OGUN HoS ASSURES OF FULL IMPLEMENTATION OF FINANCIAL REGULATIONS DOCUMENT
Ogun State Head of Service (HoS), Mr. Kolawole Fagbohun, has assured members of the Review Committee on Financial Regulations that both the Civil/Public Servants and political class would be properly orientated and inducted to ensure full implementation of the documents for efficiency and productivity.
Mr. Fagbohun gave the assurance while receiving copies of the revised edition of the document on behalf of the state government from the members of the Committee led by its Chairman, a retired Accountant General/Permanent Secretary, Treasury, in the state Civil Service, Pst. 'Seye Senfuye, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, explaining that there was a need to update and upgrade the regulations to meet today's best practices, as Public Servants were trustees of the public and must always remain accountable and transparent in their dealings in the Service.
While commending the committee members for their relentless efforts and doggedness in completing the task, the Head of Service revealed that work was already in progress to approve other documents presented earlier, promising that efforts would be made to fast-track the approval of the revised document.
"We realised we were using obsolete financial regulations. That is why we put the body in place to review it and I'm relieved that justice would have been done to the review. I appreciate you all for the good job done", he said.
Earlier in his presentation, Pst. Senfuye, said gaps, inconsistencies and obsolete areas impeding operational efficiency were identified with solutions provided in two volumes.
While listing part of the review done to include, amendment of 167 regulations and clauses to be in tandem with best practices, removal of 27 obsolete, irrelevant clauses and regulations, the introduction of 231 new clauses and regulations, as well as outright introduction of three new chapters, while retaining 463 regulations and clauses, Pst. Senfuye noted that the move was to reflect high ethical standards, transparency and accountability in the financial process in the Public Service of Ogun State.
He revealed that the committee embarked on wide consultations with relevant Ministries and extra-ministerial departments, as well as Lagos, Oyo, Kwara, Kaduna and Gombe States for peer review of their current financial regulations, adding that the Committee also utilised the Draft of the Federal Government Financial Regulations 2022 from the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and other documents to arrive at the final draft.
He recommended that training and retraining programmes be put in place for all Public Officers, political functionaries and Civil Servants, for effective utilisation of the report, advising that copies should be made available as inventories in all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government, just as every officer should avail themselves of soft copies.
Other members of the Committee were, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives, Mr. Fatai Ogunlana, his counterpart in Finance, Mr. Muftau Towolawi; retired Accountant General/Perm Sec Treasury, Mr. Michael Idowu; retired Director of Inspectorate, Mr. Larry Ilori, as well as Directors, Deputy Directors, Administrative Officers, among other co-opted members.
Omolara Osindele & Tunde Olayiwola,
Press Officers, Office of the HoS
OGSG, JAPAN AGENCY PARTNER ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH
Committed to strengthening healthcare service delivery, Ogun State government has partnered Japan International Cooperation (JICA), to train Reproductive Health Coordinators and Nurses in 20 Local Government Areas of the state.
Speaking at the training in Abeokuta, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Tomi Coker said reproductive health issues deserved utmost attention, hence the need for capacity building of health providers for efficient service delivery, explaining that the training aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancy and early diagnosis of youths struggling with reproductive health issues and safety support, as adolescent and youth-friendly health services were germane in any society.
Dr. Coker appreciated the international agency for its support on adolescent health, saying the Prince Dapo Abiodun administration was committed to harnessing resources towards improving health indices of the state.
“One of the major things we are trying to address is maternal and child mortality, as findings have shown that majority of maternal mortality tends to occur in young mothers and adolescents", she said.
The Commissioner charged participants to cascade the training to their colleagues and ensure that they create a confidential environment in the health centres to encourage adolescents and youths share their reproductive challenges.
Earlier, the Executive Secretary, Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Elijah Ogunsola, expressed hope that the training would go a long way in addressing reproductive health challenges and ensure good communication skills.
On her part, the JICA Programme Health Officer, Ms. Ajibike Adewole, noted that adolescents and youths needed to make right reproductive health decisions and contraceptive adoptions, which could affect their socio-economic and general well-being, commending the participants for their punctuality.
Responding on behalf of other participants, the Chairman of Reproductive Health Coordinator in LGAs, Mrs. Busirat Adelani, appreciated government for providing enabling environment for development partners' collaboration, promising to apply what they had learnt appropriately.
Fatimah Alatishe,
Press Officer, PHCDB
NO RENT INCREMENT AT INTERNATIONAL MARKETS, OGSG ASSURES TRADERS
Contrary to concerns about an imminent increase in rent of the five government-owned markets, Ogun State government has assured traders that it has no plans of effecting any increment at the Markets.
The markets are, Oba Lipede International Market, Kuto, Abeokuta; June 12 Market, Panseke, Abeokuta; Sagamu International Market, Sagamu; Olabisi Onabanjo International Market, Ita-Osu, Ijebu-Ode and the Yewa International Market, Ajilete Owode-Yewa.
Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adebola Sofela, gave the assurance in Abeokuta, during a meeting with executives of the Markets, pointing out that government would dialogue with them before such decisions were made.
Mr. Sofela, who was in company of the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola and officials of the Ogun State Market Development Board, stated that the present administration was determined to further ease trading activities and not make life difficult for traders, appealing to them to continue to cooperate with Consultants appointed to manage the Markets, through prompt payment of rents for more improvements.
Sofela promised that the Ministry would continue to work assiduously to ensure traders adequately harness government interventions, emphasising that traders’ welfare remains a top priority.
Earlier, Iyaloja, Oba Lipede International Market, Kuto, Chief (Mrs.) Tejumade Bakre, who pledged continuous support of traders, called on Consultants to dialogue more with traders, to achieve the mandate of effective management of the markets.
Also speaking, Iyaloja, Yewa International Market, Ajilete Owode-Yewa, Chief (Mrs.) Oluwatosin Martins, lauded government for its intervention which led to the resuscitation of the Market, appealing for provision of more requisite infrastructure to aid trading activities at the facility.
Wale Osunbiyi,
Press Officer, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.
OGUN TO GIVE ANCIENT 'TRADE BY BARTER' AJEBO MARKET A FACELIFT
The ancient 'Trade by Barter' Market in Ajebo, Makun Omi, Ogun Waterside Local Government Area of Ogun state will soon be given a facelift, due to its peculiarity.
Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Hon. Sesan Fagbayi, who revealed this during an assessment tour of the Market, described the market as unique, spectacular and relevant to achieve food security policy of government, saying repositioning of the market would help in tackling the present economic challenges in the country.
Fagbayi pointed out that the visit was an eye-opener of opportunities that could improve the Internally Generated Revenue of government, noting that the Ministry had sought for the support and cooperation of Ajebo people, towards showcasing the market's potential, as government was poised to promote, protect and revive cultural heritage for socio-economic development of the state.
Responding, Secretary of Makun Omi community, Chief Biodun Odunmade, informed that exchanging one type of good for another, instead of cash, is an age-long practice, noting that it had helped in preventing food scarcity in the community.
Chief Odunmade urged the government to upgrade the Market to become international, hinting that the community boasts of tourism potentials such as, Boat Regatta and Okosi Festival, among others.
Kofoworola Idowu,
Press Officer, Min. of Culture &s Tourism
OUR EDUCATIONAL CASH AWARD IS FOR ALL INDIGENES IN TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS - OGSG
Ogun State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu, has made clarifications that the Educational Cash Award For Student Help (OGUN EDUCASH), is for all students of Ogun State origin in all tertiary institutions across Nigeria, to cushion the effects of economic hardship on the learners and their parents.
A release signed by Prof. Arigbabu, stated that all tertiary institutions’ authorities had been duly informed on modalities in collating and forwarding names of students in their respective schools to the Ministry, pointing out that the submission closes on Friday, March 1, 2024.
It indicated that entries would only be accepted from the list submitted by the respective higher institutions and not by individuals, adding that the list submitted must be accompanied by a covering letter with the official letterhead paper of the institution, signed by the head of such institution, Vice-Chancellor, Rector or Provost and or their assigned authorised official.
The release further stated that soft copies of the list should be in Microsoft Word or Excel Format and be sent to arigbabu@gmail.com: abayomiarigbabu@ogunstate.gov.
It informed that the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration number supplied would be verified and false submissions would be removed from the list, just as any individual account that would not correspond with the name of the student submitted or not bear the same name of a student as submitted by the institution, would not be credited.
According to the release, all students of Ogun State origin in all public and private higher institutions in Nigeria were enjoined to approach the Students' Affairs Office in their respective institutions for further information and registration, to enable them benefit from OGUN EDUCASH.
Ayoola Obadimu,
Press Officer, MOES&T
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