Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has said his administration has been able to stabilise the state within its first 100 days in office.
He stated this in an address, today, to mark his first 100 days in office, having been sworn in on 27 November, 2022 as the duly elected governor of the state.
The governor, while giving an update on the progress of his administration in its100 days in office, said 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 stabilised 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,” Governor Adeleke stated.
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,” he said.
Governor Adeleke said, in the spirit of transparency, listed roads currently under reconstruction by his administration.
He listed the roads to include dualization of Osogbo-Ikirun Road with street light; Oja oba (Iso Isu/Iso Ata/Iso Eran/Iso Ewe)- First Baptist Model Academy with spur to Oba Oyetona street, osogbo;
Enuwa-Oniyangi-Ita Osun-Oke Atan with spur to Egbedu-Ilode Junction, Ile Ife; Ibadan/Ife Express Junction-Islamiya Okiti Junction, Ikire;
Alajue Junction (Ojularide Street)-Bode Junction-Admus Filling Station/Oja Oje Ede; Monday Market-Railway Station Road, Ikirun; Iresi Township Road;
Ansaruldeen Central Mosque Junction-Kuti Junction-Hospital Road, Iwo; Ita-Ofa-Oromu-Araromi (Market Gate) Ilesa;
Atakumosa Market Road; Obiteni-Omo Ofe Road, Ilesa; Oke Oye-Oke Ita with spur to Ogodogbo and Temidire Road, Ibokun, Ilesa;
Rehabilitation of Gbega Junction-John Mackay (Oke Ayepe Costain), Osogbo (Phase 1);
Rehabilitation of Oloruntedo Community (Costain John mackay-East Bypass Osogbo (phase 2), Osogbo;
Rehabilitation of Aanuolu Hospital- Ahmadiya Powerline, Ede; and rehabilitation of Ogberin Junction-Akala- Oloki Junction-Oluoboini Iso Ege, Ede.
Adeleke listed critical road interventions in the past 100 days to include spot patching of Lameco-Station Road; Oke Fia-Dele Yes Sir; Oke Onitea failed section and Owode failed section.
According to him, culverts constructed within the period included Shasha failed culverts, UniOsun Road; failed culvert (Adeeke, Iwo); Owoope/Oke Ola Ajegunle box culvert (Gbogan); and Allahu Lateef Sawmill failed culvert, Ede.
He said he has summoned a meeting with the contractor handling the Osogbo-Iwo Road Project.
“I demanded quality and a faster phase of work. I believe the contractor will comply with my directive.
“The state Ministry of Works is also directed to ensure speedy but qualitative work.
“I assure our people on that strategic road that our administration is committed to speedy completion of the project,” he added.
Governor Adeleke disclosed that his administration has launched a farmers intervention initiative ahead of the rainy season.
“The initiative involves grants on fertilizers and farm chemicals to indigent farmers.
“I have directed the OSADEP as the agency with a mandate on farm input management to work out the modality for the implementation,” he said.
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,” he added.
Adeleke also said the committee he set up on the take off of the University of Ilesa has submitted its report.
He said the white paper on the committee report will soon be issued, adding: “I assure my people of Ijesaland that my administration is committed to the protection of their interest.
“Our administration is only determined to ensure a sustainable take off of the university.”
On the issue of contributory pensioners and others, the governor said he has been informed of some names missing in the ongoing payments of half salaries.
“I have directed those handling the payment to ensure that all anomalies are corrected.
“As for the contributory pensioners, I am issuing bond cheques to the contributory pensioners by this Thursday. It is their turn to feel the impact of our government.
“Let me restate the commitment of our administration to resolving all outstanding salary and pension issues. I urge our people to be patients. We will ensure all outstanding payments are cleared,” he said.
On the future plans for the state, Adeleke said his administration, in the next few months, “will continue to correct the outstanding legacy of maladministration inherited from the previous administration.
“We will deploy our five-point agenda to reposition the state and set it on a growth pedestal.
“To that end, Osun people should expect more robust delivery of services as well as new initiatives. Among those new areas area as follows:
“Climate Change Action Plan for job creation and environmental protection.
“My administration is working on a landmark climate change state policy that will generate jobs, ensure inflow of developmental aids to Osun State.
“New Tourism and Entertainment Policy: In line with our five-point agenda and report of my transition committee, my administration is working to reposition the tourism and entertainment sector.
“The state will soon witness a flurry of activities targeted at tapping into the cultural, tourism and entertainment potentials of our dear state.
“A team of sector professionals are working to deliver on this ambitious project;
“#CallaDoctor Project- Application of telemedicine to expand healthcare access for artisans, market women and informal transport operators.
“Our administration is working with a firm of specialist medical professionals to introduce this scheme that will bring medical consultation and treatment to the doorsteps of our people. The full plan will soon be unfolded to our people;
“Osun State Land Administration System, (Osun GIS): In our desire to harness our land resources, our administration plans to introduce the Osun GIS system to perform online transactions, maintenance, and data dissemination through land registry, for the registration and maintenance of property title.
“The new system will ensure digitization of existing and new land titles/deeds, enhance revenue generation through property valuation and taxation, among others and allow deployment of an Osun State Geospatial Infrastructure System, with a scalable technology.
“We are working with a specialist company to make this project a reality.”
He sought for the continued support and prayers of the people of the state for his administration.
He also urged them to vote enmasse for the 26 candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) contesting the House of Assembly election on Saturday.
“Your vote for those PDP candidates is a vote for good governance and a vote for me to continue delivery of democratic dividends,” he concluded.
