We Have Never Had A Good Govt Like Aregbesola’s Administration In Osun- Peter Babalola

The Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Elder Peter Adebayo Babalola, on Sunday said Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has done excellently well for the people of the state.

He asserted that no government since the creation of the state has done an average of what Governor Aregbesola did in the last seven years.

Dr Babalola made the statement in Ikire while playing a host on the members of the State Correspondent Chapel who honoured him with a visit as part of activities marking their 2017 Press Week.

He said the Aregbesola led administration has brought unprecedented development to the state particularly on infrastructure development extended to nooks and crannies of the state.

According to him, since the creation of Osun, no government has been very passionate about the people’s welfare as being experienced in the Aregbesola’s government.

“We have never had a huge development like what the present government led by Governor Rauf Aregbesola brought to Osun prior to his administion.

“What Osun is witnessing today in terms of transformation and development is an attestation to the fact that Governor Aregbesola really meant well for the people of the state.

“Sychopancy apart, the present government has really worked and I can justify this anywhere in the world because I have been part of the government even before the creation of the state.

“I have worked with successive administrations, I have worked with both  military and civilian administrations, but going by every justification and measure, no government has done what Aregbesola did.

“The All Progressives Congress led administration in the state has not only stimulated our economy but set astandard for good governance.

“As we all know, Osogbo which is the state capital was like a Local Government Headquarters. Osogbo was a glorified LG headquarters prior to Aregbesola’s government, but today, the town has really worn a liftface of all round development.

“Prior to Aregbesola’s government, nobody can boast of dual carriage roads, nobody can boast of overhead bridges, nobody can boast of different transformational and developmental projects as we have them all around the state particularly in the state capital”, Babalola emphasized.

Speaking on salaries and pensions issues in the state, Dr Babalola hailed Governor Rauf Aregbesola for being sensitive and committed to workers’ welfare.

Babalola said Osun remains the only state in the southwest region where workers’ welfare was prioritized above other government’s engagements.

In his words, “I don’t know why some people failed to live by reality. It is on records that Osun under the leadership of Governor Aregbesola has been very sensitive to workers’ welfare.

“Osun is one of the very few states where workers are being paid regularly in accordance with the agreed terms. Osun is one of the few states in Nigeria where pensioners receive their pensions regularly also in accordance with the agreed modulated structure.

“We all know what is happening all over the nation particularly on the inability of many states to pay workers’ salaries. As at today, average federating state owed workers salaries.

“But in spite the economic challenges in the country of which Osun is not exception, the present administration has never failed in its constitutional responsibilies to meeting the aspirations and yearnings of the people particularly the workers as their welfare has always been at front burner.

“Today, both active and inactive workers in the state receive their payments everymonth without hiccup in accordance with the agreed terms.

“If we can have a personality like the former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress in person of Comrade Hassan Sunmonu chairing a salary payment committee, thus one should be rest assured that the workers’ welfare is guaranteed.

“Every worker on levels 1-7 receives his full pay while every worker on levels 8-12 receives 75 percent of his salary and workers on levels 12 and above receive 50 percent of their salary every month.

“So, it errorneous, misconception and false impression for anyone to say Osun is not paying workers both active and inactive their salaries and pensions”, he added.

Charging media practitioners on the need to champion the core ethics of their profession, Dr Babalola implored journalists to always proritize truth, balance, accurate and impartiality in their reportorial.

He therefore advocated for media support for the present administration in the state particularly on the achievements recorded in the last seven years.

In his remarks, the Chairman, Osun State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Abiodun Olalere, appreciated Babalola for always giving Journalists necessary support.

Lamenting some of the challenges facing the media practitioners in Nigeria, Olalere said Society is expecting much from journalists but it fails to reciprocate good gestures.

He said: “Majority of our members have not been paid for years. They are facing serious hardship as regards their profession. They are being denied societal support particularly from the well-meaning citizens.

The Osun NUJ Chairman suggested the installation of free wireless Internet services (Wiffi) that can help media practitioners and other Internet users to access internet.

He urged journalists in the state to champion the ethics of their profession by being prompt, steadfast and upright in all they do.

The Chairman Osun State Correspondent Chapel, Prince Hameed Oyegbade described the host as a quintessential being whose socio-political influence has being leveraged to salvage humanity.

He commended him for his commitment and love ‎to journalists just as he thanked God for sparing lives of every member of the chapel to witness 2017 Press Week.