POMP AND PAGEANTRY AS OGBENI AREGBESOLA SWEARS IN NEW 38MEMBER CABINET (SEE PHOTOS)

The governor of Osun state Rauf Aregbesola has sworn in New commissioners and Special advisers that will pilot the affairs of the state with him.

Former Senator representing Osun West senatorial district in the 7th senate, Senator Mudashir Hussein was sworn in as the Commissioner for Cabinet matters. Mr Adelani Baderinwa, who was the former Press Secretary to the second civilian governor in the state, Chief Bisi Akande became the commissioner in the Ministry of Information among others. A former aide to ex-governor, Bola Tinubu, Mr Bola Ilori was assigned to the Ministry of Regional Integration.

According to Aregbesola, “I congratulate all the appointees for being considered worthy of service to the government and people of our dear state and for scaling the hurdle of screening.

“Many of you served in the first term; the rest are fresh hands. Of course, this is long overdue. It should have come up immediately after my inauguration on November 27, 2014. As you all know, we were hamstrung by dire constraint – principally financial.

“Our second term coincided with the onset of a national economic disaster. The first on account of a purported daily theft of 650,000 barrels of crude oil under the watch of the immediate past PDP national government. This is curious and improbable.

“We must note that 650,000 barrels of crude oil is the equivalent of 65 super tankers each laden with over 300,000 metric tons of crude oil. By the way, a super tanker is about 450 metres long, the equivalent of four and a half football fields.

“Indeed, 27 states and the Federal Government were unable to pay salaries of workers. It might interest us to know that the government of Goodluck Jonathan‎, according to his Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had to borrow N476 billion from commercial banks to be able to pay salaries in the last four months of his administration”.

‎He said, “What we have done during the special time occasioned by the emergency period we faced was to play a delicate balancing act between the three categories. Painfully, we came to an understanding with the workers on a realistic schedule of payment.

“We also continued with our programmes and critical social intervention albeit on a reduced scale. Lastly, we have good understanding from the political class on the need for them to make sacrifice as we defer appointments and cabinet formation. Our traducers, rather than reasonably comprehend the situation went to town to harp on the non-composition of cabinet but in the process expose their own ignorance.

Speaking on behalf of newly sworn-in cabinet members, the new Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr Surajudeen Ajibola Bashir, described the delay in the constitution of the cabinet by Mr Governor as a sign of courage and commitment to good governance, stating that Aregbesola had exhibited high sense of commitment to raise the bar of governance in the last six years of his administration.

He said the new cabinet would leave no stone unturned at ensuring unflinching support and cooperation with the present administration in the state, just as he assured the people of the state of the readiness of the new cabinet to consolidate on the legacies built by Aregbesola-led administration in the last six years.

The Commissioners and Special Advisers, who were 38 in number were assigned different portfolios during the ceremony.

Below are the names and their portfolios:

Bola ilori - Commissioner for Regional Integration

Remi omowaiye - Commissioner For innovations, science and technology

Ajibola Basiru - Attorney general and Commissioner for justice

Alimi Kalapo local govt and chieftaincy affairs

AdeLani Baderinwa - Commissioner for information and strategy

Biyi Odunlade Commissuoner for Home affairs and special needs

Dr Rafiu Isamotu - Commissioner for Health

Bola oyebamiji - commissioner for finance

Yunusa Olalekan - Commissioner for Economic planning and Budget

Ismailia Alagbada - commerce, cooperative and empowerment

Folake Adegboyega - Commissioner for Culture and tourism

Gbenga Akano - Special Adviser on taxation

Mrs Taiwo Oluga - Special Adviser on culture and tourism

Mudashir Hussein Commissioner executive cabinet

Mudashir Toogun - Commissioner For special duties

Obawale Adebisi - Commissioner for Home Affairs

Kazeem Salami - Commissioner for Works and Transportation

Rasheed Opatola - Special Adviser on Environment

Stephen Ajilore - Special Adviser on Natural Resources

Kunle Ige - Commissioner for Agriculture and food security

Claudious Kolajo - Special Adviser on Agric and food security

Akintunde Akinajo - Commissioner for Lands and Physical planning

Ademola Adeyinka - Special Adviser on public service productivity and efficiency

Oluwagbemiga Oyebola Oyilola - Special Advise on Health

Idiat Babalola - Commissioner, Economic matters.

Latifat Giwa - Commissioner for women and children affairs

Mobolaji Akande - Commissioner, Human resources, establishment and capacity development

Kolawole Omotunde-Young - Education Commissioner

Mikhail Adebisi - Special Adviser office of the Governor

Olubisi Adewumi - Special Adviser, Chieftaincy Affairs

Muyideen Olateju - Special Adviser on Innovations, science and technology

Idowu Korede - Commissioner, Environment and Sanitation

Ismail Akintoyese - Special Adviser on Enterprise and wealth creation.

Ipoola Binuyo - Special Adviser on legislative matters

Simeon Popoola - Special Adviser on Commerce

John Ibirogba - Special Adviser on Rural and Community affairs

Olugbenga Awosoode - Special Adviser on Cooperation

Grace Akinola - Special Adviser on Higher Education, Bursary and scholarships

See photos below.. .