Outgoing governor says he doubled Osun's internally generated revenue and was leaving behind N14 billion cash for his successor
The outgoing governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola, on Saturday said his four years in office has improved the economy of the state.
Mr Oyetola who exits the office on Sunday stressed that under his watch, the internally generated revenue of the state doubled from N10 billion to N20 billion.
Mr Oyetola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is handing over to Ademola Adeleke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) having lost his bid for a second term.
The outgoing governor, in his farewell message to the people of Osun, said he was able to achieve the increment in IGR because he focused on projects that developed the state and attracted investors.
Parts of the projects, according to the governor, were, focusing on the mining sector, upgrading the state college of education to full-fledged university, introduction of a health insurance scheme and rehabilitating rural and township roads that have helped farmers transport wares.
Mr Oyetola said throughout his four years in office, he did not obtain a loan but financed many of his projects through intervention from the federal government.
"For four years, we did not take any bank loan facility. But we benefited from the N3 billion monthly intervention from the federal government to all the states for six months to cushion the effect of deductions of budget support facility and salary bailout accessed by the previous administration, just as we have paid N97 billion from the total debt we inherited in 2018," he said.
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The outgoing governor said he was leaving over N14 billion for the incoming administration in order to continue from where he stopped.
"We are leaving behind cash of over N14 billion," he said.
He said apart from the N14 billion, the state is also expecting payment of another N8 billion.
"In addition to the N14 billion cash, another N8 billion is being expected between December and January from our performance in SFTAS and the IGR," he added.
"Also, another Seventy-Two million Dollars will come to the State soon from RAMP 3, NG-CARES, Nigeria for Women Project and Ease of Doing Business. These are earned, based on performance. And we have indeed performed to earn them. It was part of the same performance that earned us the award of Best Governor on Efficiency of Public Expenditure and TOP Performer on Domestic Revenue Mobilization by the World Bank's States' Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability, SFTAS, recently," the outgoing governor disclosed.
Mr Oyetola said he was able to achieve all the successes because he adopted discipline and personal sacrifice throughout his four years.
"We have gone this length to let you know that Osun under our leadership was sustainable. It was done through fiscal discipline and personal sacrifices."
Though Mr Adeleke will be sworn in as Osun governor on Sunday, Mr Oyetola is still challenging the election result at the tribunal.
