26th December, 2015
Methodist Church of Nigeria has called on the people of Osun to pay tax as it is evident that the Rauf Aregbesola administration has demonstrated high capacity to utilize the state’s meagre funds for development.
The church commended the administration for its zeal to develop the state in the face of the meagre resources.
The team, led by the Arch Bishop of Ilesa Diocese and Bishop, Ilesa Diocese, Most Reverend Amos Akindeko, during a courtesy visit to the Governor in Osogbo, called on God for a more prosperous Osun.
The church stated that the Governor needed to be applauded by all for the way he is expending the little resources accruing to the state for its development, praying God to further inspire Aregbesola in his drive to develop the state to an enviable status.
Lay President, Methodist Church Nigeria, Ilesa dioceses, Reverend James Olusegun Morakinyo, said before the prayer session for the state and the governor, that Aregbesola has kept to most of his campaign promises in Osun.
He recounted the Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES), thirteenth Month salary, state-of-the-art school buildings, road construction and rehabilitation among others as examples of promises kept by the Aregbesola-led administration.
According to him, “When you came and said you were going to employ 20,000 youths, we thought it was not possible. But when you came, we just saw them marching on the road; those who would cut road verge grasses, those who would teach, those who would do other things, and even the road traffic people. We saw them.
“And even to us, the workers in the state. We knew a year is made up of twelve months. Then you started talking of thirteenth month. We said, maybe you wanted to change the calendar.
“We were surprised when the thirteenth month was introduced, you started with the payment of one quarter of the salary, later you went to half, and so on, and so forth.
“Your Excellency, we know we are faced with hard times, but tough times don’t last, tough people last. You have been so pragmatic and you have been so unruffled. When there were problems you were calm. That was when I noticed that you are a great man, you have been consistent,” the Clergy emphasised.
He called on all residents and citizens to pay their tax for government to be able to continue in its good work of developing the state, saying that it is obvious that the little resources coming from Abuja can no longer take care of the state.
Reverend Morakinyo noted that people of the state that are responding to the payment of their tax are doing so because they can see what government is doing, hence the payment without grudge or complaint.
He said, “If you remember in the past, our fathers used to run away, they would go to their farms very early in the morning to evade tax men, but now it is not so because children would ask for the tax receipt.
“You have been magnanimous. If a father has seven children, he would only pay once. He would photocopy the only receipt into seven.
”You are a leader that is ready to learn from anybody, you have been raising our hope that these hard times is only a phase that will pass by. It will soon fizzle away. That gives us hope, what do we go to church to get? It is hope,” he said.
Governor Aregbesola who expressed his deep faith in God’s support, lauded the Methodist Church for standing up for truth, saying he was moved by their boldness to commend his administration in times like this when the economy of Nigeria is facing a serious challenge.
Aregbesola noted that his faith in God will not fail him even in the face of present economic hardship, adding “our faith in God is equally an expression to let our people have freedom.
“We are not in any way despaired, we are confident that God will never abandon us. Your coming further strengthen my belief in God.”