THE Osun State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Engr Remi Omowaiye, on Monday stated that irrespective of what people say outside the state; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has the support of his people and remains the conspicuous symbol of good governance for today and upcoming generational leaders, adding that he is merely a circumstantial victim of misrepresentation.
“Mr Governor is a circumstantial victim of misrepresentation and orchestrated media attack. It is on record that the SUKUK loan which was used as part of the re-engineering tool in Osun has become a template for the FG now, despite the widespread criticism against the noble idea. Even some European countries have become beneficiaries of the loan too after Osun,” he said.
Omowaiye made this assertion following the turnout of people at the Legacy group meeting of Ilesa West local government on Sunday where the people of Ijeshaland pledged their unwavering and unshaken support for the government of Aregbesola against all odds, adding that the large turnout of APC members at the meeting is proof that they appreciate the efforts of the governor.
“We have seen the Aregbesola wonders of progressivism in 7years in all sectors of government’s operation: the school feeding programme which has increased primary school enrolment by 60% and has now been inculcated into the PMB led FG social intervention programme, Osun Youth empowerment scheme OYES, massive road and school infrastructure projects, among others have become model for other states.
According to him, recently, several state governors were fingered by the National executives of NLC for the diversion of Bailout and Paris Club Relief fund, yet after thorough and painstaking investigation by the relevant body, Aregbesola was given a clean bill of health as the Bailout given to Osun was transparently and judiciously spent on the payment of salaries and pension of both the state and local government workers and the cadets of the Osun State Youth Empowerment Scheme..
Reacting to what he termed empty threats by the disorganized opposition in the state, PDP to take over Osun in 2018, Omowaiye said it is laughable that a party that can’t boast of purposeful leadership is making themselves a laughing stock in the eyes of the public, adding that, “I tell you the truth, the Osun PDP that we know doesn’t have a single clue to move Osun the state forward, on which path Aregbesola has laid her feet. PDP laid a disastrous foundation for our government, they had access to abundant resources, they had lesser wage bill to pay yet they left huge infrastructure deficit, the gap which led to the collapse of all critical sectors viz a viz health, security, education etc.
“It was terribly bad to the extent that they were taking overdraft to pay workers’ salaries. You begin to wonder if a party who could not managed the era of financial surplus for the benefit and advancement of the populace, how they will convert scarce available resources into great wealth?
On the issue of challenges with salaries, the Ilesa born engineer turned politician lay credence to the approach employed by the government which remains the only sustainable option by improving the IGR base to boost economic viability and growth for the implementation of the peoples manifesto targeted at reducing poverty, adding that, “it is a wrong notion for anybody to assert that the loan burden of Osun was responsible for the challenges with salary payment as it affects just a little faction in the civil service, the present economic crisis is a festering and inherited wastefulness and recklessness of the GEJ administration which reduced FAAC allocation to states by over 50% when we had oil boom.
“A simple graphical illustration that best described our predicament is the statically figure released by the Federal ministry of finance which pegged our gross statutory allocation of Osun between January to June 2017 without any reduction at N17.14 billion, And it is amazing and surprising that within the same 6 months under review, the complete wage bill of the state would have stood at N21.6billion. Let’s accept without conceding that all inherited loans from the old Oyo State and previous administrations and our administration is overlooked and canceled, our revenue in terms of allocation can’t still pay our full monthly salaries,” Omowaiye said.
He added that the Osun debt profile is over exaggerated by enemies of good governance and they have not been able to fault the theory and principled thesis that no prosperous nation or state can make meaningful progress without recourse to project-targeted loan facilities, not even in our case where we met serious rot, decay and massive infrastructure gap and appealed to the citizens and residents of Osun to remain supportive partners, pay their taxes and levies promptly and regularly.