- Warns new commissioners against corrupt practices
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Wednesday, inaugurated the State Executive Council with a threat to sanction any commissioner or public officials who engage in corrupt practices.
While announcing the names and portfolios of his new cabinet members at the swearing in ceremony for new commissioners and permanent secretaries at the Government Secretariat in Osogbo, Governor Adeleke said he would be doubling as the Commissioner for Works while his deputy, Kola Adewusi, would oversee the Ministry of Sports and Special Needs.
The commissioners are: B. T. Salam (Ministry of Regional Integration and Special Duties), Morufu Dele Ayanfe (Ministry of Science, Information and Communication Technology), Moshood Olagunju (Ministry of Youth Affairs),Mrs. Adenike Folasade Adeleke (Ministry of Federal Affairs), Dosu Babatunde (Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs), Alfred Sesan Oyedele (Ministry of Transport), Bunmi Jenyo (Ministry of Commerce and Industry), George Alabi (Ministry of Land and Physical Planning), Sola Ogungbile, (Ministry of Finance)
Others are: Prof. Morufu Ademola Adeleke (Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning), Wole Jimi-Bada (Ministry of Justice), Dipo Eluwole (Ministry of Education), Gbola Faseru (Ministry of Agriculture), Sola Akintola (Ministry of Health), Mayowa Anjorin (Ministry of Environment and Sanitation), Kolapo Alimi (Ministry of Information and Public Enlightenment), Aderibigbe Rasheed (Ministry of Home Affairs), Ayobola Awolowo (Ministry of Women Affairs and Children Welfare), Ojo Abiodun Bankole (Ministry of Tourism and Culture).
The remaining commissioners are: Abdulganiyu Ayobami Olaoluwa (Ministry of Rural Development and Community Affairs), Sunday Oroniyi (Ministry of Water Resources), Biyi Odunlade (Ministry of Political Affairs and Inter-Government Affiliation), Soji Adeigbe (Commissioner for Government House Protocol), Festus Adeyemo (Commissioner for Energy), Ministry of Works, Governor Ademola Adeleke, Deputy Governor, Ministry of Sports and Special Needs, Prince Kola Adewusi.
Governor Adeleke said if he could have run a Governor-in-Council government for the past eight months with lots of achievements, then his new team that now makes up his State Executive Council should do better and be innovative in their approaches.
He said the new commissioners were products of stakeholders’ choices, adding that they were qualified and appointed based on merit.
Addressing the new commissioners and permanent secretaries after swearing them in, Adeleke said, “I seek a very responsive government that listens and satisfies the wishes of the people. So your goal must be real service to the people. I value honesty and integrity in public service. You must be above board. Corrupt conduct will be heavily sanctioned.
“I love thinking out of the box in governance. As political heads of your ministries, be very innovative. Generate and implement new ideas. In times of national economic emergency, I love achieving much with little resources. Be prudent and adopt measures that reduce cost of projects and services.
“As we all know, I am a team player. There won’t be any room for solo actors in our cabinet. You must work as a team with a common goal to make a difference in the lives of our people. Above all, my leadership is about due process and rule of law. You must not cut corners. I will not compromise transparency and accountability.
“As you are coming on board, the task before us is enormous. We have a duty to turn our adversity into assets. We must re-engineer our economy, generate wealth, engage our youth, deepen our economic base, embrace the digital economy and implement our climate action agenda.
“We are the innovators to overcome our state’s deficit across sectors. I know you are full of new options for the greater Osun agenda. I believe your heads and hands are full of solutions to governance problems of our time. Bring them on. You will find in me a receptive and supportive head of administration.
“To harness our potentials and capacities, an executive retreat is in the making for all top appointees and officials. At that event, an expanded five- point agenda of the administration will be a focus. We will leave the retreat better equipped to deliver on our mission and vision as a government.
“Also in due course, you will be adequately briefed on public service rules as well as your working relationship with bureaucrats who are accounting officers of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies. I will insist on harmonious partnership with the civil service by political appointees. We are partners in progress.”
The new commissioners promised to key into the five points agenda of the Adeleke-led administration, assuring that they would be loyal and avoid shady deals.
