By Bisade Ojoye

The Executive Chairman, Ikenne Local Government, Ogun State, Hon. Olusegun Ogunleye on Wednesday tasked the local government revenue collectors towards improving the council’s income profile.

According to a release signed by Tope Oyekan,
Director, Information, Education and Sports,
Ikenne Local Government on Wednesday, the Chairman in meeting held in his office expressed appreciation to the council officials for their performances in the out gone year and welcome them to the new year while charging them to always be proactive and diligent in their duties and also ensure that all revenues collected are promptly remitted to the council’s coffers.

An improved IGR according to the Chairman, will give the local government the sound financial capacity, that will enable his administration to deliver on more people-oriented programmes and projects.

Speaking at the meeting, the Treasurer and Director of Finance of the local government, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Fatimah Junaid who led other staff of the Rate section to the meeting, assured the Chairman of cooperation and support of the revenue collectors. She listed some of the challenges being faced in the course of revenue collection to include among others: lack of mobility; attack on officers by tax evaders.
She also sought a reward for the best performed revenue collectors, in other to ensure a healthy competition, boost their morale and increase productivity among the staff.

Responding, the Chairman approved the immediate repairs of the revenue bus; deployment of Security personnel to aid the work of the collectors; and the implementation of reward/prizes for best collectors.

By Abdul Yekini Alli

Considering the turn-around being witnessed in all sectors of the Ogun State economy, in the last 30 months that the current State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun was sworn in, it would not be an exaggeration if one concludes that the age-long Yoruba mantra of hard work as the antidote to poverty “Ise Logun Ise” and the first word of the Anthem of the Gateway State, “Iseya” or “Call to Service,” are the driving force of the administration, that came on board on May 29, 2019.

To those that wished the state well, the Captain of the ship, Abiodun however, could not have done less than to prove wrong his detractors, who did not give his administration any chance of success at inception. Determined to prove his critics and detractors wrong, Abiodun hit the ground running with the five-letter word “ISEYA,” meaning “Work has Started”. Almost 30 months down the line, the governor has effected fundamental changes through many initiatives encapsulated under the acronym I-S-E-Y-A.

These programs targeted putting an end to poverty and misery. Each letter stands for a specific area of action by the government, geared towards enduring development of the Gateway State:

I –infrastructure development

S – Social Welfare and Wellbeing

E – Education and Human Capital Development

Y – Youth Empowerment, and

A – Agriculture and Food Security

Infrastructure: Several infrastructural projects have been executed in the three Senatorial Districts of the state to make life more meaningful to the residents and to encourage investment and provide ease of doing business.

In the area of roads, a total number of 270km of new roads across the three senatorial districts have been constructed while over 300km of roads have been rehabilitated throughout the state.

The affordable housing project is another area of infrastructure in which the current administration deployed financial resources. Apart from the fact that the housing project provided one of the basic needs of human existence, shelter, the government also used the project as a means of generating employment for the people directly and indirectly.

The government within the first 100 days in office, delivered 150 low housing units at Prince Court Estate located at Kemta Estate, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta under the First Phase of the project.

There are also ongoing housing schemes to deliver 2000 units including King’s Court Estate (Abeokuta); Laderin Civil Servants Scheme,; Ilaro, Otta; Ijebu Ode and Sagamu.

Still, on infrastructure, the Dapo Abiodun led Administration also embarked on Reinvigoration of Security Architecture on assumption of office.

The efforts of the administration commenced with the Amendment of Ogun State Security Trust Fund (OGSTF) Law in August 2019.

The Operationalising and Funding the Trust Fund was a major departure from what it used to be as the government distributed over 200 vehicles and 100 motorcycles to security agencies; provision of tracking devices and mainstreaming of local hunters, vigilantes into the State security architecture.

The government also facilitated the deployment of a helicopter for aerial surveillance leading to the arrest of kidnappers and bandits.

In line with the decision of the South-West states to set up State Security Network, the state government initiated the Amotekun Bill, which was passed by the State House of Assembly and made functional with the appointment of Commandant and recruitment of Corps to boost the security network of the Gateway State.

The government undertook Urban Development with the setting up of three parastatals to handle Planning and Development, Slum Regeneration, and Building Production Management

The initiative also involved signing up of an Urban Renewal Memorandum of Understanding on the three-year Future Cities Nigeria programme in a partnership drive with the UK, through the UK Prosperity Fund.

As a major aspect of infrastructural development, the government embarked on the expansion of the state power distribution network by procuring and installing several 500 KVA transformers to communities in all the 20 local government areas of the state.

The government has also commenced Urban Water Resuscitation projects in various locations to provide potable water to Abeokuta and 14 other major communities in Ikenne, Igbogila, Ibooro, Odonopa, Ipokia, Idowa, Omu Ijebu, Ago Iwoye, Igbesa, Owode Yewa, Imoru, Ibefun and Ikangba. The Powerline at Ikangba Borehole Scheme in Ijebu-Ode

Other notable projects executed by the current administration in the area of infrastructure are:

Establishment of new Waste Disposal and Management parastatal, the Ogun State Waste Management Agency (OGWAMA);

Revival of Road Maintenance Agency known as Ogun State Public Works Agency (OGPWA)
Establishment of Aerotropolis with the construction of international cargo airport, with standard Testing Centre for Agricultural produce, and Air Force Training Centre at Ilishan-Remo
Operationalisation of Digital Economy Infrastructure Project (OGDEP) to link the State up with N36.15 billion ICT project in a Public-Private Partnership with 21st Century Technologies. 21st Century is injecting around $75 million into the project with the expectation that the initiative would see the economy of Ogun State grow by an additional $100 billion.
Social welfare & wellbeing

Social Welfare and Wellbeing, which is the second component, of the acronym, involves activities geared towards the ensuring of healthy and quality living standard of the citizenry. These include healthcare facilities, provision of facilities to facilitate ease of doing business and means of building and increasing the capacity of the people doing business.

Under the healthcare programmes, activities of the present administration include Rehabilitation of Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) at minimum one primary health centres across in each of the 236 wards in the state.

The government has also equipped State hospitals in Ijaiye, Abeokuta and Ilaro in Yewa South Local Government Area and other secondary health facilities across the three senatorial districts and purchased a new fleet of 10 ambulances.

To optimise return on physical investment on healthcare facilities, the government recruited and provide incentives for medical personnel including resident doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals in various cadres into the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu and across the General Hospitals and PHCs

The government had also embarked on Medical outreach by offering free medical examination and dispensation of including free eyeglasses, immunisation, and BP checks, Hepatitis tests, counselling and vaccination in several locations of the state.

During the outbreak of COVID-19, the administration initiated: proactive measures to mitigate and flatten the curve of the virus by pioneering the establishment of the first mobile COVID-19 testing booth; the first NCDC accredited Mobile Molecular Laboratory in Nigeria; Drive-Through and Walk-In Testing Centre, equipped with a specially designed protective glass box to be used by medical personnel collecting samples, allows suspected patients drive their cars in or simply walk in and get tested with almost instant result.

Also during the period, the government prioritised welfare for frontline workers and people by establishing five isolation and treatment centres and increasing health workers salaries. The government during the period, raised by 300% Hazard Allowances of Frontline workers just as it initiates life Insurance covering 8, 000 medical workers in different categories.

Other aspects of the Social Wellbeing Component of the State Policy are:

Greater Ease of Doing Business by leveraging on World Bank OGSTEP Facility of $250million credit, towards the financing of the Ogun State Economic Transformation Project (OGSTEP) through the strengthening of its agriculture value chains, developing skills and fortifying its business environment.

Establishment of Ogun State Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency (OgunInvest) with a mandate to attract investors into the State; coordinate the private sector investment activities, and streamlining processes and procedures to ease the Investors journey to setting up their operations successfully in Ogun State.

Capacity building for over 500 entrepreneurs across the State to enable them to access financing and scale up their businesses

Empowerment of 2500 rural women across the state through the provision of products worth N100m

Land acquisition within 30-day for the issuance of C of Os through the launch of an online portal, Ogun State Land Administration and Revenue Management System (OLARMS).
Education

In the last 30 months of administration of Governor Dapo Abiodun, the government has executed several projects in the books and crannies of the state and had embarked on policies aimed at raising the bar of education in the state. These activities are:

Recruitment of 5000 OgunTeach interns into public schools across the 20 Local Government Areas in the state;

Reinstatement of Unjustly sacked labour leaders like the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress and a Director in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology;

Rehabilitation of over 100 public primary and junior secondary schools and targeting 236 to conform with the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC’s recommended standard;

Promotion and Induction of Principals, Vice Principals, Teachers and allied workers: a total of 132 Principals, 122 Vice Principals and four Zonal Secretaries to fill the deficit the administration met across secondary schools including the promotion of the backlog of teachers’ promotion exercise for three preceding years. Altogether, 10,000 teaching and non-teaching staff in the state are beneficiaries

Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY) Resuscitation: Reviving the prestigious and long-existing Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere – that was replaced by the Moshood Abiola University of Science and Technology existed only on paper – a move that would have cost all academic and non-academic staff of the institution to lose either or both their jobs or some years of service.

The Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE) Revival: Tai Solarin College of Education was riddled with crises and could not hold convocation for 11 years.

Cancellation of all forms of levies in public schools and Pioneering of Ogun DigiClass for students to take lectures at home to compensate for the academic time lost due to the closure of schools during the COVID-19 outbreak

EMIS: The State Government procured and installed the Education Management Information System (EMIS) equipment and gadgets to aid data collection, collation and analysis in the Education Headquarters and all the 20 LGEAs.
Youth empowerment:

In any society, the importance of the Youth in all aspects of human endeavours cannot be overemphasized. However, this class of population in Nigeria, which accounted for a substantial percentage, is bedeviled by various negative characteristics occasioned mainly by a high level of unemployment.

Determined to reverse the trend to make youths in the state productive and contribute to state development, the Dapo Abiodun Administration has initiated several youth-oriented policies. These policies include:

Setting up Ogun Job Portal an online platform where unemployed persons or business owners, seeking career advancement, register their profiles towards getting the desired result.

Empowerment and recruitment of 1,000 into the Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA). In the same month, 400 youth artisans were recruited across crafts (plumbing, electrical and building) as Direct Labour initiative into the State Ministry of Housing’s Building

Mainstreaming of 2000 ASCON Entrants: supposedly employed but without files into the civil service record and payment of their backlog of all salaries.

Abocoders Academy: An initiative of Aspilos Foundation with a focus on training women between the ages of 16-35years in the act of coding (programming). The academy started with over 35 students, running a 4-month programme, which will equip them with the pre-requisite skills needed to get industrial attachments placements

Formation of Tech Club: created to provide an enabling environment for kids and other young technocrats to network, socialize and brainstorm. The Bureau operates a data centre, and currently have a 42U Rack at the DC which hosts the State mail server and other application servers used by other MDAs.

Sports Commission: A spots commission to help nurture the talents of the youths of Ogun is being established.
Agriculture and human security

In Ogun State, Agriculture is one of the flagship programs of the administration. The government, through various agricultural policies and programs, has been engaging youths productively. The agricultural programs of the state had earned the state and the governor, Abiodun, several awards both within and outside the state.

Some of the agricultural programmes executed by the state include Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP), Ogun Broiler Project, Rice Intervention, Agro-Industrial Processing, fish farming and FADAMA Scheme.

The government through the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) facilitated the crediting by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of 6,265 farmers drawn across all 20 Local Government Areas.

Also, the Ogun Broiler Project: Ovever 9,000 youths benefited with each beneficiary making an average profit of N180,000 per six weeks of production.

The Ogun Rice Intervention programme involves the facilitation of access to loan and seedling to rice farmers across the state and provision of farmlands, including the 120,000-hectare rice farm at Sowunmi Village along the Ofada/Mokoloki axis of the State.

The program, also involved fast-tracking of the Joint Ogun State and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Value Chain Project in eight Local Government Areas.

Under Agro-Industrial Processing, Ogun State after competitive bidding, was on 8th April 2020 shortlisted by the African Development Bank (AfDB) as a major hub for Industrial Cassava, Poultry, Agro-Forestry and Fishery processing zone.

For fish farming, the intervention was done, as the government constructed and maintained 385 (Dug-Out – 235; Tank – 130) new fish ponds/tanks 300 fish farmers across the state. This is as 2,815 farmers were assisted in stocking over 3,815,000 Clarias Fingerlings.

In the FADAMA Scheme of the administration, 200 youths benefited under FADAMA Graduate Unemployed Youths Scheme (GUYS), with beneficiaries being granted over N74 million.

The government has also constructed four solar-powered boreholes, bringing to 11 number of the type and serving 2,500 beneficiaries of the Ogun State Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) having access to safe drinking water.

Abdul Yekini Alli

By Olufemilade Oyinade

Determined to ensure provision of affordable houses to the people of Ogun, the state government has finalised plans to partner First City Monument Bank (FCMB) to provide loans for interested in subscribers of government housing schemes.

The Governor made this disclosure when the Group Chief Executive of the FCMB, Ladi Balogun led the management staff of the bank on a courtesy visit to his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, on Wednesday.
Governor Abiodun called for a more robust relationship between his administration and the management of the bank in its quest to make more people become landlords.

Abiodun noted that despite his administration’s efforts at providing over 1,000 homes in the last 30 months, the effort seemed not enough as people have continued buying faster than what is currently on ground.

He observed that the effort to make homes available to the people through direct labour has created employment for the artisans, thereby reducing criminal activities among youth in the state.

“The direct labour programme is part of our economic sustainability plan to engage youths and build affordable houses for the people. The plan, no doubt, has made it more difficult for most of our youths to delve into crimes as they are busy working to earn their wages through the direct labour programme.

“We must get our people from being tenants, particularly people who are civil servants. It also allows us to create employment, we are using direct labour to build those homes and we have done about 1,000 in 30 months and those are affordable homes of N6 Million. We can’t even build fast enough; people are buying them faster than we are building them. They are either paid in full or paid in part, those are areas that you could work with us”, he stated.

Abiodun added that his administration was willing to work with the bank in the areas of concession, management or financing.

He equally informed the bank management that a 24 hour ambulance service, as well as a tricycle ambulance service for its Primary Health Care had been put in place, calling the bank to adopt a Primary Health Care for rehabilitation and equipment.

The governor, while also urging the bank to adopt a school through the adopt-a-school programme put in place by 2,000 more to renovate.

The Group Chief Executive of the FCMB, Ladi Balogun stated that the bank gesture was to enable residents of the state own houses they could call their own,

He stressed that the financial institution was ready to give the Governor Abiodun-led administration support through its Corporate Social Responsibility platform, saying the government alone could not carry the burden of meeting the needs of the people.

Balogun who described 2021 as a difficult year for everyone, explained that the meeting with the governor was to open a channel of engagement that would promote the quality of lives of the people, adding that the bank would work with the state government on any area it chose for collaboration.

While appreciating the state government for its developmental strides, especially in the area infrastructure, Balogun said that the desire of the bank was to help the present administration finish its tenure well and as well as lay a solid foundation for the future”.

“We are willing to do more with the present administration in the state in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility. The bank is focused on how it can elevate the quality of lives of the people they serve and work with”, the FCMB CEO stated.

By Bisade Ojoye

Onipara of Ipara Remo, His Royal Highness, Oba Taiwo Taiwo will on Friday, January 7, 2022 installed Olukoya Awosanya and his wife as Asiwaju and Yeye Asiwaju of Ipara Remo.

According to a statement issued today by Chief of Staff to Onipara Ipara Remo, Omoba Abiola Ogundeko, Onipara of Ipara Remo said the choice of Olukoya Awosanya and his wife Mrs. Abosede Olukoya as Asiwaju and Yeye Asiwaju of Ipara Remo respectively was due to their socio-economic contributions to the development of Ipara Remo through youths, women empowerment, and community development projects.

The statement stated that the official and traditional installation of the couple with their chieftaincy titles would come up tomorrow, Friday, 7th January, 2022 by 10am at the Onipara’s palace, Ipara Remo, while the chieftaincy ceremony and entertainment of invited guests would come up on Saturday, 8th January, 2021 at United Primary School field, Ipara Remo, Ogun State from 12noon.

The statement partly reads: On behalf of my wife, Olori Afolake Taiwo, Onipara-Council, Ipara Remo Council of Baales, Ipara Remo Community Development Association, Ipara Remo Indigenes in Diaspora and all sons and daughters of Ipara Remo both at home and in Diaspora, I, Oba Taiwo Taiwo, Onipara Ipara Remo, Amororo 11 congratulate Chief Olukoya and Abosede Awosanya as they become Asiwaju and Yeye Asiwaju of Ipara Remo. It is indeed with profundity of joy that I congratulate them and wish them well.

By Olufemilade Oyinade

Ogun State Alternate Medicine Board (OGAMB) has put in place necessary machinery to begin full enforcement of all regulations of practitioners of native medicine in a bid to capture genuine, qualified practitioners and uncover quacks whose activities are inimical to the good of alternative medicine practice across the state.

This was made known by the Board Chairman, Chief Balogun Nurudeen Olaleye during 2021 end of the year stakholders meeting and review of the Board’s activities during the year, held at the block D complex , Governor’s Office , Oke Mosan , Abeokuta Ogun State.

Olaleye said the enforcement which would commence third week in January, 2022. This according to him will allow the Board to put in place necessary logistics and awareness campaign programme would ensure re-orientation training and workshop for all the practitioners across the state that would further enable them to grasp the basic guidelines as well as the Board’s modus operandi for a better result.

He further explained that part of the rules that established the board stipulated that it must enforce its operational laws which include: registeration of members for effective monitoring, explaining that, the registration with the board was key and important in other to develop the data base for individual practitioners and enable Board monitor their activities.

His words” we have been working with all the necessary security Agencies and have held meetings with the key stakeholders on Alternate Medicine in the state. And after due consultations with all the concerned bodies from both Government and private sector, a date was fixed for the enforcement which will help in identifying genuine ones and expose those the quacks who are not registered with the board.”

Speaking at the meeting, Yeye Abatan Oreagba of Ogun State Native Healers and Traditional Believers appreciated the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun for supporting the Native Healers and Traditional believers, and applauded the Board Chairman, Balogun Nurudeen Olaleye and other Board members for their selfless services and commiitment at ensuring that the Sub-Sector stand-out successfully and become the best coordinated Board in Nigeria.

In his response, Chief Samson Soyoye , Congratulated the Ogun State Alternate Medicine Board Chairman and members on promoting the state Alternate medicine board to an enviable height at any given opportunity, expressing delight that the Board has now located a front burner in the country, competing favourably with some Boards that had been established 15 to 40 years ago.

He Urged practitioners in the state to support the state plan at capturing all practitioners by registering with the Board before the enforcement date.

He further appreciated the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun and the Board Chairman for promoting Alternate Medicine in the state to national recognition despite the fact that the Board was one of the youngest and newly created Alternate Medicine Boards in Nigeria having performed beyond expectations, pledging their support for Board’s full enforcement among others initiatives at sanitizing the sub-sector in achieving its set objectives in Ogun State.

To achieve a successful enforcement across the state, the Board has given enough time to all practitioners to register and mobilise themselves so as to identify qualified members and eliminate incidence of criminality in the practice of alternate medicine in Ogun State.

By our Correspondent

AS the political climate is turbocharged ahead of 2023, pan Igbo group, Odinma Ebonyi Foundation, (ODEF) yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the resurrection of zoning arrangement which the body described as anti-democratic and expired idea.

The group, according to its Executive Director, Collins Azu decried the zoning mentality, midwived by equity concept that have dominated political discussion in Ebonyi State by some members of the All Progressives Congress, APC and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

The group disagreed vehemently with equity and zoning theory as a compass to the 2023 general elections.

They believed, for Ebonyi State, to move forward, the move for equity, zoning as against capacity, competence and credibility should, not only be thrashed, but buried and never resurrected in any political discussion in Ebonyi State, nay Nigeria.

Executive Director of the group, Collins Azu who in a statement made available to our Editorial desk berated zoning and equity proponents, emphasised the need for various political gladiators to rise to the onerous tasks of nation building by thrashing the idea of imposition of mediocre—incompetent, abrasive, haughty and sellouts—an unfortunate trappings that come with zoning as a way selecting political parties’ candidates in the electoral process.

According to Azu, “pushing the zoning idea is tantamount to truncating the lofty dreams of our founding fathers aimed at building egalitarian society where love and justice took precedence over other ideals.

The Hellens, ancient Greece postulated, where democracy was first practiced, Azu recalled, preferred capacity, ideological understanding of realities in the context of governance as critical requirements for selecting candidates and not zoning.

For Ebonyi State to move forward, ODEF Executive Director said various actors must urgently close ranks, quash equity, zoning and opt for a system with broad-minded hearts to consolidate democracy and deliver its dividends to the people.

The group vowed to resist every attempt by All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to field candidates on the grounds of zoning and equity.

By Our Correspondent

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun has expressed his condolence to his Oyo State counterpart, Seyi Makinde and the entire people of Ibadan over demise of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1, who joined his ancestors on January 2.

Oba Adetunji had passed on at the age of 93 at the University College Teaching Hospital, Ibadan, after a brief illness.

Abiodun, in a statement on Monday by his Chief Press Secretary, Kunle Somorin, described Olubadan’s death as a great loss not only to Ibadanland, but Yorubaland.

He said Oba Adetunji was an embodiment of peace whose reign witnessed great development of his domain.

Abiodun further noted that the late monarch used his wealth and wisdom to bear while on the throne, declaring he would be sorely missed.

He urged the people of Ibadanland to take solace in the fact that the late monarch’s reign was peaceful and progressive, the governor prayed Allah to grant Oba Adetunji Aljanah Firdaus.

…We remain grateful to the Almighty God for yet another Year attained as a country, united by a common destiny and resolute in our determination to overcome the several challenges along the path to build the great and prosperous Nation of our dream.

2. I salute the courage and resilience of all Nigerians, which was evident in 2021 as this nation, like other countries of the world, faced significant challenges that occurred as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts to restore the global economy and social order.
3. The persistent insecurity in certain parts of the country may have threatened to unravel the incremental gains achieved in the real sectors of the economy and in the administration’s overall objective to position the nation on the irreversible trajectory of sustainable growth and progress, but I assure you that we will remain resolute in our commitments and shall continue to press ahead with our programmes and plans.
4. The path to nationhood is often fraught with unpredictable difficulties and challenges, and most tried and tested nations have often prevailed through dogged determination, resilience, concerted commitment to unity, and the conviction that the whole of the nation, standing together against all odds, is by far greater and would ultimately be more prosperous and viable than the sum of its distinguishable parts.
5. There is no doubt that the issue of Security remains at the front burner of priority areas that this Administration has given utmost attention to. As a follow up to our promise to re-energize and reorganize the security apparatus and personnel of the armed forces and the police, it is on record that this Administration has invested heavily in re-equipping our military in line with upgrading the platforms and firepower required to tackle the current challenges being faced in the country.
6. The net results of these efforts have been the number of insurgents and bandits who have willingly surrendered to our Security Forces and continue to do so through various channels and the Safe Corridor created for that purpose.
7. Government, however, realizes that victory on the battlefield is just one aspect of sustainable victory. We know that to fully win this war, we must also win the peace and real security lies in winning the hearts and minds of the affected citizens. To this end, working with our international partners and neighbouring countries, we would be deploying multi-faceted solutions that will be targeted at addressing human security at the grassroots, before it leads to insecurity.
8. Once again I would like to take a moment to remember and honour the gallant Military, Police Officers, and other security agents who have lost their lives in the cause of protecting the territorial integrity of this Nation against both internal and external aggressors, assuring their families that their sacrifices would not be in vain.
9. We equally remember and commiserate with Nigerians who have lost loved ones as a result of insecurity in different parts of the country. Every life matters and every single death caused by any form of insecurity is a matter of personal concern to me both as a citizen and as the President of this great country.
10. We remain fully committed to upholding the constitutional provisions that protect all Nigerians from any form of internal and external aggression.
11. On the economy, we have shown a high level of resilience to record some significant achievements despite the turbulence that has characterized our economy and indeed the global economy. The lessons we have learned and keep learning from COVID-19 have encouraged us to intensify efforts to mitigate its socio-economic effects on our Nation.
12. The major wins we have recorded can be clearly seen in Nigeria’s most recent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The 4.03% growth recorded in the third quarter of 2021 is indicative of the recovery being recorded in our economy and the confidence that is being shown through the policies that our Administration has put in place after the outbreak of the pandemic.
13. We may also recall that this recent growth is closely followed by the 5.1% (year on year) growth in real terms recorded by Nigeria in Quarter 2 of 2021. This growth was one of the best recorded by any nation across Sub-Saharan Africa. The 5.1% growth at that time was and remains the highest growth recorded by the Nigerian economy since 2014.
14. Despite the challenges we have faced as a Nation, the good news is that we have so far recorded four consecutive quarters of growth after the negative growth rates recorded in Quarter 2 and Quarter 3 of 2020 due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.
15. On August 16, 2021 I signed the landmark Petroleum Industry Act into law. The signing of this legacy legislation is a watershed moment in the history of our Nation, considering the massive positive impact the new Act would have on the economy. I would like to sincerely commend the 9th Assembly for the grit they demonstrated, succeeding where others have failed, and the cooperation that led to the completion of this process after almost two decades.
16. Just like I stated during the investment trips and fora that I have attended recently, the legislation is expected to serve as a liberalizing force in the energy industry, and we are optimistic that this law will provide the much-needed legal, governance, regulatory and fiscal framework for the development of the energy sector, the host communities, and Nigeria as a Nation. Our objective to increase Liquefied Natural Gas exports and expand our domestic market is still very much at the forefront of some of the policies we would be pushing in the new year.
17. In year 2022 and going forward, our Administration would intentionally leverage ICT platforms to create jobs, while ensuring that the diversification of our economy creates more support to other emerging sectors. I am proud to announce that several foreign investors are taking advantage of our ranking as one of the leading start-up ecosystems in Africa to invest in our digital economy.
18. We have given the utmost priority to fighting corruption and other related offenses which have been a bane to the growth and prosperity of our dear Nation. We have made major strides and breakthroughs through the innovative use of technology and forensics in the investigative and prosecutorial procedures with commendable results to show that the anti-corruption drive of our Administration is succeeding.
19. In the meantime, the accomplishments that have been recorded so far can be traced to the dedication of the Nation’s anti-corruption Agencies who have received the necessary support needed to effectively prosecute their duties.
20. Despite our challenges in 2021, it was also a year in which the Administration executed successfully, key projects, programmes, and initiatives to fulfil the promises made under the Security, Economy Anti-corruption (SEA) agenda.
21. As we welcome 2022, let us, with hope, envision a year of continued progress against our combined challenges arising from security and socio-economic issues.
22. As it is said, the past is but a story told, the future will still be written in gold. Let us be united in our fight to keep our Nation united against all odds and with gratitude, celebrate life in this new epoch.

By Olufemilade Oyinade

Ogun State First Lady, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun welcomed the first baby of the year 2022 at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU) Sagamu, Ogun State on December 1,2022.

The baby boy named, Zakariya weighing 3.3kg was delivered at 12.17am at the Teaching Hospital.

By Our Correspondent

The Chairman Ijebu-Ode Local Government, Alhaji Babatunde Gazal has re-affirmed his administration’s commitment to good governance and provision of dividends of democracy to the people of the council in the year 2022.

Gazal who disclosed this in a chat with OGIS correspondent in Ijebu-Ode, said his government had taken stock of what is available at the Local Government towards charting a new course in the coming year.

“We have seen where the challenges are. We have seen what needs to be done, trying to lay a solid foundation for the financial base of the Local Government and working on our Internally Generated Revenue. We will do things that will be very impactful on the society, and our people should be hopeful’’, he said.

Gazal promised that where new roads cannot be constructed, the Local Government would work on maintaining the existing ones, saying the Prince Dapo Abiodun led administration had done so much for the people in Ijebu-Ode, especially on road projects.

He advised the residents to be security conscious during the Yuletide period, saying security should be a collective responsibility of everyone

By Bisade Ojoye

The Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Honourable Femi Gbajabiamila has said that peace and unity are the only things that would bring progress to Nigeria.

The Speaker stated this on Saturday when he welcomed the first babies born in his Surulere 1 Constituency, Lagos State this year.

He urged Nigerians to come together as a nation and harness the resources of the nation as one people.”

“If God has been kind to you to put you in a position where you can influence lives positively, please do.”

“My message is very clear to Nigerians, peace and unity can only bring one thing and it is progress, no progress without unity”, he stressed.

Gbajabiamila, while welcoming the babies of the year, harped on the need to strengthen child education if the country must reach its potential.

The ‘Surulere Baby of the Year’, a female named Lateefat, was born in the Gbaja Maternal Child Care Centre, Surulere at exactly midnight on January 1, weighing 3.2kg.

The Speaker also welcomed the Okotie triplets who were born between 9:52am and 9:54 am on Saturday.

The hospital’s Medical Director, Dr Madewa Adebajo, urged the state government to build more mother and child hospitals, saying this would help in the fight against maternal deaths.

The Speaker further visited the nearby Heart of Gold Hospice, a care and management centre for children with mental and extreme physical disabilities, where he donated food items to the children, some of whom were marking their birthdays.

There was a pleasant surprise when two of the hospice’s patients announced their engagement and plans to get married by April.

Gbajabiamila toured the Randle General Hospital where he inaugurated a solar mini grid at the Randle General Hospital, comprising a 40 KVA solar panel inverter and 40 KVA generator.

He ended the tour with an inspection of the construction work on the 1.7km Babs Animashaun Road, the 50-bed Femi Gbajabiamila Hospital at Iyun Road and the upgrading of the Abalti Barrack Football Pitch to a mini stadium.

Explaining his passion for infrastructure development, Gbajabiamila said the Nigerian nation had so much potential God has blessed her with, saying that things that divide us were way less than things that unite us, adding that this propelled him whenever he had to do anything thing.

He noted that the projects being inaugurated since Thursday fall under various categories, including: health, roads and education, among others.

Gbajabiamila said: “The hostel for international students has been something after his heart and that the project would be done by April, this year.

“Education must always take its rightful place in every developed society, education remains the bedrock of every society, the society cannot move forward without education.

“No child must be left behind, education to me is not a privilege but a right and we must treat it as a right.”

Since Thursday Gbajabiamila has been inaugurating the 137 completed physical projects he facilitated since assuming office as Speaker in 2019

By Our Reporter

Maverick Social Media buff, Lawal Olugbenga popularly known and called Ambassador Easy was yesterday voted Social Media personality of the year at this year’s edition of Remo Young Achievers Award.

The Award ceremony was held December 29, 2021 at the monarchical hall inside the palace of Ewusi of Makun, Sagamu Remo Ogun State in the Southern West of Nigeria .

The award which was keenly contested among young Social Media Personalities and influencers in Remo saw Ambassador Easy ‘easily’ emerging tops with a wide merging.

The organiser of the event, Dr. Lizzy Jekami who confessed she was meeting Ambassador Easy for the first time, expressed shock at the huge votes polled by Ambassador Easy why the voting exercise lasted.

In her words, ” Ah! So you are Ambassador Easy. The plethora of your votes almost crashed our dedicated phone. I’m really impressed by your performance. I heartily congratulate you”

Presenting the award to Ambassador Easy, Otunba Howels, a frontrunner in Media Entrepreneurial stride said he would have contested the result if it was not bestowed on Ambassador Easy, because according to him, Ambassador Easy was really on top of the game. He congratulated him and charged him to keep the spirit apace.

Lawal Olugbenga, aka Ambassador Easy.
expressed appreciation to those who voted for him and the organisers of the event for counting him worthy of the honour. He also gave profundity of gratitude to God for being His fortress, saying he owed all to Him.