(Opinion) Governor Ademola Adeleke: Celebrating One Year In Office Of Mr. Performer

By James Azuka Uzoma

Call him the performer you won’t be wrong, this is because Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke has taken his achievements in one year in office since becoming Osun State Governor to an enviable height.

Much to the chagrin of his detractors, Adeleke’s good governance in just one year in office has been amazing as developments under his government are littered within the State since he assumed office one year ago.
For Governor Adeleke, accountability and transparency remain at the heart of his good governance as his government is about the people of the state.

As he has always said that he will be different from his predecessor, Governor Adeleke has always given vivid accounts of his stewardship to the people of the State.

Upon assumption in office, firstly Governor Adeleke made open the financial books of the State to the people through the Royal fathers in the state, this indeed showed a clear departure from the impenetrability and clandestineness that characterized the past administration in the state.

To bring to reality his commitment to accountability and transparency, the governor in October 2023 convened a gathering of stakeholders that traverses every sector of the Osun society, a gathering christened Ipada Imole, it was at this stage that the Governor opened his stewardship books to the people as well and got responses from the public.

In his words he said; “Ipade Imole will be a quarterly event. We have to let Osun people know how we are expanding their money. At this meeting, you can ask any question and we will answer you. You put us in this position.”

Just like it happened at Ipade Imole, this special report tends to highlights and showcase the detailed activities and overview of the Governor and his achievements since assuming office on November, 27, 2022.

HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ONE YEAR IN OFFICE:

Education:
With the premium he places on Education, Governor Adeleke is not leaving any stone unturned in this sector as he turned many things around in the area of education. To show how important education is to the Governor, he has come recently to say that he will implement the education summit’s report in the state to ensure the best quality education, a remark he made during the maiden edition of the Ipade Imole Meeting held at Aurora Event Centre in Osogbo.

According to him, the state Ministry of Education had been directed to conduct a needs assessment which would serve as a basis for recruitment and filling of vacancies in schools.

He said the report of the education summit would be ready and his administration was committed to implementing any positive trajectory to the development of education in the state.
Governor Ademola Adeleke has so many times described Education as an investment for the future and the key to eliminating inequality and reducing poverty as he commissioned a School built in 1896.

The Governor then vowed to continue to give education its top priority and restore the glory of public schools.

He made this assertion when he formally inaugurated a renovated Methodist Primary School, Otapete, Ilesa built 127 years ago.

Again, the governor renovated a block of six classrooms at Odeyinka Grammar School, Odeyinka, in Irewole LGA.

According to the governor, the Osun state government, through the CSDA, totally renovated the dilapidated school building constructed in the year 1980 to make the school more conducive to learning.

Adeleke said, “We are here today as a government to let you know that your dream has come to reality”, adding that “this project will go a long way and improve school enrollment of our children and remove negative emotion.”

All these were being done in phase one of the schools rehabilitation as the governor said the state approach is to take a school and completely rehabilitate the buildings completely with desks and other learning facilities.

In phase two of the rehabilitation of schools, 31 schools in the 30 mother local governments of Osun and Area Council have been taken care of. The facelift includes portable water, new roofs, new toilets, renovation and painting of buildings, and Provision of desks and chairs.

As a follow-up to the completed rehabilitation of selected schools, the government has commenced the process of recruiting new teachers to address teachers shortage in our schools. Currently, a need assessment is ongoing to determine the teachers’ requirements across subjects and schools. This will help to determine the number of teachers to recruit.

Aside from the above the Governor has said under the N100 billion infrastructure fund, six secondary schools has been marked for reconstruction, the schools include Ede Muslim Grammar School in Ede (Ede Zone), Ifeoluwa C&S Grammar school Ilesha (Ilesha Zone), Oranmiyan Memorial Grammar School Ile-Ife (Ife Zone), NUD Grammar School Oke Bailey, Osogbo (Osogbo Zone), Baptist Grammar School Bowen road Iwo (Iwo Zone) and College High school, Ila Ikirun (Zone 7).

Taking off of the University of Ilesa:
Upon assumption of office, Governor Ademola Adeleke inaugurated an ad-hoc committee to work out modalities for an effective take off of the University of Ilesa.

Governor Adeleke listed the terms of reference of the committee as follows:
“Review and assess the sources of funds for both capital and recurrent expenditure for the eventual take off of the university;
United on the pitch, ‘divided’ by roots as govs host Falcons by state of origin
“Generally review the implementation guidelines proposed by the implementation committee;

“Engage all relevant stakeholders, including the host community, trade unions, alumni association of the college, the student body, etc. with a view to harmonise their positions for the way forward;

“Identify the gaps within the UNILESA Establishment Law and make appropriate recommendations towards its amendment to ensure adequate coverage of relevant interests for the eventual take off of the university;

“Propose modalities for phased implementation of the university such that faculties and courses of study are matched with funding requirement of each phase of the implementation; and

“Evaluate and draw appropriate policy recommendations towards the execution of the existing obligations, assets and liabilities of the College of Education, Ilesa with a view to removing all impediments for the eventual take off of the university.”
The ad-hoc committee was chaired by Ashaolu Taiwo, a professor at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife who later becomes the pioneer Vice Chancellor of the University after being appointed by Governor Adeleke.

The University has taken fully taken off and first batch of admission list of students are being expected to be released anytime from now.

Health Sector
The prioritizing of Osun people’s health is as important to the Governor as any other sector, this was confirmed by the Chief Medical Director of UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital Osogbo, Prof Peter Babatunde Olaitan while praising the Governor’s strides since he assumed office.

He described the governor as a passionate public officeholder, who is so determined about touching lives by taking care of the health of the people and this he was able to display in his one year in office.

UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital CMD stated this on Thursday, November 23, 2023, while featuring on a programme tagged “Laarin Odun Kan” on Uniq 103.1 FM, Ilesha.

Prof Olaitan said, “The governor has solely sponsored the two different phases of Free Imole Surgical and Medical Outreach and over 50,000 people have benefitted from this kind gesture of the State Governor where different ailments ranging from both surgical and medical were treated.”

He also said the governor approved all health allowances which include the Residency and Hazard allowances, Prof. Olaitan said the newly approved allowances are the same as what the Federal health workers also earn. This has reduced the rate of internal ‘Japa’ of UTH doctors to National hospitals.

Also, the entry point of Nurses has been raised to what obtains in the Federal government hospitals. This has stabilized the system to a large extent. He however added that the external ‘Japa’ is a national issue.

He said that operations will commence at Oke Onitea and Iragbiji Outreach Centers on or before January 2024.

According to Prof. Olaitan taking care of people that are in need of health care is a culture of the Adeleke family and this made it easy for Governor Adeleke to bring it up as one of the core points of his Administration.

Governor Adeleke administration’s commitment to turning around healthcare service delivery across the state hospitals and primary healthcare centres, remains among his priority, this is as he said his administration has conducted a needs survey of selected hospitals in the state with a view to improving service delivery.

Speaking at a commissioning of a Federal Government sponsored 80-bed SDG hospital in Ipetumodu, Osun state, the governor said his administration has committed a lot of investment in the health sector, which includes a recently concluded medical surgery initiatives that benefitted twenty-two thousand people in the nine federal constituencies, adding that “I recently approved hazard and other related allowances for resident doctors of the UniOsun Teaching Hospital. This ensured that Osun was not affected in the recent national warning strike by resident medical doctors.”

“We have also concluded a survey of needs analysis of our various hospitals. The next stage is an ongoing review to ensure that hospitals and health centres are equipped to service the populace accordingly.

“The SDG hospital being commissioned today is therefore a very helpful addition to the sustained efforts of our government to meet the health needs of our people.

“On behalf of the people and government of Osun state, we are elated at the completion of the project. It is on this note that I am honored and privileged to Commission this hospital in service of humanity”, he said.

Not stopping there, the Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke also approved the employment of more health workers, to be posted to all primary health institutions as a means of revamping Primary Health Care services across the State.

The Executive Secretary, Osun Primary Health Care Board, Dr Oluwole Fabiyi stated this on Imole Ayo, a sentization programme which promotes the activities of governor Ademola Adeleke’s administration on OSBC radio and television channels.

Speaking at the program, Dr Fabiyi said the governor also approved the installation of solar energy in three hundred and thirty-two Primary Health Centres in Osun State.

According to the Executive Secretary, Osun Primary Health Care Board, aside the regular distribution of drugs to all Primary Health Care facilities, the governor has also approved funds as welfare package for health workers in Osun State.

Another milestone was reached when Governor Adeleke approved the enrollment of more than 23,000 pensioners into the osun state health insurance scheme, this according to the Governor is “to ensure the continuous wellbeing of our senior citizens who have served the state diligently in their younger years ”. This initiative is despite the initial enrollment of 3000 Osun Citizens in the Health Insurance Scheme, free of charge with a plan to enroll another 20,000 vulnerable citizens to be drawn from the informal sector across the state.

Under the N100 billion infrastructure fund, the Rehabilitation of 345 Health Centers in the 332 Wards in Osun State comes in, the rehabilitation will include, Provision of Potable water, new toilets, and bathrooms, Beds, Mattresses, Bedsheets, renovation and painting of buildings, new curtains, and Solar panels/Inverters for 24 hours electricity etc. The approach is to take medical services to the doorstep of our people wherever they may be.

Road Construction
With an eye to address deplorable state of roads in the state, the government of Governor Adeleke as soon as he assumed office embarked on massive rehabilitation of roads, including initiating 20km of roads across Osun State; Construction of a broken bridge at Bokusoro/Adeeke in Iwo to forestall loss of life on the bridge in the past due to erosion. Resumption of the construction of the Osogbo/Ikirun/Kwara boundary road abandoned by the past administration. The road which stretches over 20km is wearing a new look and easing the movement of users as a result of Governor Adeleke’s intervention.

Other Road Projects in the 100B infrastructure Plan include:
Construction/ Rehabilitation of 45 roads of at least one kilometer in each of the 30 mother local governments, making a total of 45 Kilometers.

Construction of five Flyovers to ease traffic accidents and traffic jams. The identified projects are as follows:
● Osogbo – two namely Okefia and Lameco junction
● Ikirun- One
● Ife- one, Mayfair
● Owode Ede- One

Other LIST OF ROADS AND INTERVENTION PROJECTS include:

Completed Road Projects by Governor Adeleke in the past one year;
1 Dualization of osogbo- ikirun road with street light; 10.5 KM ; OSOGBO;
2 Oja oba (iso isu/ iso ata/ iso eran/ iso ewe)- First Baptist Model Academy with spur to Oba Oyetona street, osogbo. 1200; OSOGBO
3 Enuwa- oniyangi – ita osun -oke atan with spur to egbedu – ilode junction ile ife 1230; IFE
4 Ibadan/ife express junction- islamiya okiti junction ikire 1165 IKIRE
5 Alajue junction (ojularide street ) bode junction- admus filling station/ oja oje ede 2890 EDE
6 Monday market- rail way station road ikirun 1200 IKIRUN
7 Iresi township road 3000 IRESI
8 Ansaruldeen central mosque junction – kuti junction – hospital road iwo 1550 IWO
9 Ita-ofa-oromu-araromi (market gate ) ilesa 770 ILESA
10 Atakumosa market road ; obiteni-omo ofe road ilesa 400 ILESA
11 Oke oye-oke ita with spur to ogodogbo and temidire road ibokun 1300 ILESA
12 Rehabilitation of gbega junction – john mackay (oke ayepe costain) osogbo (phase 1) 1 KM OSOGBO
13 Rehabilitation of oloruntedo community (costain john mackay- east bypass osogbo (phase 2) 1.5KM OSOGBO
14 Rehabilitation of Aanuolu hospital- amadiya powerline (ede) 1KM EDE
15 Rehabilitation of ogberin junction – akala – ,oloki junction- oluoboini iso ege ede 2.055 EDE

CRITICAL INTERVENTIONS
(1) Spot patching of lameco- station road
(2) Oke Fia – Dele Yes Sir
(3) Oke onitea failed section
(4) Owode failed section

CONSTRUCTION OF CULVERTS

(1) Construction of Shasha failed culverts UniOsun road
(2) Construction of failed culvert (Adeeke Iwo) – IWO
(3) Construction of Owoope/Oke ola Ajegunle box culvert (Gbogan) – GBOGAN
(4) Construction of Allahu lateef saw mail failed culvert – EDE
There is also the rehabilitation of nine najor roads, one per federal constituency. This is targeted at reducing the high infrastructure deficit facing the state.

Water

In this sector, the Governor also provided portable water in 332 towns/Villages, one in each of the 332 political wards in the State. This has been fully completed.

There is also Phase Two of Portable Water Provision in 332 wards of Osun State. Which includes, Overhead Tanks, dispensing taps, generators, or solar panels. Under Phase One 332 water projects were completed. They are all functioning. Under the new plan, another set of underserved areas across the 332 political wards will be served with water projects.

Digital Economy

To address the yearning of Osun youth population, Governor Adeleke also launch Osun on ICT/tech innovations and Revolution programme which include the making of the first State ICT Policy, the first State Innovation Policy, domestication of Nigeria’s Startup Act, and Google Mapping of Osun state.

Social Welfare:

The state government under the leadership of Governor Adeleke also rolled out 19 buses to cushion the harsh effects of the petroleum subsidy removal by the Federal Government of Nigeria. The 19 buses, each christened “Imole Bus” are to specifically convey civil servants, students and the poorest of the poor residents of the state to their various destinations at a token amount, which in turn, will be used by the government from time to time for the smooth running and maintenance of the buses. The Government wishes to emphasize that virtually all the buses due to their almost grounded status and off the road conditions cost a total sum of 25,274,288.00 (Twenty Five Million, Two Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, Two Hundred and Eighty-Eight Naira) to ensure their roadworthiness so as to be able to carry out the new services of conveyance of people.

Accordingly, Osogbo the Osun state capital had five of the buses officially assigned to it for commuting people to the already earmarked routes. Ede, Iwo and Ikirun had two each while the people of Ife/ Modakeke and Ilesha had 3 each. The remaining two of the buses are kept on a standby for other contingencies that may likely come up from time to time.

The buses are expected to work on two shifts daily as they ply all the officially designated routes, morning and afternoon of Mondays through Fridays. According to the arrangements, the morning services will be between 6:45 am and 9:00 am while the afternoon shuttles will be between 3pm and 5 pm daily.

Electrification

The Governor, who knows the importance of electricity and power, embarked on Rural electrification projects across Osun state. Provision of transformers and other electrical materials to ensure that communities without electricity can have light.

There has been installation of street lights in all major towns, especially Osogbo as the State Capital. This is important to enhance security surveillance and boost the night economy.

Mining Sector:

Progress has been made in this sector under one year in office in the government of Governor Adeleke.

These include securing shareholding within Segilola Operating Limited and enforcement of environmental standards in mining operations among others. The Governor’s Special Adviser on Mining and Solid Minerals, Prof Lukuman Adekilekun Jimoda, Governor Adeleke recalled that a year ago, he promised an overhauling of the mining sector with a view to secure maximum returns for the state from her solid mineral wealth.

Professor Jimoda disclosed that the state has started recording an “increase in revenue generation. Accumulated service charges on our licences have been cleared. We are at the tail end of upgrading our exploration leases to mining leases. This will bring more investors.”

“We are now operating an environmentally friendly operation. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) and EMP ( Environmental management plan) is now a must before mining operation. Cleaning up the polluted environment is also ongoing. Our mining operation now has zero tolerance for environmental degradation.

He narrated that a long drawn negotiation with mining companies operating in Osun has been on since the beginning of the year, noting that Osun will soon be earning more revenue from the mining sector

“My strategy was to get Osun to genuinely benefit from her natural wealth within the federal set up. We have positive results now. We have secured shareholding with Segilola Resources Operating Limited. Further earnings will soon be coming from Segilola very soon.

“As part of the overall plan,we have increased our signature bonuses in line with reality. We are indeed starting mining processing from early next year.”

“To ensure full involvement of all interested parties, I have directed the solid mineral office to organize a meeting of all stakeholders before the end of the year.” He concluded.

Other Areas of Achievements In Osun In One Year Under Gov Adeleke:

The recent reforms and repositioning of the state civil service operations in Osun state under the leadership of His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke continue to bear positive fruits as Osun State emerges the top state alongside two other States among the 36 states of the federation and the FCT on Audit compliance rating according to the accountability index of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAN) as of October 2023.

The ICAN’s rating on state’s compliance with audit rules scored Osun, Ekiti and Lagos state as ‘Excellent’, seven states were scored ‘good’ while 26 others were rated ‘fair’.

ICAN commenced audit rating for states to assess financial management and accountability of state governments. The assessment focuses on compliance with audit rules and regulations and the quality and timeliness of audit reports, resulting in a rating of Excellent, Good, Fair or Poor for each state.

According to Innocent Okwuosa, the 59th president of ICAN, “the rankings suggest an overall trend of improving compliance with the constitutional requirement to audit state and local council accounts since the introduction of the ICAN accountability index.

An “Excellent” ranking for Osun state by the ICAN rules means “the Osun state government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has an excellent level of compliance with audit rules. Ensuring timely submission of audit reports with high level of quality and ensuring full implementation of audit recommendations.

This impressive performance of Osun State is another testimony of His Excellency, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s commitment to due process, transparency and accountability in the governance affairs of the state.