our funds, when we are ready to give it to them. We are using several strategies, one of which is to engage the House of Assembly to use their authority and power to invite them to come and tell the people of the state, why they would take our money and not deliver the services required.
Within the government, we will further scrutinize the report of the committee to be sure that nobody is carelessly included in that list and once we confirm that, we will contact all the appropriate authorities, to further investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.


OSDF: When we asked some security men why the incessant armed robbery incidents in the state, it was deduced from what they said that they need some Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC) and that Osun is the only state which does not have any; Ekiti has, Lagos has, as well as Ogun states and the rest. What are you doing on this?
AREGBESOLA: As a matter of fact, the state of security in Nigeria is worrisome and it is a big shame that state governments would have to bear responsibilities of purchasing munition and hardware, such as APC for the police that is not under their control. It bothers on the fact that it is an indictment on the authority that ought to manage that force and that alone further proved the need for a state police arrangement.
When you put all these together and you consider our stands on this issue long before now, you will understand where we are coming from. Therefore, we are going to do much more than most of the other states in terms of security. The only state that will beat us in our response to security challenge will be Lagos. We are going to have an outfit that will be called Swift Action Squad (SAS) and it will soon come. We are working on the establishment of our own state security funds that we will use to do all what we need to do. I want to assure you that we are going to overcome.


OSDF: Also, on your promise to establish a regional market here, where goods will be sold at the same price obtainable in Lagos. When would this be possible? At the same time, when would the rail project between Osun and other states in the South-West take off?
AREGBESOLA: On the issue of our promises on the creation of a regional market, we have reached a stage where our efforts in that regard must be made. We have not been resting, but we want to get to a particular stage before we make it known to the public.
We have also concluded arrangement with the Nigerian Railway Corporation for the use of their facilities presently to move agricultural produce free-of-charge from Osun to Lagos. We are yet to get a logistic centre in Lagos, but we are working on it. The logistic centres will be where the agricultural produce will be dropped and the franchise outlets would be put there to sell, so as to facilitate sales. In reverse order, manufactured produce would be brought from Lagos to Osun free-of-charge and be sold at Lagos prices. We have moved the terminus to Dagbolu between Osogbo and Ikirun and the Nigerian Railway had concluded its job on the terminus. A mid-regional market will be there and we are working on other supportive infrastructure. We will develop access to the area and make it conducive for heavy traffic. And we will have warehouses there.
It is not yet time for me to talk to you on the acquisition of our own locomotive stocks, not because we have not gone very far, but we are processing the concession of our own, to run facilities on the railway. We are actively working on giving our promises on that aspect. I believe in God that it would be realized.
As for the regional railway, it is nothing a state government can do, it is a regional affair and we are still working with other states to ensure that that is done.

OSDF: The health workers and the teachers in the tertiary institutions are on strike and even the workers that have just returned to work are still threatening to go back on strike. What are you doing on these issues?
AREGBESOLA: I came into political consciousness through activism and I don’t even believe that any society that is sane must be without agitation. So, those who had issues with the people administering them must always protest one thing or the other. It is the maturity of the protesters that actually qualifies their protests. As long as it is not violent, I don’t think violence or strike is anything we should slip over. As a matter of fact, we must encourage our people to protest what they do not accept.
However, as an administrator, we are doing our best to ensure that the striking workers return back to work. We are negotiating with then and I am quite sure that we will reach consensus in no distant time. We will resolve the crisis between us very soon.

OSDF: You have said that you have N29.5 billion for the development of Osun and if you calculate the money you need eventually and it is more than what you have, how will you generate more money to carry out your programmes?
AREGBESOLA: The truth of the matter is that the money that can take us out of the situation we are now cannot be less than N300 billion. Through financial re-engineering we are raising it, but what we have raised is grossly inadequate, and we will look for other methods to raise money for development, details of which I will not supply now. Just note that when it comes to the time when this money is required,s we will get it, after all, many have forgotten that Lagos is a model of a huge Internally Generated Revenue. From the inconsequential revenue base of Lagos, we succeeded in bringing it to where it is today. Because of the position of Osun geographically and economically, we might not aspire to attain the height of Lagos immediately, but I want to assure you that the strategy that was used in Lagos is today present and working in Osun.
I want to assure you that within the next twelve months, Osun will have change substantially and what we are telling you now would be realities.
Meanwhile, while I was talking, I didn’t mention OREAP, O’CLEAN, and O’TOUR, through which we organize Osun festival, such of which has never been done in the history of the state. We believe in God that very soon, we will do more.
By my own commitment, I want to leave here by far better and comparable to any human society anywhere in the world and I want you to join me to achieve this.

Crime fighting: Rep commends Aregbesola

A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, has commended the Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for approving the immediate purchase of five Armoured Personnel Carriers and 12 new patrol vans to support the state Police Command in combating crime.

The lawmaker, representing the Ilesa West/Ilesa East/Atakumosa West/Atakumosa East Federal Constituency in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, described the state government’s prompt attention to providing tools to the police as responsive.

In a statement, he said: “This action shows how responsive Osun State Government is to have gone into the state’s minute treasury in its bid to protect lives and properties of the habitants of the state.

“It is a shameful act for the Police Force to have waited for the state government to purchase the APCs for them despite the fact that this is not the responsibility of a state government. But of course, as a responsible governor, Ogbeni Aregbesola will do all within his reach to provide adequate security for the people of the state.”

https://www.osundefender.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Osun-To-Partner-Netherlands-On-Massive-Food-Production.jpg


Osun To Partner Netherlands On Massive Food Production

The leadership of the Netherlands has indicated the intention of the country to partner with Osun State government, to boost the agricultural programme of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, especially in the area of massive food production.
Netherlands Deputy Head of Mission to Nigeria, Mr. Hans de Brabander, who doubles as the Head of Economic Affairs, Netherland Embassy, gave the hint in Osogbo, the state capital last Thursday, during a partnership meeting with the governor, on the agricultural development of the state.
Commending the present administration for its efforts so far on the development of agriculture in the state, the foreign mission deputy director assured the state government that food processing companies in Netherland would be mobilized to invest in the state, for the development of the state.
According to him, the partnership of his country with the state would automatically boost the economy of the state to an unimaginable level, saying that similar agricultural strategy has done wonder in his country.
Responding, the governor stated that his administration was not only ready to partner with Netherland and any company, but the government was eager to see the partnership yielding results as soon as possible.
The governor noted that anybody who has interest to invest in agriculture in the state, whether individuals or cooperate bodies, would be given land for the investment free-of-charge, with guarantee that food production would be of high priority.
He further stated that as much as his administration was committed to the feeding of its people, through massive food production, support from Netherlands and the companies from the country would be helpful.
Highlighting the efforts that had been made on agriculture so far, the governor noted that his administration had finalized arrangement with Nigeria Railway Corporation, to transport agricultural produce from the state to Lagos free-of-charge, while manufactured goods would also be transported to Osun free-of-charge for the benefit of the state, to promote heavy commerce.
The governor, who also highlighted the qualities in the state for investors to benefit from, said “because of the fact that we have national control centre of power supply in Osogbo, we enjoy an average of 12 hours of uninterrupted power supply on a daily basis. That is an advantage to us”.
The governor expressed hope that the companies would take the advantages of the potentials of the state to partner with it, which he noted, would be of a great benefit to the state, the Netherlands and the interested companies and investors

Opposition inspired House to probe NNPC – Famurewa

The representative of Ilesa-East/Ilesa-West/Atakumosa-East/Atakumosa-West Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Mr Ajibola Famurewa, in this interview with TUNDE ODESOLA, comments on the controversy trailing the N450bn Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation account, among other issues.

What’s your view on the controversial N450bn in NNPC account?

It’s an issue that touches the very fundamentals of our national integrity. If N450bn can be missing like that in the accounts of the NNPC, it calls for soul-searching and deeper reflection. We need to probe and know what really transpired. Who paid what money to whom? NNPC regulation says you can’t hold the corporation’s money for more than 24 hours. We must set things straight and show that we are a nation that respects accountability. If it were in other climes, long before the conclusion of the investigation into the matter, some people would have resigned. A handful of people should not bleed the country while the majority live on less than N200 daily.


Why has it taken the National Assembly this long to uncover the money? Does this not mean dereliction by federal legislators in their oversight duties?



If some powers that be have their way they wouldn’t allow the issue to come up on the floor of the House. The mentioning of the issue on the floor of the House reflects the beauty of a pluralistic House with diverse members from different parties. If the House was dominated by a single party as it used to be in the past, the issue might never have seen the light of the day. The issue came up because we now have the opposition parties in a large percentage. The National Assembly committees on Finance and Petroleum should intensify investigation on the issue and pursue it to a logical end. Unlike in the past, we now have 158 members of the opposition in the House of Representatives. This is good for our democracy. In the past, the opposition was not more than 30. Now the Action Congress of Nigeria alone has 71 members with other members of the opposition having their share.

What’s your view on the arraignment of ACN leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, by the Code of Conduct Bureau?

The law of Nigeria does not say you should not have a foreign account, it only says you cannot run it while in office. You cannot say my son’s foreign account is mine; my son should be responsible for his account. How much is in the whole account? It’s about 30, 000 pounds. The question is: did Tinubu truly run the account while in office? He’s being persecuted because of his rising political profile. He’s the soul of the opposition in the country. He’s being persecuted because the ruling Peoples Democratic Party wants to win the next general elections at all cost.

The PDP in Osun State has criticised Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s style of leadership, saying the governor is running the state like a sole administrator?

The criticism is not in good faith. The state government created 20, 000 jobs within 90 days in office through the Osun State Youth Empowerment Scheme. A year before Aregbesola assumed power, flood sacked Osogbo. A few months after coming to power, he solved the problem of flooding in the state by dredging and widening the waterways. The enormity of flood this year should have spelt disaster for the state if not for the proactive measure taken by the government.

What’s your view on the clamour for true federalism?

The ACN has been clamouring for true federalism because it is a key to development. We must allow every region develop accord to its resources and capacity. No region should hold the other down.

The Federal Government has been criticised for lacking the necessary willpower to stop acts of terrorism by the Islamic fundamentalist, Boko Haram. Do you share this view?

The President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, must be decisive in his actions. We must beef up our security in the country. Victims of Boko Haram terror acts are Christians, Muslims, young, old, men and women

Gbawe:
I hope the usual sycophants of GEJ and the PDP on Nairaland , as well as those generally uninformed of aregbesola's effort, will read and comprehend what is written below. Folks who work with fact and have personal integrity will agree that the attack on Aregbesola is simply motivated by mischief and bigotry. He will be one of the best Governors in Nigeria. His record of achievement is there for all to see even if mischief makers , supporting a historically mediocre President , want to pretend otherwise. In the case of Beaf, he is simply a Yoruba wannabe who follows and worship Yoruba people and the SW like a lost dog with no home of its own.


http://www.osundefender.org/?p=20490

Gbawe:
I hope the usual sycophants of GEJ and the PDP on Nairaland , as well as those generally uninformed of aregbesola's effort, will read and comprehend what is written below. Folks who work with fact and have personal integrity will agree that the attack on Aregbesola is simply motivated by mischief and bigotry. He will be one of the best Governors in Nigeria. His record of achievement is there for all to see even if mischief makers , supporting a historically mediocre President , want to pretend otherwise. In the case of Beaf, he is simply a Yoruba wannabe who follows and worship Yoruba people and the SW like a lost dog with no home of its own.


http://www.osundefender.org/?p=20490

Whynotthetruth:
You're one bloody pathetic soul, hypocrite, and bigot that doesn't know when and where to draw the line...

http://www.punchng.com/news/osun-workers-protest-non-payment-of-five-months-salaries/

Whynotthetruth:
A senior Civil Servant identified as Ojo Owolabi attempted to commit suicide
in Obokun Local Government Area of the State by drinking insecticide.
Owolabi was said to have attempted suicide because of his inability to cater
for his family as civil servants in the State are being owed six months salary.
The incident which occurred at Owolabi’s residence last Saturday in Obokun
Local Government Area of the State threw residents into a state of confusion.
DOWNLOAD: Daily Post Android App
It was gathered from a source closed to Owolabi that he wanted to take his
life because he got frustrated over his inability to cater for his family.
The source affirmed, “Baba Ibeji, Owolabi, drank herbicide. He was frustrated
because he has been unable to feed himself and other members of his family.
“You are aware that the state government has not paid workers for some
months now. I think he just lost hope and decided to take his life by drinking
Gramoxone.
Diezani reportedly jets out with Buhari to London
DAILY POST learnt that Owolabi’s wife and children have moved out of the
house after he could not meet their needs.

Whynotthetruth:
The delight of this festive period is going to be lost to workers in about 27
states of the federation, but more especially those in Benue, Ondo, Osun, and
Oyo State Civil Service, as they celebrate in groans and tears over unpaid
salaries of several months by the state government.
While others in other organizations go home smiling with bags of rice and other
take home allowance, this festive period seems bleak and faded for workers in
these three states as the government of the state has ignored them all.
Workers in Ondo state embarked on strike on Thursday over the unpaid salary
of three months by the state government and threatened to shut down
Mimiko’s Government.
Same is said in Osun State where workers rely largely on salaries; there is also
a pause in commercial activities in the State because of non-payment of civil
servants’ salaries for months in the state.
In Ogun State where the civil service workers have been unpaid for months,
there have been lamentations and demands that their salaries should be paid
regularly rather than the staggered mode of payments which is causing them
pain during this festive period.
Meanwhile, in Oyo state, where the government also owes workers of the state,
the state Secretary Chief Michael Koleso escaped by whiskers when protesting
angry civil servants almost mobbed him on Monday over their overdue unpaid
salaries. It always reported that daughters of the state Governor Ajimobi have
been involved in ostentatious display of wealth by buying expensive dresses,
with each of them worth a whooping sum of N3million, for a British Fashion
Award while state workers languish in lack and penury.




Bleak Christmas for Civil Servants …Ondo,
Oyo, Osun, Others, Owe Several Month
Salaries

http://www.thecapital.ng/index.php/lastest-news/1405-bleak-christmas-for-civil-servants-ondo-oyo-osun-others-owe-several-month-salaries

Kasiem2:
Una wan bury gbawe here?

Gbawe:
You guys make me laugh. If better folks talk then I will respond. All I see, from the poster who 'resurrected this post to the last poster above me, are the same set of bitter, frustrated SE/SS haters who denigrate Osun and the SW 24/7, with terms like "dirty" and "poverty-ridden" now pretending to care about Osun. I guess this Jonathan loss has really hit you guys bad to the extent you are now obsessed with Aregbe, Osun and anything to do with the SW.

Well, it is only foolish and jobless South-Westerners who will feel they owe you creatures of hate an explanation over the politics of the SW which happens to be the very same region you worthless miscreant hate on 24/7 here on NL. Go and mind your own business and stop acting like vengeful vagabonds all over the place because your messiah lost an election. I don't owe you lowlife an audience same as a black man would not waste his time entertaining racists and white supremacists.

Gbawe:
You guys make me laugh. If better folks talk then I will respond. All I see, from the poster who 'resurrected this post to the last poster above me, are the same set of bitter, frustrated haters who denigrate Osun and the SW 24/7, with terms like "dirty" and "poverty-ridden" now pretending to care about Osun. I guess this Jonathan loss has really hit you guys bad to the extent you are now obsessed with Aregbe, Osun and anything to do with the SW. Well, it is only foolish and jobless South-Westerners who will feel they owe you creatures of hate an explanation over the politics of the SW which happens to be the very same region you worthless miscreant hate on 24/7 here on NL. Go and mind your own business and stop acting like vengeful vagabonds all over the place because your messiah lost an election.

Gbawe:
You guys make me laugh. If better folks talk then I will respond. All I see, from the poster who 'resurrected this post to the last poster above me, are the same set of bitter, frustrated SE/SS haters who denigrate Osun and the SW 24/7, with terms like "dirty" and "poverty-ridden" now pretending to care about Osun. I guess this Jonathan loss has really hit you guys bad to the extent you are now obsessed with Aregbe, Osun and anything to do with the SW.

Well, it is only foolish and jobless South-Westerners who will feel they owe you creatures of hate an explanation over the politics of the SW which happens to be the very same region you worthless miscreant hate on 24/7 here on NL. Go and mind your own business and stop acting like vengeful vagabonds all over the place because your messiah lost an election. I don't owe you lowlife an audience same as a black man would not waste his time entertaining racists and white supremacists.

Kasiem2:
Una wan bury gbawe here?