Ogun: Six Months Down The Line…

The past six months of this administration have been most absorbing. The sorry state of affairs in Ogun as at 29 May, 2011 is already in the public domain. Nothing daunted, this government has continued to pursue its five cardinal programmes with single-minded commitment.

The implementation of the free education policy has taken off successfully with the rehabilitation and reconstruction of schools. Government has commenced distribution of instruction materials to pupils in primary and post-primary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state, free of charge. Subventions to all institutions of learning are also being paid at the right time.

Emphasis is gradually shifting from road rehabilitation to massive road construction. The construction of 2.4-kilometre six-lane Ibara-Sokori­-Totoro road, a model for roads to be constructed across the state.

In the health sector, over 47 Primary Health Centres have been rehabilitated and equipped. A state-wide immunisation of children under age five against polio is ongoing, while reorganisation and monitoring of private health clinics to eliminate quackery is being scaled up. A large-scale school-based de-worming programme, cutting across all the 20 local governments, has taken off to sensitise parents on the dangers of worm infection.

The process of returning agriculture as the mainstay of Ogun economy has begun. The state has secured and begun the disbursement of N1 billion Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) to enhance its agriculture development programmes. School Farm Project Committees have been set up in 150 schools in order to meet the production targets of 6,000 tonnes of cassava, 450 tonnes of maize, 10,000 tonnes of cat fish and 480,000 table eggs per month.

Government is also set to revive its farm settlements and acquire 1,000 hectares of land in each of the three senatorial districts to build state-of-the-art farm settlements. This will provide massive employment for our youths.

Our environment is being beautified while the monthly environmental sanitation has been revived to ensure a clean and healthy environment. Mobile courts are to be set up to try violators of the monthly cleaning exercise.

Due to the prudent financial management of the Senator Ibikunle Amosun-led administration, salaries are being paid regularly to all workers in the state. The agitation of Ogun NLC is about the sins committed by the previous administration and the implementation of the Personal Income Tax Act by the current government, which Governor Amosun has no power to change. The government has not owed any worker a kobo.

Insecurity is being contained through the setting up of a joint military/police patrol, donation of security equipment, reintroduction and kiting of vigilante groups as well as the establishment of a Security Trust Fund.

Ogun State is gradually becoming business friendly as identified disincentives to investments are being removed. Our employment scheme is on course as successful applicants are receiving their letters of employment in batches.

The administration of Senator Amosun has also proved to be responsible in other areas. It has paid its MDGs counterpart fund and also devised a legal mechanism through which the state assisted the three local councils that have been chosen for the modified MDGs project to pay their counterpart funds.

Not too long ago, the print and electronic media were awash with screaming headlines: “Amosun cuts salaries of political office holders,” “Amosun cuts pay of political appointees,” “Ogun slashes salaries of political appointees,” etc.

It is no longer a matter of conjecture that governments across Nigeria devote substantial portion of their annual budget to recurrent expenditure, emoluments of political office holders inclusive. Therefore, the decision of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to blaze a trail by slashing the salaries of all political office holders seems to confirm the widely held notion in Ogun State that this, indeed, is the government of the people.

According to the governor, “funds saved through the cuts will be used to construct new roads; we will use it to fund education; we will use it to fund the health sector and our workers too will benefit. With all these, the least one expects is extra commitment by the civil servants and not allow themselves to be used to foment trouble.”

The uncanny industry of Senator Ibikunle Amosun is also a sense of inspiration to his aides and citizens in the state. SIA, as he is fondly called, is never tired. He is at his desk sometimes as early as 7 a.m. till 10 p.m. Conservatively, he puts in about 15 hours daily. This means you cannot work with SIA if you are not physically fit and mentally sound.

The hair of ex-President of the United States, Bill Clinton, became grey by the time he left the White House. It was not as a result of age but hard work and in spite of the ups and downs of the administration, the works of Bill Clinton are endured on the sands of time. The charismatic Barack Obama was once reported of having lost his glamour in less than one year in office because of the enormous challenges of office. You only need to look at SIA closely to see the effect of his consuming passion for the people of Ogun State.

His exemplary discipline and compassion, just like the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, is visible in his interactions with the masses.

Senator Amosun has demystified governance and closed the once yawning gap between government and the people in the state. “Power belongs to God,” he says, “I know one day I will leave this position; office is not an end in itself but a means to an end. I want to leave this place more loved by the people of Ogun state.”

The administration’s first retreat for political appointees and top civil servants to prepare them for the enormous challenges of our mission to rebuild has boosted the morale of participants as all hands are now on deck.

The Budget to rebuild, which was laid before the state House of Assembly last week, will jump-start the economy of the state and renew the hope of citizens for a better tomorrow.

Although the expectations of citizens are high, I believe firmly that Senator Ibikunle Amosun, a technocrat cum politician, will navigate the ship of Ogun State to a safe harbour.

•Funmi Wakama (nee Coker), is the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Amosun on Media and Communication