Osun state government has released names of its Palliative Distribution Committee as demanded by a coalition of civil society groups even as it flaunts its credentials as a responsive, accountable and public spirited government.

We have records of extensive consultation with the leadership of the civil society coalition including those accusing the administration of excluding them. Some activists fail to see the public spiritedness of the Governor and decided to stay away from the exercise. That should not be blamed on the government.

In a statement issued on Wednesday evening, the government said the committee represented all shades of society opinion , submitting that any group that is interested in being part of the committee can show interest instead of resorting to blackmail and character assassination.

We are of the view that only fifth columnists and agents of the opposition will describe a performing government and popularly rated administration headed by Governor Ademola Adeleke as directionless and unorganised. We are also convinced that a government that is delivering on infrastructure, digital economy, health care, workers’ welfare and education reform has a better sterling records than the paymasters of some pseudo activists.

As much as the administration is working to release its own palliative after concluding that of the Federal Government, we must put on records that Osun state is a specially challenged state servicing a state debt of N450 billion and a salary and debt pension of almost N70 billion even as the administration unfailingly meet monthly salary obligations and delivers dividends of democracy in critical sectors.

Partisan activists cannot hide the fact that Osun is financially weak today because of the maladministration and misgovernment of their paymasters. It is therefore uncharitable to attack a man clearing a mess left by yesterday’s associates of some of these critics.

Not minding the partisan bias of a group unhappy about alleged exclusion in the sharing of a mere 6000 bags of rice , the state government hereby release below the names of members of the palliative committee:

Alhaji Mustafa Olawuyi

(Chairman Osun state Muslims community

Rev John Adeleke

(Chairman OSCAN)

Chief Mary Oyebode

(Iyaloja General)

Representative of the people with special needs

Osun Chairman JNC

IPAC chairman

Rep of NUP

Representative of Student body

For the distribution by Local Governments, we urge interested members of the public to collect the same from the State Ministry of Special Duties and Regional Integration.