TheCable

Rauf Aregbesola, Osun state governor, says the state has the highest happiness index and lowest unemployment rate in Nigeria. 

He said this while addressing reporters after the fitness walk organised for the 20,000 youths absorbed into the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (O-YES) in Osogbo.

He said the state has been able to achieve this feat because of the youth engagement programmes of his administration.

He noted that his administration created opportunities that will engage and take the youths out of vices.

“What you are witnessing today, the O-YES scheme, started in 2010/11, 100 days after our inauguration and we are still running it,” he said.

“Because we are not just a conventional administration like the previous governments, we have designed and empowered our young ones to cater to all needs of the people.

“It is clear that no government have the capacity to employ all youths but we have, through the O-YES scheme, created opportunities that will engage and take the youths out of vices.

“Two-third of youths in the O-YES are either in one employment or the other or self-employed. This explains the results of all surveys, political, social, undertaken nationwide which throws up the fact that Osun has the highest index of happiness, lowest unemployment rate in Nigeria, as well as the 7th largest economy in the country.”

Aregbesola added that no family “regardless of party affiliations had not benefited from the O-YES programme”, saying Osun has set a pace for other states, especially in the area of youths empowerment.

He urged the youths to cast their votes for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The governorship election will hold on September 22.