- Safiu Kehinde
A United Kingdom-based tax consultant, Wahab Abiona, has expressed his gratitude to former Osun State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as he recalled how his Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) changed his life.
Abiona, in a post on his X handle on Wednesday, recounted how he joined the scheme in 2011 and was employed.
He also disclosed meeting his wife at the scheme.
“I really enjoyed the program then, I was at OYES work in 2011 Sept was called for interview at my local govt & I was given employment, during the period I married, my wife is also OYES beneficiary.
“I can never 4get in my life, more grace to our great @raufaregbesola” He wrote.
Abiona however appeared to have caught the attention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Secretary who commented on the post.
The Osun Youth Empowerment Scheme was introduced on the 17th of December 2010 by Aregbesola within his first 100 days as governor.
According to reports, the OYES scheme empowered 20,000 volunteers across the state’s 31 Local Government Areas including Ife East Area Office.
Ultimately, the scheme aimed at empowering 80,000 or more volunteers in 8 years.
The OYES volunteers are divided into different specialised cadres such as: Public sanitation, Public Works Brigade, Green Gang, Osun Sheriff Corps, Traffic Marshalls, Osun Paramedics, Sanitation Czars and Teachers Corps and are thereafter deployed to productive services in these identified areas of our socio-economic life.