COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE-DAY OGUN STAKEHOLDERS’ FORUM HELD AT THE VALLEY VIEW AUDITORIUM, OKE-IGBEIN, ABEOKUTA ON WEDNESDAY, 14TH JULY, 2010

 

A one-day Ogun Stakeholders’ Forum presided over by His Excellency, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Governor of Ogun State was held at the Valley View Auditorium, Oke-Igbein, Abeokuta on Wednesday, 14th July, 2010. Stakeholders present at the Forum included members of the State Executive Council, members of the Ogun  State Elders Consultative forum, some members of the Ogun State House of Assembly, royal fathers from the four zones of the State, representatives of professional bodies, frontline politicians, representatives of the State Community Development Council, labour unions, civil society groups, media organizations, the clergy, student
bodies amongst others.

The Governor in his State-of-the-State Report titled “Squeezing Water from the Rock” painstakingly apprised the audience with position of affairs in all sectors of the State including the resource and expenditure profile of the State, and the utmost need to access the bond market towards sustaining the pace of development of the State.
 
The Governor’s address was followed by a no-hold-barred Question and Answer session during which the Stakeholders bared their minds on burning issues affecting the State.

At the end of the deliberation, the stakeholders agreed on the following resolutions:

1.       A delegation among the stakeholders be sent to the Ogun House of Assembly for dialogue and proper education on the need for the members to give the bond issue a speedy and favourable consideration

2.       The traditional rulers should sign the nomination forms of public office seekers so that they
could be accountable to the electorate

3.       Debate on Bond Issue to be taken to the various constituencies in form of Village Square Meeting and the Labour Unions to be carried along in the task of enlightening the people on its desirability.

4.       Ogun State can only meet its obligation on counterpart funds on various projects and programmes when the Bond is accessed.

5.       In view of the high cost of running educational institutions and the need to raise standard of education, return of schools to original owners have become unavoidable

6.       All needed information on bond have already been provided to the Ogun State House
of Assembly

7.       That the members of the Ogun State House of Assembly should reconsider their stand
on the Bond in the interest of the people of Ogun State

8.       Stakeholders especially Elder Statesmen and Community Leaders to enter into organized dialogue with members of the Ogun State House of Assembly on the face-off with the Executive Arm

9.       The tempo of mobilization on Bond Issue should be heightened through the use of billboards, leaflets and media on what the Bond will be used for

10.    The consensus of the Forum is that accessing the Bond is desirable and that urgent steps should be taken to actualize it in view of the benefits desirable there from.