Osun Is Worst Off After Seven Years Of Aregbesola -PDP Guber Aspirant

A governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun State, Mr Olawale Rasheed has lamented the terrible fiscal and develop mental state of Osun seven years after the assumption of office of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Policy committee of the Olawale Rasheed Campaign Organisation, Dr Arowolo Olusegun, the aspirant affirmed that a sectoral comparison of Osun state before the present administration and now confirmed that the state is worst off.

“Look at all the indices and the fact stares all in the face that the state is in trouble.The education sector is in shamble after a negatively distruptive reforms that emphasised over-inflated construction of buildings whie neglecting teachers’ welfare and teaching aids.

“Worst still the schools built with public fund are handed over to private operators to run with parents expected to pay fees.A better option of renovating and equipping existing schools was rejected in favour of a juicy contract awarding reforms.

“The consequence is the very low performance of Osun students at secondary school certificate level. Osun that used to stand at 13th or so is now consistently taken 23rd to 25th in the last four years.That is clear example of a failed educational policy.

“The much publicised Opon Imo ,the learning tablet has failed. In most schools in the state ,the tablet is not available .Funny stories are concorted by the state government to white wash the failure of the project. While who handled the project is not the main issue ,where and why the bilions of naira was so wasted is the lamentation of most indegenes.

“The health system has virtually collapsed as most General Hospitals lack basic drugs and equipment. On both human and technical side ,the Aregbesola’s record in the health sector is mass failure. A visit to any of the hospitals will attest to this sorry state of health institutions in the state.

“The administration also adopted a disastrous infrastructural programme that has plunged the state into huge debt trap. While borrowing is itself not a bad instrument of economic management,no economic expert can justify a debt overhang of close to 300 billion naira with a repayment likely to take the next 20 years.

“Worst still,the so called infrastructure cited for the borrowing does not justify such huge indebtedness.Aside one or two over -hyped projects in Osogbo ,many indegenes are justifiably wondering where the billions have gone into especially as many road projects of economic importance to the state are either untouched or uncompleted .

“Iwo-Osogbo road linking the state to Ibadan is impassable for the past six years. Ilesa-Osogbo road is in terrible state.Yet ,the state is indebted to the tune of 30billion!!! .

“The borrowing spree engaged in by the administration signalled bad judgement ,inefficient financial management ,distorted handling of fiscal policy ,lack of transparency in state finance and fiscal incompetency of the worst order. The blame for the state’s debt trap and consequent dislocations in workers’ salary payment rest squarely on the shoulder of the governor and his team”,the statement noted.

The aspirant declared that an administration that inherited a debt of 10 billion and accumulated close to 300 billion few years after without anything commesurate to show for it cannot claim to have governed well,adding “if there is any description ,it is that the administration of Governor Aregbesola has failed.

“But the administration is a success in one area-intense propaganda and lies to paint failure as success.But our people are wiser”,the statement concluded.