Aregbesola; a model for good governance, says Okonjo-Iweala, World Bank
The Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has declared that Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, through his programmes, has demonstrated that good governance is possible.
Besides, the World Bank also confirmed that the Federal Government’s Youth Employment and Social Support Operation (YESSO) was replicated from the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) established by the state governor.
Okonjo-Iweala, who was represented by the national coordinator of YESSO, Mr Peter Papka, at a two-day workshop organised by the World Bank in Iloko-Ijesha, at the weekend, said with the successful implementation of OYES, Aregbesola had demonstrated that youth development was feasible.
According to her, “You have demonstrated that good governance is possible with your programmes. You have demonstrated that youth development is possible. Your programmes so far have demonstrated that you are a good example of government and governance.”
Aregbesola, while addressing participants from seven states, including Osun, the host state, said the nation deserved a lot of attention, as the leadership that should drive people for development was missing.
He maintained that the capacity for a people to live good life was only possible if the nation utilised its productive capacity, saying unemployment was the direct cause of excruciating poverty, total insecurity and under-development the country grappled with today.
Aregbesola said his administration was conscious of the high level of poverty among the people which propelled the state government to come up with OYES Scheme to serve as a cushioning measure for drastic reduction of poverty.
He said, “there is grim and excruciating poverty unimaginable in this country 18 to 20 years ago. And if we continue like this, the situation will be bad. To nip the situation in the bud, we came up with OYES.”
In his remarks, the World Bank team leader, Professor Funsho Okunmadewa, described Aregbesola as a safety net in poverty alleviation and reduction through OYES.
He commended the Osun School Meal Programme (O’MEAL) as well as the recently launched digital e-learning device (Opon Imo).
The don disclosed that YESSO was a total replica of OYES, borrowed from and designed in Osun and facilitated by the World Bank, adding that YESSO was built on the foundation laid by OYES.
“On behalf of the World Bank, we will continue to support Osun State. We stood by Opon Imo and we will get back to your state shortly,” Okunmadewa said.
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