The Chairman, Local Government Service Commission in Osun state, Elder Peter Babalola has felicitated with members of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on the occasion of their 2017 Press Week and charged them to promote the many “achievements of Governor Rauf Aregbesola led administration.”
Babalola threw this challenge at the newsmen while hosting them in his country home in Ikire on Sunday.
Correspondents in Osun had stormed The Apostolic Church, Molarere, Ikire for their Thanksgiving Service which marked the commencement of the 2017 Press Week before visiting the residence of Babalola.
Babalola revealed that most civil servants in the state lie against the state Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as regards payment of their salaries and other entitlements.
According to Babalola, these workers, after being paid their salaries give force information to market men and women that they have not been paid their salaries in order to get goods on credit.
To this end, Babalola tasked journalists in the state to expose these workers who allegedly discredit the Aregbesola led administrarion by allegedly lying that they had not been paid salaries.
Elder Babalola further tasked journalists to promote the achievements of the present administration of Aregbesola in their media and ensure that residents and those outside the state were abreast of the “many achievements” of the state government.
Expressing pity for affected market men and women and traders who had been deceived by these workers to get goods and services on credit, Babalola said many traders had been owed substantial amounts by workers who engage in this act by disparaging and maligning the administration of Governor Aregbesola.
To Babalola, a former Commissioner for Agriculture in the state, journalists had not been reporting the achievements of Aregbesola’s administration enough as he expected stressing that the present administration had turn around the state for better and needed to be widely reported.
He said Osun is now looking like Dubai in contrast to its former look saying that Aregbesola has been making Osun people happy since he took over the mantle of leadership in the state.
According to him, no state in the Southwest can outperform Osun in the payment of salaries claiming that “we are yet to experience this kind of achievements and successes in Osun; just look at Osogbo that was a glorified council, its now looking great with so many infrastructures.”
“Please, I want to urge you (journalists) all to report the wonderful activities of this present administration. Some of you have not been performing well in reporting the good deeds of Aregbesola’ administration. I have knowledge of the administration and I can tell you that we have not experienced this kind of transformation.
“Osogbo was a glorified capital but it has been developed by the present administration. Osun is growing now. You are not reporting the successes of the Aregbesola’s administration enough. Aregbesola is performing well. He is trying his best. So, support this administration. Aregbesola is making Osun people happy.
” In Southwest, Aregbesola hasnt been outperformed by any other governor in the area of salary payment. In Ogun state, since the last 20 months, no worker has been paid their salary. Osun pensioners are being paid till date. Osun pensioners have been paid till date and workers will be paid their balance when things get better.
” Bayelsa is still owing full 9 months salaries across all levels. Aregbesola will soon clear backlogs of half salaries. The problem is that some workers now tell lies that they don’t receive salaries just to collect goods in credit from the traders. They tell the market men and women to force them to release their wares in credit.
“So, please, appreciate the good works of Aregbesola’s administration by giving them wide publicity. The last time I was in Osogbo and I saw street lights in the night, I thought I was in Dubai.
Delivering his sermon during the Thanksgiving Service, the Pastor of the church, Apostle David Oloke congratulated the correspondents on their Press Week and asked them to continue to love themselves and tolerate each other.
Also, the Chairman of Osun NUJ, Mr. Abiodun Olalere while felicitating with members of the Correspondents Chapel described them as ” pillars of Osun NUJ ” disclosing that they always stand for truth no matter whose ox is gored.
The Chairman of the Osun NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Prince Hammeed Oyegbade said the annual Press Week was to appreciate God’s goodness in the lives of the chapel members as the year gradually ends.
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