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THE NATION MONDAY, MAY 7, 2012
NEWS Aregbesola receives reports on gold deposit From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has received reports on the discovery of gold in primary form in the state. The governor spoke in Osogbo, the state capital, at the presentation of the reports on the exploration of mineral licences in the state by the Director-General of the Geological Survey Agency in Abuja. He assured the residents of prosperity. Aregbesola noted that the result of what the agency has done on the discovery of gold in its primary form would not only benefit the present generation in the state but also the people in the Southwest and the country. He said: “Aside from several other mineral resources that we have in the state, we have a huge deposit of primary gold. With gold in its primary form, I am very happy to tell our people that we are moving towards a period of prosperity, which I believe will launch us into another sphere, combined with the present discipline and attribute we have given to ourselves as Omoluabi (the thoroughbred). The sky indeed will be the starting point for us. “The result of what Prof. Siyan Malomo and his team have done will not only benefit the generation that we have now but also generations yet unborn, not only in Osun and the Southwest but the whole of Nigeria will benefit more from the tremendous work of the agency.” Aregbesola urged the agency to support the state for the commercial exploration of the primary gold deposit. He said the job of the agency is not fully done until the mineral is accessed and appropriated. Prof. Malomo noted that the work by the agency at the laboratory during the analysis and interpretation of the discovery can compete with any other anywhere in the world. “We have a laboratory that can do analyses and interpretation of results. The work we have done can compete favourably with anyone that we have in any part of the world. The result is what can stand with others in Europe or anywhere else in the world,” he said.
ACN hails governor as O-YES celebrates one year •Condoles with Rashidi Yekinni’s family From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
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HE Osun State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has praised the government on the first year anniversary of its youth empowerment programme, tagged the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES). It hailed Governor Rauf Aregbesola for providing jobs for 20,000 youths in the state. In a statement yesterday in Osogbo, the state capital, by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy Kunle Oyatomi the party described the scheme as a fulfilled promise, which has reduced the suffering of the masses in the state. ACN said: “When the O-YES project started, evil people vilified it and tried to diminish its value. But the farther they tried to condemn the project, the more it got international and responsible local acclamation. “One year on, the O-YES project is not only gaining strength, at least three or more other states of the federation have bought into it and have it replicated in their areas. “This is a credit to the foresight of Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola and his imaginative team, which is doing everything to make life meaningful for the youths and other citizens of Osun State.” The party has condoled with the family and friends of Rashidi Yekini, a football legend, who passed on at the weekend after a protracted illness. The Osun State ACN said it was grieving over the death of the late soccer exponent, adding: “Our leader, Governor Aregbesola, who is passionate about youth and their progress, played a pivotal role in rescuing Rashidi at a time of need, when it seemed the world had abandoned him.”
Amosun’s wife calls for support for the poor
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IFE of the Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun, at the weekend urged philanthropists and other stakeholders in the education sector to cooperate with the government for community development services to the less privileged. She said doing so will ensure the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing poverty by 2015 in the country. The governor’s wife spoke at the inauguration of a modern toilet constructed by Day Waterman College and donated to Zion African Primary School, Akia, in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area. She said it is only through collective efforts Nigerians can build a virile and strong nation. Mrs. Amosun hailed the college for its community development projects, saying this would improve the lives of the less privileged in the society. According to her, Day Waterman College’s donation of pipeborne water to Magbagbe-Odun Village, toilet packs, mosquitotreated nets and de-worming tablets to pupils of Zion Primary School shows the college’s commitment to addressing pressing social issues in the community and the state. “I am highly impressed that a school can take up such a challenge to do a fundraising for the needy and I hope other wealthy schools will emulate this action,” she said. The Principal, Day Waterman College Dr. Tassos Anastasiades said the mission of the college is to provide quality and unparalleled education to the pupils as well as impact on them positively.
•Osun State pupils displaying computer tablets, tagged: Opon Imo (Knowledge Slate), in the teachers’ corps group, one of the six new Cadet of the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES), at the scheme’s first year anniversary parade/inauguration of six new cadet corps with the theme: Still Marching On, at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Orientation Camp, Ede, Osun State...at the weekend.
Osun to build N300m hydro power station
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HE Osun State Government has begun the construction of a N300 million hydro power station, called O’POWER, at Ikeji-Ile in Oriade Local Government Area. The Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Mr. Bashiru Ajibola, who broke the news in Osogbo, the state capital, spoke on the essence of project to the state’s development. He noted that when it is completed, O’POWER would generate enough electricity for the Ijesa axis. The commissioner said N180 million of the cost had been paid, adding that work has begun on the project. According to him, the project is linked with the establishment of an international modern market at Owena-Ijesa. He said Owena, being the bounder town between Osun and Ondo states and the traditional market for food
From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
produce, caught the attention of the Rauf Aregbesola administration. Ajibola noted that the project would enhance the marketability of agricultural produce in the state. He said: “Part of what will complement the market is the establishment of an agro-allied industry, particularly a food processing company. Facilities, such as medical centres, schools and many others, would also be upgraded. “To that effect, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has been saddled with the responsibility of coming up with a structural plan for the upgrade of the town, while the team, led by the Office of Economic Development and Partnership, is working on the drawings and the bill of quantity for the market.”
On Ayegbaju Modern Market, he said a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)) would be signed today and investors would immediately move to the site. According to him, when the market is completed, traders from all the markets in Osogbo axis would be moved to the area. The commissioner said the government would compensate those who will be affected by the facility upgrade in Osogbo, especially at the railway station and MDS. He added that efforts were being made to relocate the affected people to the trade fair complex on Iwo Road. Ajibola said the facilities would be completed in the next two or three months to ensure that there is an alternative market. He said: “The Executive Council (Exco) wants to assure the farmers that farm inputs such as fertilizers and
improved seedlings are in abundance and they should contact the extension officers and officials in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security for inputs. “Also, the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperative and Industry is already at full gear to give micro-credit support to farmers for the planting season. And the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security is also providing a lot of assistance in terms of land preparation, among others. “On O’Beef production, we were briefed that the team from Zimbabwe has come in. The land has been cleared and the necessary facilities, such as boreholes, access roads, among others, are being worked upon. We are working towards ensuring that before Eid-el-Kabir period. We will be able to have rams that will be reared to be used during the festive period.”
State to sponsor 98 UNIOSUN medical students abroad
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HE Rauf Aregbesola administration will sponsor 98 clinical students of the College of Medicine of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN) to complete their medical studies in the Karazin University in Ukraine. Governor Rauf Aregbesola broke the news in Osogbo, the state capital, at the weekend at a meeting with Concerned Parents of Medical Students of the university. He said the two-year programme would cost the state government about N146 million. The governor added that his administration would foot the bills for the programme. Aregbesola said the government was offering the scholarships to the third, fourth and fifth year students, because there is no accredited teaching hospital in UNIOSUN, where they could be trained to become qualified medical practitioners. Aregbesola’s deputy, Mrs
From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori said the state government has contacted the university in Ukraine to absorb the students into the fourth year of their study. They will spend only two years to become qualified doctors, she added. She said the state would pay $3,500 tuition fees, air tickets of about $1,700, procurement of visa and invitation fees, accommodation, immigration services, medical tests and insurance as well as the cost for language training. Mrs Laoye-Tomori said: “The cost for each student for the training is about $7,000. But the only cost that the parent would cater for is the money for feeding and upkeep of the students. It means the government will be parting with not less than N146 million for the two-year programme. “The major problem for the students was the completion
of their medical programmes as regards the issue of their clinical years. This is because for UNIOSUN to graduate the students as doctors, the students must have a teaching hospital that is accredited by the Nigerian Medical Council (NMC). Presently, that is not in place. “The original suggestion from the university authority was for us to upgrade Asubiaro State Hospital into a teaching hospital. But to do that, it would cost over N1billion for us to graduate medical students, which we cannot afford now, considering other pressing programmes of the government. “We also tried to use the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), but we also ran into a problem, because LAUTECH lost its accreditation. We tried some other Nigerian universities, specifically the University of Ibadan (UI) and the Obafemi Awolowo Univer-
sity (OAU). But the problem they are facing is the problem of accreditation. This is because they can’t exceed the quota they are supposed to take for the clinical years. “Having tried locally, we spread the tentacles outside Nigeria - to the United State (US), United Kingdom (UK), Belarus and Cuba. The costs of tuition for the training in those countries are astronomical. “Subsequently, we got a favourable consideration from the Karazin University of Ukraine and to the glory of God, the government will be sponsoring those 98 students to Ukraine on scholarship.” The Coordinator of the UNIOSUN Concerned Parents, Dr. Moses Adetumbi, hailed the government for the initiative. He expressed the gratitude of the parents and students to Aregbesola and the state executive council (Exco).