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Tag: Amosun

  • Ogun and the Amosun phenomenon

    Ogun and the Amosun phenomenon

    Simplicity, discipline and steadfastness are perhaps some of the adjectives required in describing Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the governor of Ogun State.

    Amosun, who is also the apostle of prudence, transparency and accountability in governance, has left no one in doubt as to his mission in Government House.

    Very modest, articulate and principled, Amosun is a silent performer who has warmed himself to the hearts of the people with his populist programmes as well as his well-designed policy of developing an industrial and commercial economy that has provided wealth and abundant opportunities for his people.

    The administration of Governor Amosun has not only restored confidence of the people to government but has boldly embarked on far-reaching socio-economic reforms and programmes that have touched positively, the people of the state.

    On December 1, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) released the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) figures for states of the federation for the third quarter of this year, with 19 states generating total revenue of N149.45 billion.

    The bureau in the report stated that 17 states had yet to submit their IGR reports for the period.

    The report stated that Lagos State recorded the highest IGR, with N73.74 billion; while Ogun State followed with N16.9 billion.

    Delta recorded N13 billion in IGR; Kaduna, N6.3 billion; Oyo, N5.6 billion; Enugu, N4.7 billion; Bayelsa, N4.3 billion; Akwa Ibom, N3.3 billion; Cross River, N2.83 billion; and Ondo, N2.7 billion; and Plateau, N2.5 billion.

    Others are Osun, N2.4 billion; Benue, N2.3 billion; Imo, N1.6 billion; Jigawa N1.6 billion; Taraba, N1.5 billion; Ekiti N1.3 billion; Zamfara, N1.2 billion; and Yobe, N1.1 billion.

    The report read in part, “A total of N149.45 billion was generated by states in third quarter of 2017. This excludes Rivers, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Niger, Kwara, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Gombe, Edo, Borno, Bauchi, Adamawa, Abia, Ebonyi and Anambra states, which have not yet reported their IGR figures for Q3 2017.”

    The acting chairman, Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Shettima Abba-Gana, had said the decline in allocation from the Federation Account by over 30 per cent had made it imperative for the commission to assist states to increase their IGR.

    He said while some states had made efforts to increase their IGR to a level that was up to the amount they were getting from the Federation Account, others had yet to make such efforts.

    In the wake of unprecedented economic challenges in Nigeria, which have resulted in trying times for both the federal and the state governments, Ogun State has navigated these troubled economic times with relative success.

    Tough times have a way of prompting introspection and the Amosun administration has undertaken necessary operational review over the past six years and has continued to do the very best in pursuit of its ‘Mission to Rebuild’ agenda, despite the difficult economic times.

    The vast potential of Ogun State cannot be denied. The geographical diversity and attractive location of the state means that it has the potential to build economic strength through agriculture, solid minerals, trade, tourism, services as well as commerce and industry. These have been vigorously pursued and translated into opportunities, productivity and wealth for the people of the state.

    Amosun has continued to draw strength from Ogun State’s proud heritage. He has resolved to look beyond these challenging times and kept his eyes fixed on the ball.

    He remains convinced that Ogun State is an emerging economic powerhouse that is central to Nigeria’s economic diversification effort and cannot afford to be deterred in the midst of current difficulties.

    Governor Amosun has not underestimated the enormity of the task of turning around the prosperity of Ogun State.  Since he assumed power in 2011, he has prioritised the attraction of private capital to Ogun State to spur the ‘Mission to Rebuild’ agenda.

    Ogun State had languished near the bottom of the World Bank Ease of Doing Business index in the 2010 report but was ranked as one of the five most-improved states in the country in 2014 report of the global financial institution.

    Due to prudent husbandry of the scarce resources of the state and his less reliance on the monthly federal allocation, Governor Amosun has not defaulted in the payment of salaries.

    It is worth noting that the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which the Amosun administration introduced in 2011, has now got nation-wide acceptance and enabled the state to block leakages in the system.

    To increase the revenue of the state, Governor Amosun had constituted a revenue committee chaired by the governor himself where issues on businesses and internally generated revenue are sorted out.

    The establishment of One-Stop Shop domiciled in the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as synergy that exists among all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) has removed the usual bottlenecks that impede investors’ access to lands, building approval, environmental impact analysis and these have enhanced the ease of doing business in Ogun State.

    The usual bottlenecks which government removed from its relationship and partnership with private sector, coupled with massive investment in infrastructure such as roads, bridges, pipe-borne water, education, health and electricity is the magic behind the increased internally generated revenue.

    The migration of investors and industries to the state has really helped to develop the economy of the state in terms of wealth creation, employment opportunities, tax remittance, and corporate social responsibilities, among others.

    Governor Amosun has tackled the economy of Ogun State with a single-minded dedication and abundant courage. The restructuring of the economy is not something that can be accomplished in six short years even if it does not require eternity to do it. But on a balance, even the most unfair critics would not deny the fact that he has been able to put the state back on the path of progress and prosperity.

     

    • Durojaiye is Special Adviser on Information & Strategy to Governor Amosun.
  • Amosun: Homeowners’ Charter has achieved its objectives

    Amosun: Homeowners’ Charter has achieved its objectives

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said the Homeowners’ Charter Programme of his administration has achieved its objectives of helping thousands of people to regularise and obtain their land title documents.

    The governor spoke yesterday at the distribution of Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and other land title documents to another batch of beneficiaries at the Oba’s Complex Auditorium at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    In a statement by the Press Officer in the Bureau of Lands and Survey, the governor, who was represented by his senior consultant, Gbenga Otenuga, said the state government, through the scheme, had made people to obtain title documents with ease.

    He said: “The Homeowners’ Charter Programme has achieved the objectives of the current administration by helping thousands of people who have properties in the state not only to obtain building plan approval but also collect C of O with ease.”

    Amosun urged other applicants, who qualified under the scheme, to complete their payment to quicken the processing of their land title documents.

    The Director of Administration and Supplies, Agro-Services, Alhaji Kehinde Olugbedu said the C of O and building plan approval issued to beneficiaries were genuine and generally accepted anywhere.

    Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, the Vice-Chairman of Igioluwagbin Community Development Association at Sango-Ota, Mrs. Agboola Ogunjemilua, expressed appreciation the efforts of the state government.

    He promised to sensitise members of the Community Development Area (CDA) with the proof of her C of O and building plan approval.

     

  • Ogun loses N5b monthly haulage revenue to collectors, says Amosun

    Ogun loses N5b monthly haulage revenue to collectors, says Amosun

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has said the state government loses between N3 billion and N5 billion monthly to haulage revenue collectors.

    The governor said the fraud was perpetrated through cheating, extortion, use of fake receipts and failure to remit the money collected to government coffers.

    He regretted that the loss was hurting the government and limiting its capacity to serve the people effectively.

    Amosun spoke yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital, while addressing stakeholders during the kick-off ceremony of the “Harmonisation of Haulage Revenue Collection in Ogun State”.

    The governor noted that there were 63 approved toll points across the state, yet not much was coming in because of “leakages, illegal toll collection and extortion of money from payers without remitting (same) to the government”.

    He added: “This particular scheme is an improvement on the Haulage Revenue Collection Scheme. It is aimed at correcting the hitherto haphazard scheme, which allowed unscrupulous individuals to extort money from payers without remitting same to the government coffers.

    “No wonder our haulage drivers have been groaning under multiple collection that they have been subjected to. It is important to note that haulage collection should ordinarily come under the purview of the civil service structure.

    “But we decided to contract the collection to our people. Our aim was to create more openings through which we could empower more people. But I must confess that our intervention was grossly misconstrued and largely abused by majority of the participants.

    “We found out that a large chunk of generated revenue was not remitted to government and some of the operators have gone beyond the brief of the delegated authority.

    “As government, we cannot allow such abuse, which has led to major revenue loss and extortion of our people. It is for the reason that a technical committee was set up to look into how haulage revenue could be collected in a profitable manner to government and operators while also maintaining decorum and sanity.

    “Even within government circle, people were printing fake receipts. We lose between N3 billion and N5 billion monthly because some people are stealing the money. The era of people doing what they liked is over.”

    Amosun said to curb the inadequacies and block leakages his administration came up with the harmonisation of haulage revenue collection.

    The governor said the new scheme would also prevent “multiplicity” in the collection of such revenue.

    He added that the new strategy would also bring in more revenue from the revenue stream, create avenue for easy monitoring exercise and assess performance of revenue consultants as well as allows flexibility in payment.

    Also, Finance Commissioner Adewale Oshinowo said prior to the new initiative, collection of haulage revenue was haphazard and led to the loss of huge revenue to the state.

    The commissioner said a technical committee, comprising officials of the ministries of Finance, Commerce and Industry, Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, was set up to resolve hiccups in collecting the revenue and stop irregularities.

    He said: “The development will further block revenue leakages, if not eradicate it, and curb illegal toll collection, as the new tickets are tamper-proof.

    “Our strategies and basis for the product also include provision of signposts at toll points, provision of portal cabins at the toll points, to accommodate the revenue agents, provision of identification cards and we have also ensured adequate sensitisation of stakeholders and the public through print and electronic media.”

     

  • Amosun to distribute C of Os

    Amosun to distribute C of Os

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun will this week begin distribution of more Certificates of Occupancy (Cof Os) and other land title documents to another batch of beneficiaries under the Homeowners’ Charter Programme.

    Director-General Bureau of Lands and Survey  Biyi Ismail, who stated this, added that the beneficiaries would collect their documents from Thursday at the Oba’s Complex Auditorium, Governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

    He urged all contacted beneficiaries to come with valid means of identification and photocopies of same.

  • Amosun mourns former Foreign Affairs Minister, Olu Adeniji

    Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has said the death of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olu Adeniji, is a great loss to Nigeria and the international community. Amosun described the deceased, who died in London, at the age of 83, as a consummate diplomat and astute public officer, who distinguished himself in his duties in Nigeria and Diaspora.

    The Governor, in a statement, signed by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Otunba Adedayo Adeneye, said the late Adeniji lived a fulfilled life. “The late veteran diplomat enjoyed an ever rising profile in his career, which made him serve in a number of Nigerian Foreign Missions as well as occupy positions of Permanent Secretary, Foreign Affairs Minister, Nigerian Ambassador to France, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Representative for the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) and General Secretary with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL).

    “He excelled in his assisgnments all through his career and was a shinning example of a true son of Ijebu Ode, Ogun State and patriotic Nigerian”, the governor added.

    He however regretted the death of the late minister, noting that it came at a time his wise counsel will be  needed in the ongoing efforts of the Federal Government in retooling the nation’s foreign policy and programmes. He prayed God to grant Adeniji mercy and give his family the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

  • Osinbajo, Amosun, others to attend Akarigbo ’s coronation

    Osinbajo, Amosun, others to attend Akarigbo ’s coronation

    The new Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, will receive the staff of office on December 7 at the Gateway International Stadium in Sagamu, Ogun State.

    Dignitaries expected at the coronation include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi and other well -meaning Nigerians.

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar, the Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido and the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, are also expected at the event.

    The Chairman of Akarigbo Coronation Organising Committee, Asiwaju Kayode Onafowokan, disclosed these at a press conference on Friday in Sagamu.

    Onafowokan said the week-long ceremony would feature various events, which would precede the coronation proper, organised by the youth wing of the committee.

    “The pre-coronation ceremonies will start with a four-day programme of activities, which include a football competition among the various Remo constituencies.

    “There is also the Akarigbo marathon race, a youth rally across Remoland and a youth party, following the coronation event proper on Thursday,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Dogara, Ambode, Amosun, Ooni, Alake, others for Ogun monarch’s coronation anniversary

    The Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Hon Yakubu Dogara; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and his Osun and Ogun State counterparts, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; Ibikunle Amosun; Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Alake of Egba, Oba Aremu Gbadebo are among the dignitaries expected at the 12th coronation anniversary of Eselu of Eselu in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi.

    The event will be held on Sunday December 3 at the Eselu palace in Oja Odan. Others expected at the event are the Olu of Ilaro, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle, Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye, Oba Rasak Adenugba, Abepe of Joga, Oba Adeyemi Adekeye, Oloja of Epe, Oba Kamordeen Animashaun, among others. Oba Akinyemi said the event was planned to thank his people, friends and associates for standing by him in the last 12 years of his ascension to the throne. He said his kingdom had witnessed fairly impressive development since he be came the monarch, adding that there was prospect for mineral exploration in the community. ‘’There has been increase in infrastructural development such as rural electrification. The community is blessed with mineral resources like limestone,  and gypsium. The limestone and gypsium deposit in my domain, according to a geological survey can last over 100 years.’’

  • Amosun presents N345b budget to Ogun Assembly

    Amosun presents N345b budget to Ogun Assembly

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday presented to the House of Assembly an Appropriation Bill of N345.42 billion for next year’s fiscal year.

    Reading the budget, christened: Budget of Accelerated Development at the floor of the Assembly before the 26-member legislators, Amosun said the proposed appropriation bill represented a 57 per cent increase over the outgoing year, which stood at N221.09 billion.

    A breakdown of the budget shows that N81,869 billion goes to personnel cost, comprising N68.369 billion for salaries and allowances, while N13.50 billion will go into pension and gratuity of retired workers.

    Also, the state earmarked N39.82 billion for overhead cost, representing 11.53 per cent of the total budget; recurrent expenditure takes N121.698 billion, representing 35.23 per cent, while N223.721 billion is allocated to capital expenditure.

    The governor said the budget would be financed with funds from Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of N149.258 billion; Federation Account of N48 billion; capital receipts of N98.16 billion and other receipts of N50 billion.

    A further analysis shows that Education received N79.246 billion (22.9 per cent) of the total; Health got N21.199 billion and Agriculture N21.137 billion, representing 6.13 per cent of the total.

    Amosun expressed the confidence that the Budget of Accelerated Development would help the state to actualise his administration’s cardinal programmes on qualitative and affordable education, healthcare, housing, agriculture, infrastructural development and employment generation.

     

  • Amosun to distribute C of O Thursday

    Amosun to distribute C of O Thursday

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun will distribute Certificates of Occupancy (C of O) and other land title documents to another batch of beneficiaries under the Homeowners’ Charter Programme.

    The Director-General of Bureau of Lands and Survey, Mr. Biyi Ismail, spoke in his office in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    He said beneficiaries would collect their documents from November 23 at 9 am at the Oba’s Complex Auditorium of the Governor’s Office at Oke-Mosan in Abeokuta.

    Ismail urged contacted beneficiaries to attend the distribution ceremony with valid means of identification and photocopies of same.

    He advised them to be at the venue at 8 am for accreditation.

  • Amosun urged to fix Agbara-Atan road

    Amosun urged to fix Agbara-Atan road

    Concerned residents of Agbara industrial area have urged Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun to fix the deplorable Agbara-Atan road to prevent further deaths that occur on the road.

    Agbara Industrial Area is home to foremost multinational firms, like GSK, Nestle, Unilever, P&G, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Hayatt, Reckitt Benckiser and dozens of others.

    The Agbara–Atan road, which leads to the premium industrial estate, has been in a state of disrepair for over seven years, causing several deaths and injuries to the users.

    A resident, Mr Kayode Ebadan, who has been residing in Agbara for over a decade, said the Ogun State government appeared to have abandoned the road.

    He said: “Honestly, one cannot understand why the Ogun State government has abandoned this area, despite being a major income earner for the government. So many lives have been lost to avoidable accidents as a result of the deplorable condition of the road.”

    According to him, a recent effort to build a flyover at Lusada Junction worsened the hardship the residents faced.

    Ebadan added: “The hardship and economic crisis caused by the poor state of the road has remained astronomic. The people are groaning under untold hardship and people are grieving at the nightmare they’ve been subjected to on the road.”

    Determined to ensure that attention be given to the road, the concerned resident said he was collating the signatures of other residents over the abandoned road.

    Ebadan said he had collated 1,037 signatures though he aimed at getting at least 1,500 before presenting the residents’ position to the state government.

    He said the people’s protest would be submitted to Amosun, House of Assembly Speaker Suraj Adekunbi and the senator representing Ogun West in the National Assembly, Joseph Dada.

    Ebadan said: “We request that the road be fixed promptly to prevent its degenerating into a complete disconnection from the rest of the state.

    “The main road is of top priority to the well-being of the populace and the major industries located and represented in the area.”