Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun, on Monday, said his administration had given more than N15 billion loans to 350, 000 people in the state, especially women, in the last seven years.
Aregbesola made this disclosure in a state-wide broadcast in Osogbo to mark his seventh anniversary in office.
The governor said his administration had also engaged more than 40,000 youths in public works through the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES).
“Most of them eventually got soft-landing in teaching, agriculture, and information and communication technology among other others.
“For this reason, the incidents of crimes have drastically reduced in the state”.
In the area of education, Aregbesola said his administration had constructed 20 elementary schools, 22 middle schools and 11 high schools.
“In addition, we rehabilitated existing schools and created a decent environment for learning.
“We have, for more than five years, been feeding 262,000 elementary school pupils with nutritious meals. We also gave free uniforms to all pupils in public schools”.
On agriculture, the governor said his administration had provided assistance to farmers, sent peasant farmers on training abroad and laid the foundation for agriculture to boom.
He also said that in the last seven years, his administration had constructed more than 1,500 kilometres of roads in the nooks and crannies of the state.
The governor said his administration also given protection and succour to the elders, by giving them access to health care as well as put them on a monthly allowance.
“We took care of the destitute and the mentally challenged by giving them medical care, rehabilitated them and resettled or reunited them with their families.
“We have come and seen the challenges and conquered poverty, ignorance, disease and fear of the known and unknown these seven years”.
“In the remaining one year, I will be committed to the service of the people; to accelerate the pace of development and increase our efforts at ushering in prosperity in the state,” he added. (NAN)
