₦18.3 Billion Loan Was Obtained On Behalf Of Osun People, Not Me – Oyinlola

Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, a former governor of Osun State, has declared that one of his administration’s achievements in the state was the settlement of the Ife-Modakeke ethnic clash and the ongoing peace enjoyed by both communities.

On a radio current affairs program in Osogbo on Wednesday, Oyinlola mentioned the establishment of the Osun State University as another achievement (UNIOSUN).

He explained that UNIOSUN was designed as a six-campus university to allow for the creation of different independent institutions in the future, all of which will contribute to the development of education in the state and community.

While acknowledging the difficulties that his administration faced between 2003 and 2010, Oyinlola said that he used economic re-engineering to keep the state afloat.

He revealed that when he took office, there was a squabble over the firing of some civil servants by the Chief Bisi Akande administration.

He added that they were all reabsorbed, and that as a people’s government, his administration did not try to reduce the state workforce because of the negative consequences.

“Managing Osun economically required strategy and financial engineering,” he says.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman revealed that the N18.3 billion loan was obtained on behalf of the people of Osun to carry out infrastructure projects.

The Osun State House of Assembly had recommended that a loan be sought to finance and support projects in the 2010 budget, according to Oyinlola.

“The Osun State House of Assembly approved the loan. The loan was not taken by Oyinlola but it was the people of Osun that took the loan,” he said.

He also added that UNIOSUN cost the state less than N4 billion to execute.

While agreeing that the state may not have achieved the dreams of its founding fathers, he noted that there was still reason to thank God because Osun is still working despite limited resources militating against its development.

As to his relationship with the traditional institutions in the state, Prince Oyinlola maintained that he never had issues with any traditional ruler being a product of the institution.