Gov Adeleke Douses Tension, Says Osun Now Stabilized, Marks 100 Days In Office

By Ayodele Oni

Contrary to allegation by opposition All Progressive Congress, (APC) that the state is under seige, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has said his administration has been able to stabilize the state within its first 100 days in office.

In an address, on Tuesday to mark his first 100 days in office, the Governor stated that the administration is fully set to correct some of the mistakes of the immediate past regime.

The governor disclosed that the various review committees he set up when he assumed office were already submitting their reports.

“I have consequently set up White Papers committee on the recommendations of the various committees.

“Before long, our government will take decisions on the various recommendations through a White Paper.”

Adeleke, while giving an update on the progress of his administration  revealed that he would review his scorecard, dwelling on governance.

“You are all aware of the turbulence that surrounded our assumption of office. I am glad to report that we stabilized the state and brought many issues under control.

“In the last three months, we took charge of the state economy and redirected the government’s efforts towards meeting the needs of the people.

“We changed state focus to satisfaction of citizens’ needs. Our mantra emerges as people’s first.

The purpose of government is delivery of good governance and services to the citizenry.

“For a long time, our people were deprived of a listening government. For years, the citizenry cried for a responsive leadership.

“When we came on board, we filled that gap and identified for immediate action the pressing needs of the various communities.

“In our quest to deliver on those areas of needs, we became blind to party affiliations. All abandoned projects by the previous administration were revived.

“State personnel who showed genuine commitment to the public good were retained, irrespective of their antecedents.”

Reeling out his scorecard, he spoke on the ongoing and completed projects embarked upon by his administration and also the future plans for the state.

These, the governor stated, included: “Provision of portable borehole water in each of the 333 wards in Osun State. These are at various stages of completion;

“Construction of 20 km of roads across Osun State; presentation of N518m to 40 communities in Osun State for infrastructural developments.

“These World Bank supported projects are implemented through community development associations. My government is setting up a monitoring committee to ensure strict implementation of the projects;

“Imole Surgical and Medical Outreach: 2000 persons in each of the nine federal constituencies in Osun State, making a total of 18,000 beneficiaries.

“This project was flagged off at Iwo and has reached Ila Orangun and Ile Ife. It will reach Ilesa by next week.

“Rural electrification projects across Osun state. Provision of transformers and other electrical materials to ensure that communities without electricity can have light. This project is ongoing;

“Payment of salaries and pension arrears from January 2016 owed by the past administration;

“This is ongoing and feedback showed that our people appreciate my government’s action on this half salary crisis inherited from the last administration;

“Enrollment of 3000 Osun indigenes on the Osun Health Insurance Scheme (OHIS) to ensure adequate healthcare access for the people. This is expanding the scope of health care coverage in the state;

“Construction of broken bridge at Bokusoro/Adeeke in Iwo to forestall loss of life on the bridge in the past due to erosion.

“I have also directed the expansion of the coverage area of the bridge. It links Iwo town to the main road leading to Ibadan.

“Resumption of the construction of the Osogbo/Ikirun/Kwara Boundary Road abandoned by the past administration;

“The road, which stretches over 20km, is wearing a new look and easing movement of users as a result of my intervention. I will be commissioning the road by this Friday;

“Launched Osun on Tech Revolution through new Tech Innovation Policy, ICT Policy, Domestication of Nigeria’s Startup Act and Osun Goggle Mapping Project.

“This is the first time Osun State will be having a comprehensive policy framework on digital economy and tech innovations;

“In my drive to expand the startup ecosystem, Osun is billed to be the first state in Nigeria to domesticate the Nigeria Startup Act. I am sending the draft bill for the domestication to the state House of Assembly;

“I have also continued to support Osun State University to expand its facilities for first class academic delivery.

“To that end, I approved the almost completed Faculty of Medicine building of the university. Equally, I support unhindered ongoing projects across the university system;

“Flag off of Osun Broadband Fiber Optic project. Yesterday (Monday), I launched the fiber optic project which has remained stalled for the past four years.

“We waived payment of Right of Way in line with the National Broadband Policy and request of World Bank to expand internet penetration across Nigeria.

“My administration is determined to place Osun on a digital world map and grow our state economy.”