JUBILATION AS ABIODUN PAYS 9 MONTH SALARY TO WORKERS EMPLOYED BY AMOSUN

Workers recruited by the immediate past administration in Ogun State through the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) have begun to smile to their respective banks having received a lump sum of nine months salary arrears paid by the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration.

It would be recalled that at the twilight of the last administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over 1000 workers were employed into the State's Civil Service and ever since then, they have not received any salary as the present government needed to critically look into the process of their employment. 

Governor Abiodun while swearing-in Permanent Secretaries on January 9, 2020 at the Obas complex, Oke Mosan had in his magnanimity declared that his government would absorb the workers irrespective of some irregularities discovered through the Appointment and Employment Review Committee that was set up. 

In an interview with the Press Officer, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mr. Femi Osipitan, some of the beneficiaries who cannot hide their joy, including; Mr. Ifeoluwa Olugbebi of Ogun State Agricultural Development Program (OGADEP), Mr. Femi Odukalu of Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), and Mrs. Oluwatosin Owotomo of Ministry of Education, Science and Technology thanked the Governor for his magnanimity and love for humanity. 

On their parts, Mr. Ope Oladimeji of Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Mrs. Olabisi Adekoya from the office of the Accountant - General and Miss. Taiwo Oduntan of Ministry of Information and Strategy said "we are happy because coming to work for nine months without receiving salary was not easy at all. Indeed he has really won our hearts for doing this", praying that smiles of joy will not depart from the Governor's face. 

The officers who revealed that they have been coming to work with mixed feelings, hoping for the best assured the State government of their full commitment to the "Building Our Future Together" mantra of the Governor Dapo Abiodun led administration. 

Expressing her delight, the State Head of Service, TPL Amope Chokor on behalf of the ASCON employees appreciated the Governor for his kind gesture towards the workers saying this further affirms that worker's welfare is a priority and of utmost importance to the Governor. 

Congratulating the officers, TPL Chokor enjoined them to spend the money judiciously, reciprocate the gesture with hard work, as well as uphold the ethics of the service. 

OGSG pledges support for effective awareness on Family Planning

The Ogun State Government has signified its readiness to create more awareness on the benefits of family planning/childbirth spacing through the media in its effort to reduce maternal mortality rate in the State.  

Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Hon. Remmy Hazzan state  this while receiving a team from Family Health Initiative Ogun (FAHIO),a Non-Governmental advocacy working group at his Office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Affirming the importance of family planning, the Special Adviser said effective information dissemination and enlightenment on health matters would promote healthy living and well-being of the people, noting that a well planned family would reflect positively on the economic growth of the nation and the society at large.     

He assured to engage means of communication within his reach to propagate the message of family planning, adding that he would not hesitate to involve crucial offices and agencies of government for the desired results.             

''Kindly count on my office on the dissemination of information of family planning messages through appropriate channel of communication, as I also wish to involve office of the Wife of the  Governor, Commissioner for Health and other relevant ones to achieve desired results'', Hazzan emphasised. 

He called on all stakeholders to join hands with the FAHIO in its advocacy drive to enhance the health system of the State in line with the present administration's mantra of ''Building Our Future Together''.

Hazzan who noted that the    organisation should deployed strategies of reaching more to the grassroots through Community Development Associations (CDAs), opinion and religious leaders, believed that once the leaders buy in, they would in turn pass it to their members.

"To get the real people that need the message the most, you will also need to get to the grassroots through relevant agencies of government such as the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives among others", the Special Adviser said.

Hon. Hazzan was of the opinion that the State would work towards achieving zero level on maternal  mortality rate saying, "there is nothing wrong in having something close to zero maternal mortality rate", while advising that people should desist from patronising quack, but always visit public health facilities which have qualified health personnel.

"As a State, before a year in office, our administration would have covered at least 50 percent of health care needs at primary health care centres, with befitting primary health facilities in all our wards and this will greatly enhance efficient health care service delivery as well as preventing deaths of women and children caused as a result of pregnancy related complications", he said.

Earlier, the Chairperson of the Family Health Initiative Ogun, Mrs. Kemi Balogun represented by a member of the organisation, Mr Adesina Adesegun said the target of the advocacy group was to reduce maternal mortality to the lowest rate through the provision of effective family planning services.

Balogun pleaded with government and policy makers to intensify efforts on the promotion and support of family planning programmes for increased contraceptive uptake and access to quality services. 

She stated that engagement of media in informing, educating and enlightening the public through  production, publishing and reportage would widen people's knowledge on issues relating to family planning/childbirth spacing.

OGSG REMAINS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING

The Ogun State Commissioner for Housing, Jagunmolu Akande Omoniyi has reaffirmed that provision of affordable houses to the citizenry remained a legacy that the present government  desire to bequeath generations.

Jagunmolu dropped this hint while briefing stakeholders on modalities for construction of housing projects in the State at a meeting held at the conference room of the ministry in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

He noted that the mission of the government was to develop massive affordable houses for the citizenry especially civil servants with reasonable payment options that would not affect their take home.

The Commissioner urged the stakeholders to forward their proposals with clearly  stated specifications,  saying this would guide everyone concerned towards  minimizing errors in the building process to achieve better finishing on the structures.

"His Excellency cherished the integrity of his team, so I want to assure you of our consideration, once the standard is set, you must abide by the rules and ensure perfection in the job", he submitted.

Speaking earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Bolaji Orekoya noted that the meeting was to rub mind with identified  registered contractors of the ministry and reel out the modus operandi of the proposed projects.

Responding on behalf of the contractors,  Mrs Olayinka Adetutu pledged their readiness to complement government's effort at providing affordable housing without compromising quality, praying for God's continued guidance on the management of the ministry, Ogun State Government and Nigeria.

Ogun denies Lagos Okada riders ...says 'we only look for genuine investors'

The Ogun State government has said that its doors are not opened to accommodate Okada riders, whose operations were recently restricted by the Lagos State government.

The Chairman Caretaker Committee on Transportation in the State, Barrister Femi Adeniyi, was on Monday wrongly reported in the media to have assured the motorcyclists who have been relocating to the State following the ban placed on them of adequate accommodation.

But, the state government, in a statement issued yesterday by Rt. Hon Remmy Hazzan, the Special Adviser on Public Communications to Governor Dapo Abiodun, said it has been confirmed that Adeniyi was quoted out of context even as he has  not been authorised to speak on the issue on government’s behalf. 

Hazzan noted that Okada operation is fraught with many challenges, including that of security, which is the reason why their operations have either been totally banned or restricted in many parts of the country.

He said that Ogun State does not have the capacity to cope with the menace and security challenges the influx of the Okada operators from Lagos and any other neighbouring state would pose.

He said that deploying motorcycles for commercial operation is not in the schedule of the National Transportation policy, adding that the Ogun State government is already looking into the issue with a view to coming out with a clear policy direction.

The special adviser noted that although, its doors are open, it is only for genuine businessmen and foreign investors to take advantage of the proximity of the Gateway State to the nation's commecial and biggest market.

The statement noted that Governor Dapo Abiodun, since his assumption of office on May 29. 2019, has put in place, measures to create a conducive emvironment for businesses.

"As the state with the largest industrial base, Ogun State will continue to welcome more investors. The present administration, in its determination to further enhance the status of the state as the most industrialised, has put in place policies that would attract more businesses home and abroad.”

"Governor Dapo Abiodun has been meeting with potential investors in the country and even travelled abroad in his efforts to attract more investors into the state."

The statement further stated that the present administration is desirous of providing gainful employment for her teeming citizens, but with emphasis on agriculture.

It appealed to the people to go about their normal businesses as efforts have been made to prevent security breeches in the state.