The new Osun State Governor, Mr Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola has  promised to create 30,000 jobs and pledged to run a people friendly administration.

He made the promise in his inaugural address on Tuesday in Osogbo after he was sworn-in.

“It is time to create jobs for our youths; we will upgrade our vocational technical institutions to make them more vibrant with the demands of the technology-driven world.

“We in partnership with private sectors will establish large manufacturing industries in the major sectors of the economy to create at least 30,000 jobs.”

According to Oyetola, the welfare of workers in the state will be of utmost concern to his government.

Sending signals that his government will be a departure from that of his predecessor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, dogged by irregular payment of workers salaries, the new governor also pledged to pay salaries promptly.

“Ours shall be a government committed to serving the people,” Oyetola stated.

“We will ensure workers’ salaries are paid promptly based on the financial inflow of the state. We will prioritize workers welfare and pensioners.”

“We will organize the Osun Economic Summit, within the first quarter of our year in office.”

He further assured that he would work on improvement on the standard of living for citizens of the state.

“Although we are yet to arrive at the Promised Land, we have certainly began a journey of most remarkable progress, even as there is still room for improvements. And we must not stop nor give up till we are able to evolve a state that works for all,” he said.

Oyetola who won the last hotly contested governorship election on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), with a slim majority against his People’s Democratic Party (PDP) challenger, Mr Demola Adeleke, was sworn in yesterday as the new governor by the state’s Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Ojo at exactly 12.55pm

Present at the capacity filled Oshogbo Stadium are the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari, National Chairman of the APC, Mr Adams Oshiomhole and the National Leader of the APC, Mr Bola Tinubu.

Others include Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, Oyo State Governor, Mr Abiola Ajimobi, Kano State Governor, Mr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Lagos State Governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

In a related development, the Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation for Osun State (CSCEOS) has asked the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to immediately invite Mr. Aregbesola for investigation over several petitions written against the former Osun State governor while in office.

The group maintained that the immunity clause for the former governor while he was in office, restrained the anti-graft body to do their constitutional function.

In a fresh letter to EFCC submitted on Monday, November 26 and the copies were made available to newsmen on Tuesday, the group reminded the body that Aregbesola has a case to answer over several alleged fraudulent practices he engaged in during his tenure of office.

In a letter of reminder signed by the group’s Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman, explained that Aregbesola is no longer enjoying immunity and must be made to face the law over his administration’s maladministration.

“We write to remind your good office of our petition letter dated 4th April, 2016 on the above subject matter and also received by the National Headquarters of the Commission on 8th April, 2016, where the outgoing Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, and few of his aides were fingered in the alleged illegal Local Government funds diversion to the tune of N205 billion between November 2010 to August 2015.

“The governors’ aides include; the then 30 Executive Secretaries of the local governments, Head of Local Government Administration (HLA), Auditor-General of the Local Government, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

“Others are Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Bolorunduro, Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Bola Ilori, Commissioner for Special Duties and Regional Integration, Mr. Ajibola Bashiru and Commissioner for Local Government, Mr. Kolapo Alimi.

“Our petition necessitated your invitation letter dated 13th May, 2016, informing the Civil Society Organization (CSO) to show up at your Ibadan Zonal Office for an interview with the Head Team B, to endorse all the allegations of financial crimes established against the aforementioned people contained in our petition letter and which CSCEOS did with additional evidences to prove our facts beyond reasonable doubt.”

“In view of the above, we wish to inform your Commission that the principal leader in this alleged financial crime and former governor of the state, Mr. Aregbesola has ceased to be governor of the state and is not covered again by immunity which alienated him from prosecution for financial crimes since November 2010”.

Sulaiman stressed that justice and fair play should be the watchword of EFCC, saying if former Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Peter Ayodele Fayose could be facing prosecution for alleged financial crime, nothing should stop the anti-graft body from inviting Aregbesola for questioning and prosecution.

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