Osun State gov, Adeleke suspends foreign trips for govt officials

All top government officials in Osun State have been suspended from embarking on foreign trips except for cases of emergency.

This is according to the governor of the state, Ademola Adeleke who made the declaration while speaking at a meeting held with members of the State Executive Council on Monday.

The governor said the suspension will span through the remaining part of the year for all top officials of his administration.

Governor Adeleke also directed the Head of Service, Mr. Leye Aina, to prepare a memo that would state the relationship between the Commissioners and the Special Advisers to ensure efficiency in the governance process.

Meanwhile, at the State Executive Council meeting, the governor and other members reportedly deliberated on 2024 budget proposals from the ministries, departments, and agencies as a prelude to the submission of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework to the State House of Assembly.

Adeleke declared that excessive spending on recurrent and overhead expenses must be avoided in his administration.

He urged cabinet members to make personal sacrifices and explained to them that they must all demonstrate readiness to sacrifice in the face of the state’s harsh financial situation.

He also sued for due diligence on the budget preparation process, reading out key policy directives on the governance of the state.

Relatedly, a statement by the spokesperson to the governor, Olawale Rasheed, obtained in Osogbo on Monday, quoting Adeleke further read in parts, “Foreign trips for top officials for the rest of the year are hereby suspended unless there is a direct emergency to be authorised by the Governor.

“We must sustain the momentum of our service delivery by avoiding excessive spending on recurrent and overheads.

“Our needs from office to accommodation are much, but our resources are limited. So we have to devise a coping mechanism pending the time our funding situation will improve.

“While memos by Special Advisers must pass through the Permanent Secretary to the Commissioners, the Commissioners must ensure fair play and an accommodating spirit.”

In another development, an Osun State High Court sitting in Ode-Omu, Monday, restrained the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the state Attorney-General, Oluwole Jimi-Bada, or their agents, from appointing Prince Olufemi Olayinka as the new Olu-Odo of Odo-Ijesa.

According to reports, the court also ordered Olayinka to vacate the stool of the Olu-Odo of Odo-Ijesa, pending the determination of the suit before it.

This was as the parties in the matter on Monday, appeared before Justice M. Okediya.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Fatima Adesina, who filed an application, had reportedly asked the court to set aside any letter of appointment or instrument of appointment that would have been given to the defendant.

But counsel to the defendant, Mr. T. Giwa, though told by the court to respond orally to the application, declined, saying he had not been properly briefed on the matter.

A prince of Odo-Ijesa, Hammed Odeyemi had, on January 19, 2021, dragged Olayinka alongside the state governor, the state Attorney-General and the kingmakers to court, over the vacant royal stool.

The plaintiff through his counsel, Adesina, on February 2, 2022, filed an interlocutory injunction, asking the court to order a stay of execution, pending the determination of the substantive suit by the court.

Adesina moved the motion on June 14, 2022.

Ruling on the motion on Monday, Okediya restrained the defendants, particularly the governor, the state Attorney-General and the Atakumosa East Local Government or their agents, from sending the name of Olayinka or accepting his name as the Olu-Odo elect of Odo-Ijesa.

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