The Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has responded to the controversy sparked by the appointment of Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) on Government House Pool and Oranmiyan new town, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) originated the offices.
This follows the widespread distribution of a memo dated August 9, 2023, in which the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye, informed Oyetunji Rasaki Abefe of his appointment as the SSA to the Governor on the Government House Pool.
“Government House Pool is a term referring to the transport unit of Government House,” said a statement by the spokesperson for the governor, Olawale Rasheed, on Friday.
“The section deals with drivers and vehicles within the Government House. The office, a creation of the previous governments of the All Progressive Congress(APC) has been in existence for the past twelve or so years.”
See the full statement below:
NEWS RELEASE
Clarifications on Appointment of SSAs on Government House Pool and Oranmiyan New Town
The attention of the Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke has been drawn to a deliberate, mischievous misrepresentation and misinterpretation of the appointments of Senior Special Assistant on Government House Pool and Oranmiyan new town.
We appreciate those who truly need to be educated on the appointments. We also commend those who have personally and collectively explained the role of the two offices to the members of the public. It is true some people are truly ignorant of the offices.
We also note that some people are simply mischievous and deliberately twisting facts for political reasons. Those critics are those seeking to gain political capital out of nothing by making mountains out of molehills.
We therefore seek to clarify that Government House Pool is a term referring to the transport unit of Government House. The section deals with drivers and vehicles within the Government House. The office , a creation of the previous governments of the All Progressive Congress(APC) has been in existence for the past twelve or so years.
Members of the public are aware that there are hundreds of drivers and vehicles (both old and new) in the Government House. In the interest of sustainable management of those assets, an SSA is appointed to coordinate and even oversee activities and operations in that sector.
We also wish to note and clarify another misrepresentation on the appointment of an SSA for Oranmiyan town. Again, the previous APC Government created a diaspora estate programme involving a new settlement named Oranmiyan new town. There is actually a new town development body. The newly appointed SSA is charged with ensuring achievement of government goals in those areas, especially ensuring protection of investment of Diasporans.
The two appointments are therefore necessary and required. They were never frivolous jobs for the boys as some partisan critics have termed it. While those offices were inherited, it is also worthy of note to state that Governor Adeleke has demonstrated strong will to retain what is good and jettison what is bad.
In the two cases under consideration, the two offices are necessary to protect and effectively manage public and private assets.
Signed
Mallam Olawale Rasheed,
Spokesperson to the State Governor