We Borrowed To Tackle Infrastructure Deficit, Poverty – Aregbesola

The Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Tuesday said that he resorted to borrowing for developmental projects due to the terrible infrastructure deficit and level of poverty he met when he assumed office in 2010.

According to him, borrowing to finance projects in the state was a child of necessity for the development of the state, recalling that there was huge dearth of infrastructure in the state before his emergence as the governor.

Aregbesola stated this in his address during the commissioning of Primary Healthcare Centre executed through the Sustainable Development Goals in Ijebu-Ijesa, Oriade Local Government Area of the state.

The governor noted that his government would not have borrowed, had the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which ruled the state for seven and half years, done the needful by providing required infrastructure development which his government later championed.

He lamented what he described as poor management of the state’s resources by the then wasteful PDP-led government, stating that the state would not have become noticeable among its peers had his administration failed to do the needful to stimulate her economy.

Aregbesola maintained that his administration has been very prudent in the management of the state resources, adding that his financial prudence assisted him to successfully scale through the toughest economic period that tormented the whole nation.

The governor said: “Our administration did not go for borrowing for any other thing than to rescue the state and her people from poverty they were plunged to when we assumed office.

“On assumption of office in 2010, coupled with the status of the state’s treasury, propelled us to go for borrowing to bring to our people the required infrastructural facilities which they had suffered from in the previous administration.

“Today, Osun would not have become a cynosure of all eyes as it is, if we did not take the bold steps we took to stimulate her economy through financial re-engineering.

“Our state can boast of so many developmental projects across sectors which were not in place prior to our emergence.”

Speaking on the successes his administration has recorded through the partnership with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Aregbesola said the scheme had helped to complement the good governance which his administration has exhibited in the state.

Aregbesola said his administration has never failed in contributing its counterpart fund of 50% in each of the projects executed through the partnership.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu stated that the commissioning was part of government efforts at achieving essentially the 3rd goal of sustainable development which is to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all ages.

Isamotu stressed that most other goals of the Sustainable Development have their relationship with health directly or indirectly.

In his address, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr Folawiyo Olajoku, said the agency has discharged its responsibilities to the fullest in all aspects of the economy particularly on education and the health sectors.

Olajoku disclosed that the state SDGs has procured and distributed freely over N3million worth of drugs to the people of the state, saying, “We have recruited over 400 healthcare officers, procured 50 ambulances and as well constructed and renovated over 47 classrooms across elementary and middle schools in the state”.