Osun Gov Sacks 20,000 Youths, Unveils New Empowment Scheme

Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo

About 30,000 youths working under the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme, popularly known as (O-YES), were sacked yesterday by Osun State Governor, Mr. Ademola Adeleke, who created another scheme to be known and called the “Imole Youth Corps.”

In a circular issued by the Secretary to the Osun State Government, Hon. Teslim Igbalaye, the state government said that the decision was taken to reposition the youth empowerment programme inherited from the previous government for effective functionality, sustainability and dignity of labour.

It would be recalled that the OYES was introduced on December 17, 2010, by former Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola in fulfillment of a promise he earlier made to the people.

The OYES scheme empowered about 30,000 volunteers across the state’s 31 local government areas, including Ife East Area Office.

In 2019, the immediate past Governor, Mr. Oyetola, emphasised that the OYES is a wonderful legacy scheme, which must be sustained despite paucity of funds because it drastically reduced restiveness, poverty and possibility of vices among youths in the state.

He stated that an unengaged youth is a tool for devil’s vices and increased the stipend of the cadets from N10,000 to N12,500 while the OYES teachers’ corps allowance was increased to N15,000 from N10,000.

However, Adeleke, according to a statement obtained by our correspondent, has said that the application forms for the new scheme will be available for prospective youths at no cost in all the local governments, including Ife East Area Office of the state from Friday, February 17, 2023. 

This action by the governor came some days later after some OYES cadets wrote a letter pleading for government to pay their December and January allowance.