Lots of criticisms have tailed the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who has governed the state of Osun from 2010 till date. Challenges such as failure to pay salaries when due, large unemployment index, downturn of the economy, are some of the issues affecting the reputation of the outgoing Governor of the State.
In a bid to restore the esteem of the 61 year old Governor, the permanent secretary of Osun State Ministry of Finance, Adebimpe Ogunlumade was on #YourViewTVC on Monday, November 19, 2018 to discuss the achievements of the outgoing administration of Osun State. She mentioned how important it is to eulogize Governor Rauf Aregbesola for a job well done. In her words,
‘Mr Governor is not somebody we can just forget and we shouldn’t let him go just like that, there is the need to keep on remembering him and project his image’.
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Morayo Afolabi-Brown along with co-host, Nyma Akashat agreed that Ogbeni indeed had a positive vision for Osun State and seemed to have had lots of plans in the beginning of his administration but asked Adebimpe what happened, to which she answered that they shouldn’t mind whatever people are saying. She stated that it is not the voice of the people of Osun that Ogbeni derailed and they are just rumors. She further reiterated that the first 4 years should not be isolated from the entire 8 years of his administration, he started very well and continued in that exact manner.
Nyma went on to ask about the loan that was taken to settle outstanding salaries and Adebimpe responded that the issue of modulating salaries, owes to the recession that hit the Nigerian economy around 2015 as Osun state was not an exception and eventually, they had to manage the resources that were available.
‘Is it true that the outgoing administration is leaving quite a bit of debt?’ Morayo quizzed and Adebimpe responded:
“Put it on record, I’m an insider and it is not true … don’t forget that even nations of the world borrow too”
She added that the debts can be settled come 2019, because of the strong agricultural economy that can provide the necessary funds and also boasted that before Aregbesola assumed duty in 2010, the monthly revenue was about 300 million but has now hit over 1 billion, making them to now stop relying on federal allocation.
According to her, a lot of industries were not functioning before Aregbesola came into power and to reinvigorate the economy, he ensured that every of the 6 industrial zones became functional, while also training lots of people as entrepreneurs and vendors of agricultural produce.
When asked about the division among the people of Osun that led to the huge difference in APC and PDP results in the first governorship election that was conducted in September 2018, she explained that her being a public figure, would not permit her to comment on the subject, however she stated that what happened is more than met the eye.
Obiajulu asked about the merging of schools and how the initiation of a general school uniform led to the loss of uniform contracts for tailors and garment makers. Adebimpe was quick to interject that it wasn’t an issue, as the newly created Omoluabi garment factory saw to it that 30,000 garment makers were gainfully employed. She therefore disagreed that it led to the loss of jobs.
Responding to Morayo’s question on the reason behind the high budget Opon Imo initiative, Adebimpe answered that it is the tablet of learning that was meant to assist the parents of students who couldn’t afford to get textbooks, she further asserted that over 50,000 students currently have the tablet and it is mainly for high school students preparing for the Senior Secondary Examination.
There was a caller on the show, Tunde Rahman and he contributed that some of the criticisms on Ogbeni are due to lack of information. He mentioned that the unemployment index of the state is about the lowest in the country. To him, the major problem is that Ogbeni wanted to do too many things at the same time, but there is no money or time to completely achieve that. In his words, ‘those that say Ogbeni is not working well, need to visit the state and see things for themselves.’
Rounding up on the show, the Permanent Secretary insisted that the debt issue is not a problem. She maintained that Ogbeni has left a glorious legacy in the State of Osun.
“One of his cardinal programs was to turn the civil service around and he has achieved that. Now, there is a unified civil service and career mobility/career progression. He has really tried. Gboyega Oyetola was a part of Aregbesola’s achievements and success story and you can be sure of a continuation of good things in Osun state.”
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