The Nation Newspaper

Tag: OSUN

  • Govt: Attack on Ilori is assault on Osun

    Govt: Attack on Ilori is assault on Osun

    The Osun State government yesterday said the attack on its Commissioner for Regional Integration, Bola Ilori, in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at the All Progressives Congress (APC) restructuring summit is barbaric, reprehensible and an assault on the sovereignty of the state.

    Ilori was part of the delegation that presented Osun State’s position at the forum last Thursday.

    A statement by Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s Media Adviser, Sola Fasure, said hoodlums’ attack on Ilori was said to be political motivated and sponsored by a top-ranking Ondo State Executive Council (Exco) member.

    ?The statement noted that the attack was indirectly meted out to Osun State, which Ilori represented at the programme.

    It said: “The statement credited to Yemi Olowolabi that ‘what happened is sad but it is avoidable. It is apparent the Osun delegates came prepared with thugs, charms, ammunition and cudgels to an event, which was supposed to be an all-APC event’ was highly undiplomatic and not expected from a commissioner of that status.

    “This state of affairs was far from the truth as Olowolabi made people to believe. The Osun delegate simply went armed with their intellect to marshal the position of the state.

    “Why would a delegate ?go with dangerous objects to a conference on restructuring when Ondo and Osun are not at war or in confrontation over any issue?

    “Ilori represented the government and people of Osun State. Therefore, he deserved to be accorded the courtesy and respect due to the state. He deserved to be protected by the Government of Ondo as well as security agencies at the venue of the conference.

    “All these safety measures were not in place. Rather, Ilori was exposed? to attack by some top government official, who reportedly had an axe to grind with him over election matters in the state.

    “The attack on Ilori is barbaric and reprehensible, to say the least. It is no doubt an attack on the people and Government of Osun, which Ilori represented at the meeting. We condemn this affront on the people and Government of Osun, which the attack on our delegate signposted.”

  • Civil servant killed by lightening

    Civil servant killed by lightening

    A 47-year-old civil servant, Salami Adekunle, was on Thursday  struck to death by lightening  in Oro, Kwara, the News Agency of Nigeria ( NAN ) reports.

    NAN gathered that the deceased was until his demise a staff of the Registry Department of the College of Education, Oro,  Irepodun Local Government Area of the state.

    The deceased was said to be leaving the institution’s examination office for the Registry Department  at  about 10 a.m.  when the lightening struck during a downpour.

    The lifeless body of the deceased, who hailed from Ilesa in Osun  was sighted  lying at the spot of the incident preparatory to spiritual cleansing.

    Mr  Adesola Adewoye, the institution’s Public Relation Officer, who confirmed the incident, said that all  efforts   to rescue the deceased  proved abortive.

    “The staff and management swung into action immediately the deceased was struck, but all our efforts to resuscitate him proved abortive,’’ he said.

    He described the deceased as an easy going, loyal and dedicated staff who will stop at nothing to impress his employer.

    “Our prayer is for God to give the family, friends and associate the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” he said.

    A NAN correspondent, who visited the scene of the incident,  reports that staff of the institution were seen in group discussing the development.

    Some traditional religion worshippers were said to have later  performed  some rites  on the corpse of the  deceased before it was taken away for burial.

  • Osun, Kano declare today, tomorrow Islamic holiday

    The Osun State government has declared today a public holiday to commemorate the Islamic New Year.

    Today is the beginning of a new Islamic year, 1439 After Hijra (AH).

    A statement by Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Adelani Baderinwa, said the Islamic year started counting in 622 AD after the emigration of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) from Makkah to Medina in Saudi Arabia.

    The commissioner said Governor Rauf Aregbesola adopted the day as an official public holiday on November 15, 2012.

    He said the governor wished Muslims in Osun State and across the world a Happy New Year celebration and enjoined the residents to continue living harmoniously and peacefully in tolerance and understanding.

    The statement said: “The governor said as Muslims enter a New Year, they must not only celebrate but also strive, as part of what Allah (SWT) commands them, to internalise the lessons and essence of the Hijrah as exemplified by uncommon patience and endurance of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the face of hardship.

    “The governor hoped the New Year would usher the state into another era of economic prosperity, stability and peace.

    “Governor Aregbesola specifically charges Muslims and other people in the state to imbibe the lessons of the Hijrah by leaving sinful and malfeasance practices, which constitute a stumbling block to the progress of the state and Nigeria, for a new life and conduct that will add value to the state and the country.

    “Governor Aregbesola calls on Muslim faithful to intensify prayers for the nation against all manner of afflictions that we seem to be currently undergoing in terms of economic hardship and insecurity, praying for Allah’s intervention.

    The governor advised the people to use the new Islamic year for their spiritual development.”

    Also, the Kano State government has declared tomorrow public holiday to mark the new Islamic year.

    A statement by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, said the Islamic New Year, which is first month in the lunar Islamic calendar, coincides with activities marking the nation’s 57th anniversary celebration.

    Garba quoted Acting Governor Prof Hafiz Abubakar as congratulating the people of the state and Muslims the world over for witnessing the New Year.

    The commissioner said Abubakar urged Kano residents to use the public holiday well by offering prayers for peace and prosperity of the country.

    He said the acting governor reassured the residents of government’s determination to improve their living standards.

    He also urged Nigerians to join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to build a peaceful and harmonious country.

    NAN reports that tomorrow is the first day of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar, marking the beginning of the new Islamic year 1439 After Hijra (AH).

  • NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    NLC threatens to name, shame governors owing salaries

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to name and shame state governors, who refused to pay complete salaries to workers in the country, in spite of the bailout funds.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this at the National Executive Council meeting of the Non Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Wabba said that some state governors have refused to effectively utilise both the bailout funds and the Paris Club refund given to them by the Federal Government.

    According to him, 10 out of the 36 states are particularly guilty of the offence, while six of the ten states were in terrible situation. We have promised to name and shame them.

    “The congress has directed all states chapters whose members are owed more than three months’ salaries arrears to declare an industrial action and we have promised to name and shame them.

    “The states include Imo that has been paying workers’ salaries in percentage and has not declared utilization of the bailout fund and Paris club refund.

    “”They paid 40 per cent pension to their pensioners without their consent and provided a form for them to sign under duress. That is not allowed in law.

    “We have Bayelsa which has between five to 10 months’ arrears, Ondo is owing between four and six, Ekiti, (five to eight), Benue (five to eight) and Kogi which is the worst case scenario.

    “We have three category of workers in Kogi. We have 40 per cent that are being paid up to date, we have 25 per cent that had not been paid between eight and sixteen months.

    “We also have another 25 per cent that have not been paid between eight and twenty-one months.

    “In all the sectors, they have categorised the workers into three categories,” he said.

    The president also listed Osun, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Abia among others still owing salaries and non-implementation of the 2011 National Minimum Wage for workers.

    Wabba while speaking on the issue of increase tariff, warned the government against approving another increase in electricity tariff.

    He said that the congress would mobilise its affiliates, social partners and other Nigerians to resist any further increase.

    He noted that Nigerians were yet to get good services for the previous increment which has been declared illegal by the court.

    “The twin issue of fuel price increase and electricity tariff has made nonsense of the minimum wage. We have not been able to justify that 45 per cent increase.

    “But now, they are coming again with another increase. Let me say emphatically that NLC as an Organisation and all our affiliates will resist any attempt to increase the electricity tariff again,”he warned.

    Earlier, Mr Chris Ani, National President of NASU, said the current agitation for restructuring and fiscal federalism were attempts to divert attention from misgovernance and ineptitude the nation has been going through.

    Ani said that Nigerians should not be distracted by elements that have actively participated in the looting and mismanagement of our economy and can be found in the two major political parties.

    “What Nigeria workers need at this point in time is not whether more power should be given to states, but to know how they have managed the power at their disposal at the moment,”he said.

    He, however, urged the government to ensure improved welfare and benefits, jobs security, prompt payment of salaries, among others for workers in the country.

  • Osun doctors embark on a seven-day warning strike

    Osun doctors embark on a seven-day warning strike

     The Osun State Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA ) on Monday ordered its members working with state government to proceed on a 7-day warning strike over unpaid salary arrears and poor working condition.

    The NMA Chairman in the state, Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke gave the directive after an emergency general meeting of the association in Osogbo.

    Olajumoke said the 7-day warning strike was coming after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to the government by the association to meet its demands.

    “The 7-day warning strike is to commence immediately because the 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government to look into the pending issues raised by the doctors has expired.

    “Within that 7-day there will not be any form of clinical activities in all the state- owned hospitals and no doctor is allowed to treat any patient for that seven days.”

    Olajumoke stressed that the warning strike was to allow the government to engage the doctors in a dialogue to look into their demands.

    Other demands by the doctors are nonpayment of CONMESS salary scale, over taxation, mutilated and outstanding salaries of doctors, among others.

    Reacting to the strike, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu lsamotu, appealed to the doctors to be patient with the state government , saying their requests are being looked into.

    Isamotu said the government was committed to providing quality healthcare delivery for the masses as well as ensuring that the doctors get the best from the government of osun.

  • Aregbesola promises support for PANAFEST

    Aregbesola promises support for PANAFEST

    State of Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has reiterated his commitment to support the course of Pan-Africanism. The governor said by virtue of ‘our skin pigmentation,’ Africans and blacks in the Diaspora have to work together towards uplifting the black race.

    Aregbesola said this when the Nigerian coordinators of PANAFEST paid him a courtesy visit.

    Aregbesola said it was his belief in pan-Africanism that has mad him to continue to support PANAFEST. Co-ordinators of the festival in Nigeria, Misters Taiye and Kehinde Olufunso said the purpose of the visit was to inform of the success of the 25th anniversary celebration of PANAFEST and the desire to stage the next edition in Nigeria.

    Ogbeni Aregbesola, while responding, promised to continue to support the PANAFEST within the limit of resources.

    The Governor was later presented with some memorabilia from the 25th anniversary celebration. The past editions of the festival had been held in Ghana. The Pan African Historical Theatre Festival commonly known as PANAFEST was mooted by the late Efua Sutherland in the mid 1980s as a cultural vehicle for bringing Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora together around the issues raised by slavery which remain suppressed.

  • Court remands man over possession of weapons

    Court remands man over possession of weapons

    An Osogbo Chief Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday ordered the remand of 25-year-old man, Simiyu Olayiwola, in Ilesha Prison over alleged possession of dangerous weapons.

    Olayiwola is facing a four-count charge bothering on unlawful possession of weapons and attempted stealing.

    The Magistrate, Mrs Fatima Sodamade, ordered that the defendant should be kept in prison due to the magnitude of the offences committed and adjourned the case until Sept.18 for mention.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Sgt. Duro Adekunle, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Aug. 16 at about 11:30p.m., at Ilobu area of Osogbo.

    Adekunle said the accused was arrested by a police patrol team while dangerous items were recovered from him.

    “We recovered UTC knife, charms, and bullet from the accused at odd hours.

    “The accused was in possession of the dangerous weapons with intention to use the items to steal,’’ he said.

    According to him, the offences contravened Sections 27(1) (b) (11), 213, 430(1), and Section 4, and punishable under Section 509 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol.11 Laws of Osun, 2003.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

  • Anambra poll to hold as scheduled, says INEC

    Anambra poll to hold as scheduled, says INEC

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday assured Nigerians that the Nov. 18 governorship election in Anambra would hold as scheduled.

    Chief Adedeji Soyebi, INEC National Commissioner in charge of Oyo, Osun and Ekiti, gave the assurance in Ibadan after declaring open a one –day Implementing Meeting on INEC Weekly Radio Programme.

    He said the threat by a group over the conduct of the election should be seen as a mere security challenge which the security apparatus was taking good care of.

    “We are ahead of time, continuous voter registrations in Anambra have been concluded and in three or four weeks’ time, all the registered voters must have collected their voter cards.

    “We are going to conduct the election by law, so the threat is just a security challenge and I am sure the security apparatus have strategised on how to take good care of it.

    “The election will be one of the best elections they have ever witnessed.

    “So, Anambra people should expect a peaceful, free, fair and credible poll,’’ the INEC commissioner stated

    Earlier, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had enjoined all INEC staff, especially participants, to step up effective voters’ education and publicity to ensure all stakeholders were fully informed about electoral processes and activities.

    Represented by Soyebi at the meeting, Yakubu said that the current national socio-economic challenges have a profound impact on voters’ attitude to electoral activities.

    “Voter disinterest and apathy is pervasive in our electoral terrain, so we are constantly required to encourage and motivate the people to participate.

    “The onus is on us to continuously remind them of the positive effect their participation can have on the polity,’’ the chairman said.

    He said that the commission had received approval for weekly enlightenment programmes on radio stations in all the states and FCT.

    According to him, the radio is recognised as a powerful channel to reach the citizenry.

    He said the meeting was therefore an avenue to discuss modalities for the implementation of the weekly radio programme.

    Yakubu implored the participants to continue to play effective part in sensitising the public to their civic duty of participation in the electoral process through regular education, exposure and positive influences.

    The News Agency of  Nigeria (NAN)  reports that heads of Voter Education Units of INEC across the 36 states of the federation and FCT attended the meeting.

  • ‘Osun providing templates for solutions to Nigeria’s challenges’

    The Special Adviser to Osun State Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, has said the Rauf Aregbesola administration had provided the templates that could be adopted for national development in many areas.

    Okanlawon spoke at the weekend in Osogbo, the state capital, at the installation of the first female Rotary President of Osogbo GRA, Olori Bola Akinyemi.

    The governor’s aide, who was among the awardees, dedicated his Achievers’ Merit Award to the people of Osun State.

    He said the residents deserved endless commendations and recognitions for providing the Aregbesola administration the atmosphere to use the state for development experiments, which had earned the state local and international commendations.

    Okanlawon said it was significant that Rotary Club, a global organisation that focuses on service to humanity, selected officials of the Aregbesola administration for recognition.

    The governor’s aide noted that the awards were meant for the people who had been supportive of the administration in its numerous development strategies.

    He said: “I am happy today for this recognition. However, I am happier that Osun is getting all the recognitions from all over the world due to the ingenious development ideas of Governor Aregbesola.

    “I am happy that the World Bank representative, who presented me this award on behalf of Rotary International, in the course of her presentation, made reference to the World Bank-backed YESSO programme, which was launched in 2014 in Abuja for the country.”

  • AFAN decries high cost of farming inputs

    AFAN decries high cost of farming inputs

    Mr Moses Oladipupo, Vice-Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN ), Osun chapter has decried the high cost of farming inputs, ago-chemicals and lack of market for farm produce.

    Oladipupo, who said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Osogbo, expressed concern that farmers in the state were facing numerous challenges.

    He enumerated other challenges facing framers in the state to include, operating at a huge loss, high cost of land cultivation, lack of farming implements

    The vice-chairman said that the high cost of land cultivation, if juxtaposed with the selling prices of produce after harvest always leave farmers at a loss.

    Oladipupo said: “Farmers are not happy. We are selling our produce at a loss because we don’t have a choice than to sell them.

    “The cost we buy chemicals and fertiliser is getting more expensive, when we harvest our produce, what we sell don’t cover the cost of money we used to cultivate the crops.

    “Farmers are really suffering; we don’t have means of preserving our crops.

    “The market women that come to the farms to buy our produce always cheat us because they serve as intermediaries.

    “They will buy cheap from us and sell three times the price to the people.

    “We are just toiling and sweating to produce food while intermediaries rip-off on our sweat and profit because we don’t have the platform to market our produce.

    “If we don’t sell because we feel we are being cheated, the harvested crops will spoil due to lack of preservation.

    “If we still don’t sell because we don’t want to incur losses, we can’t survive because we will go hungry.”

    Oladipupo called on the state government to fulfill its promises to farmers, adding that farmers were operating and surviving on their own.

    He said members of the chapter needed government assistance; especially the provision of farmers’ markets to sell produce and reduce post harvest losses.

    Oladipupo also urged the state government to provide farmers with modern structures to preserve their harvested crops to enable them sell at reasonable price later.

    On behalf of AFAN, he also called on the government to subsidise prices of farming chemicals and fertiliser to boost the operation of farmers and for them to make good returns on their investments.