By Adams Akorede
The Peoples Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate in Oyo state, Mr. Seyi Makinde on Friday parleyed local government workers with a promise to offset arrears of their salaries and other entitlements.
Makinde also pledged to pay workers salary between 27th and 28th of every month, in addition to regular payment of leave bonuses and monies due to the pensioners as and when due.
Makinde while addressing representatives of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Oyo state branch at its headquarters, MKO Abiola road, Ibadan, said having had the privilege of owning a business, he knows where shoe pinches workers.
He said “This government will not be like that of a ‘Constituted Authority’ but government for all the people. We will ensure that we share knowledge between members of the state executive and other stakeholders, that is the kind of government you should expect from May 29 this year.
“The current government cannot pay workers salary as at when due and the reason they gave is that there was no money. They claimed that they dedicated the total allocation from Abuja into the payment of salary. But we know it’s not true. Just like four years ago, I came with a message to tackle poverty headlong in our environment.
“And four years on, the situation hasn’t changed. The issue of poverty is still very much with us, as a matter of fact, statistics available to us revealed that it has even gone worse. That message is still very germane. When we tackle poverty, we are expanding our economic productive base. Then, we will gradually move away from relying on federal allocation. And from our own estimation, we’ll probably get there in about 18 months, but I give you the assurance that in those in 18 months, we will still pay workers salary on the 27th and 28th of every month.”
On local government autonomy, Makinde assured that his government will run an efficient and effective local government administration in the state.
“I know there is a bill on local government autonomy. I will support it fully. And what you should expect from a PDP government, it will function the way it supposed to function.
“We will run a very transparent and accountable government and release whatever that is due to the local government. We won’t award contract on their behalf and perpetrate corruption at the state. I assure you once again, Local Government administration will function effectively and efficiently.”
Earlier, Senator Agboola who was a Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for eight years in Oyo state assured NULGE members of a repeat of the feat performed by the party the last time it was in power which has never been met.
The state chairman of NULGE in the state, Comrade Bayo Titilola-Sodo urged the PDP candidate to look into several plights of members of the union if voted into power.
Specifically, he appealed to Makinde to increase the only slot of Permanent Secretary the union has at the state civil service level, to to at least two slots.
