APC differs as Adeleke claims 250,000 jobs created
Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday, said his administration had created about 250,000 jobs over the last two years.
He attributed this achievement to local content policies and financial access to businesses.
But the opposition All Progressives Congress disputed the claim, demanding that the governor provide evidence.
Adeleke spoke in Osogbo during the induction of 10,000 youths into the Imole Youth Corps, a state initiative that engages youths from the 332 political wards in Osun to provide services in health, security, environment, and education.
The governor described the event as a significant aspect of his administration’s efforts to address youth joblessness and noted that the programme was part of his broader push to create job opportunities.
He referred to it as “a transitional arrangement designed to provide opportunities for our youth from all walks of life.”
“Today’s gathering is a continuation of our efforts to provide job opportunities for our teaming youth. Ten thousand youth spread across the 332 political wards are engaged to provide services in the areas of health, security, environment, and education,” Adeleke explained.
The governor assured the newly enrolled Imole Youth Corps members that they would be trained to deliver support services across various grassroots sectors. He also encouraged them to demonstrate strong commitment in their assigned areas.
“Our administration is focused on tackling the unemployment crisis. We note the widespread joblessness among the youth. Our first decision is to create an enabling environment for job creation by both the government and the private sector,” Adeleke said.
He also highlighted some of the key steps his government had taken, including providing financial support to small businesses through cooperative movements and upgrading infrastructure statewide.
Adeleke revealed that the government had already committed over N4bn to a revolving loan scheme for grassroots entrepreneurs.
“I am happy to announce that through our local content policy, financial access to businesses, and ongoing youth agropreneur programme, over 250,000 of our population were provided job opportunities. The figures are set to increase as we launch the agropreneur project in each of the 30 local governments and Area Councils,” Adeleke stated.
He then directed the Commissioner for Youth Development, Mr. Moshood Olagunju, to enforce a performance evaluation system to ensure the success of the programme.
But reacting, the spokesman for the opposition APC, Kola Olabisi, dismissed the claim of 250,000 jobs as false and criticised the governor for his failure to employ teachers and health workers in the state’s public schools and hospitals.
“Is it not funny and strange that Governor Ademola Adeleke, who could not employ teachers and health workers for three years in his administration, is now thinking it wise to recruit 10,000 Imole Youth Corps members?” Olabisi asked.
He emphasised the shortage of teachers in public schools and the understaffing in public hospitals as key concerns, questioning why the governor was prioritising the recruitment of youth corps members when basic services were lacking.
“Claim of 250,000 job opportunities in two years is a fake story. We sympathise with the applicant-teachers swindled into purchasing employment forms by the PDP-led administration in Osun State, who have been waiting for three years without any indication of recruitment under Adeleke’s government,” Olabisi added.
