BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday gave the stewardship accounts of his administration in the last ten months, saying the state has been growing rapidly under his watch.
Adeleke, while addressing the people of the state in Osogbo, said some of the secrets of his success stories in terms of construction of roads and other infrastructural projects in the state was that he devoted his monthly security votes to finance these projects unlike other state governors that pocket this huge money for their private use.
The governor told delegates that represented every segment of the people in the state that he has not borrowed a dime to finance any of his projects, noting that his administration has no plan to borrow in the nearest future.
On the N2 billion palliative sent by the Federal Government out of the N5 billion being expected, Adeleke assured that the fund was intact contrary to alleged diversion by opposition party, revealing that the fund would partly be used for acquisition of additional buses that would be added to existing vehicles which have been repaired and upgraded for intra-city transportation of citizens.
He said the palliative fund would be channeled into the health sector for building of more medical centres and equipping of same, adding that the remaining part of the money would be used to purchase food items for distribution to vulnerable persons.
“We have demonstrated strong faith by ensuring the completion of many abandoned projects. I also retained many contractors inherited from previous governments. I have not taken a dime as a loan since I assumed office as Governor and that is not on the card in the immediate future.
“Our people should be rest assured that this administration has not and will not borrow to fund ongoing infrastructure upgrades. From bridges to dualisation of existing roads among other infrastructures, we are pursuing value for money and public private partnership. Our financial plan is sustainable,” Adeleke stated.
On the boreholes project, Adeleke said, “Our administration conceived of 332 boreholes across the 332 political wards as intervention measure. Each borehole costs one million, five hundred thousand naira. The boreholes are functioning and serving the immediate water needs of our people.”
Commenting on shortage of teachers in the state, he said, “I have directed the Ministry of Education to conduct a needs assessment as a basis for recruitment and filling of vacancies in schools. I believe the report will soon be ready. Our government is also committed to the implementation of the report of the Education Summit.”
On the delay in taking decisions on the disputed kingship in three towns of the state, Adeleke said, “The white papers relating to kingship in Ikirun, Iree, and Igbajo are ready. In a short while, the obaship situation in the affected towns will normalize.”
The governor gave hints about his future plans for the people of the state, saying, “Our people should expect the following new projects:
Dualisation of roads at two per senatorial districts; Flyover bridges at Osogbo and some other towns; Street lights for newly constructed roads; Second stream of 332 boreholes across wards; Commencement of Imole transport service; and Imole Housing Estate at 500 units per federal constituency.”
