The Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has assured the citizens that he will continue to strive to deliver the dividends of democracy.

The governor took to his new year message, a statewide address delivered in Osogbo on Monday, monitored by Biztellers to count his achievements and share his vision for the state.

While lamenting the level of economic hardship confronting the people, the governor lauded President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and assured the citizenry that he would remain focused on the implementation of the 2024 budget.

Sen Adeleke expressed appreciation for the mass support and high approval ratings he enjoyed among the populace and posited that he and his team are challenged to expand delivery of good governance across the sectors of the state.

He said, “Our administration has big ambitions to develop our dear state. We seek to bridge the developmental gap, to combine human and physical development. We are in a hurry to achieve both human and capital growth. My people, it is achievable. It is doable.

“In the new year, we will refocus attention on cushioning current economic hardship while at the same time building the state’s economic base. Both goals are achievable as we have demonstrated in the last one year.

“We seek your continued support to achieve our common agenda for collective prosperity. We promise to continue to be a listening and responsive administration, a government of the people, by the people and for the people.”

On the ambitions and plans for the state, Gov Adeleke told the people that his “dream is for an Osun economy that gradually moves away from its civil service status to a modern agro – industrial based, creative industry focussed economy”, stressing that such “diversification with a functioning cargo/commercial airport will grow Osun as an export oriented economy as well as a global tourist destination, being the host of important Yoruba cultural assets.

According to the Sen Adeleke, “we remain firmly focused on the Five-Point-Agenda under which you, Osun people, elected us into office. We reaffirm our faith in the principles guiding the five-point-agenda which are transparency and accountability, open government, localisation, responsive leadership and attunement to citizens’ aspirations”

He maintained that his administration achieved a lot in the last one year by ensuring belt tightening, reducing cost of governance and denying ourselves many perquisites of office, adding that “as a Governor, my official expenditures are covered through the approval process rather than security votes, thereby assuring transparency and accountability.

“As of today, our administration is struggling to purchase official vehicles for the state cabinet because the officials of the previous government bolted away with state vehicles. So our cabinet and other top officials have been using their private cars since we appointed them into office. Also, we are still working to renovate the official quarters vandalized by the officials of previous governments. Many of our top officials still operate from their private houses.

“Despite the above handicap, our team is determined to continue to deliver on our electoral promises. I am glad to report with gratitude to God that we have remained responsive to the will and aspirations of our people. We get positive feedback and we are satisfied with our high approval ratings.

“We are challenged to do more. We are prepared to make corrections where necessary as much as we will remain uncompromising when it comes to anti-corruption drive, transparency and accountability as well due process. As I always affirm, our tenure is married to due process, rule of law and fear of God”, Gov Adeleke stated.

He assured of his administration’s willingness to intervene to ameliorate the economic hardship confronting the masses.

While lamenting the harsh economic challenges facing Nigeria, Gov Adeleke commended President Tinubu for his concerted efforts to solve the knotty questions of high inflation, high cost of living and general dislocation in the national economy,which he described as “macro and micro economic issues largely beyond the purview of the state governments.

“We, as a state government, commend President Bola Tinubu for his relentless actions towards economic restoration. But as we all know and as we are still experiencing, the economic crisis continues unabated despite the best of efforts. Osun, through the National Economic Council, is collaborating with the central government to support federal initiatives targeted at reducing inflation, cost of living and stabilising the national economy”, he stated.