Osun Printing Press In A Mess, As people Call For Its Revitalisation

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

Conditions at the Osun State Publishing house situated at the Ministry of Information and Civic Orientation, Abere, Osogbo, are in a deplorable situation as workers,from the ministry, are in a state of dilemma.

However workers in the ministry as well as the the people of the state are now worried as remedies seem not to be in sight.

Consequently, would the State Government rise to save the ugly situation as the publishing house which would have served as revenue yeilding organ to the state government have been neglected.

When CityMirrorNews visited the printing press recently, it was discovered that the government yeilding revenue organ needed full rehabilitation as the roofs of the building was not in a good condition while the walls are in worse condition with the bushy environment.

On Sighting the structures our Correspondent discovered that animals like lizards, rats, mouses have turned the building into a hideout.

The printing press according to CityMirrorNews findings played a key role in printing sensitive materials , restricted documents and other related documents for the government.

But due to what May be called lackadaisical attitude of the government the situation has continued to make the revenue yeilding home to wear an ugly look after years of abandonment and neglect .

Findings by our Correspondent also revealed that the building known as “Osun Government Press” has now been turned to reptiles home.

Due to the dilapidated condition it was learnt that both the printers and other equipments as well as staff of the Government Press have been relocated to another office in the main building.

While speaking with our Correspondent one Mr Salaudeen Adebimpe noted that “We are all aware that our amiable governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola is celebrating his second year in office and there are lot of developmental projects to show for it and it’s not that the building is abandoned just like that, it’s one step before another.”

“The same government has just finished renovating the Conference room of the Ministry that got burnt some years back, so definitely, government shall also attend to that of state printing press”.

The question that popped in the minds of so many individuals ,is where does such documents taken to for printing, and how much millions of Naira is being spent annually for printing government sensitive materials and other related documents .

Does the government aware of the state of the printing press or have they gotten another printing press simultaneously where materials are being printed .

It was learnt that several letters have been written to the state government,
drawing its attention to the deplorable state of facilities in the building but there had been no positive response.

Also another workers who equally spoke with our Correspondent in animosity informed that ” This building has been in this condition for a very long time and nobody is saying anything about it. Several letters had been written to the government but there has been no response.

It would be recalled that Former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola Built the state printing press with the aims of giving assistance to the state work force as a source of conserving money spent by the government, but now turned into exercise in futilities as a result of negligence ,he posited.

“We feel government has forgotten this place. I want to use this opportunity to call on Governor Gboyega Oyetola to resuscitate this printing press for the benefit of all.

The governor must be interested in the printing press renovation programmes. This is where sensitive materials are being published. Annual calendars, diaries, files among others. Since the abandonment of the facilities government has been spending huge amount of money in the private printing press for the printing of materials .

All efforts by our Correspondent to get government’s reaction proved abortive as calls and messages sent to the Commissioner for information and Civic Orientation, Mrs Funke Egbemode was not responded to .