Gov. Abiola Ajimobi |
By Alheri
DOGO
Gov. Abiola
Ajimobi of Oyo State says his
administration may consider retrenchment of civil servants, reduction of
their salaries or restructuring of the service unless the financial status of the State improves.
Gov. Ajimobi
who clarified issues relating to the bailout
fund for States, said that the State governments would pay the money back at
about 9% interest.
``The money
we are getting is strictly to pay salaries. It is illegal to use it for any
other thing.
``Even with
that, about N17 billion is to be paid to Oyo State workers.
``We are
supposed to pay local government workers N9 billion. As at today, we owe
workers N21.3 billion.
``This means
that after using the bailout fund to pay salaries, we will still be owing and
we will continue to owe until our allocation or internal generated revenue
increases."
Ajimobi said
that the allocation to the State from the Federal Government on assumption of
office in 2011 was N5 billion.
According to
him, however, the State hardly gets N3 billion now. He said that
the financial situation of the State was the reason he met with representatives
of workers to consider the next line of action. According to
him, the next line of action of the State government will be to reduce workers’
salaries, retrench or restructure.
"We
will block all loopholes from where government loses revenue. Civil servants
found guilty will be dealt with after following the due process," he said.
Ajimobi
attributed the non-constitution of his cabinet to the economic situation of the
State, adding that he had decided to settle down for three months before
appointing his cabinet members.
`We will
appoint 10 Special Advisers and Commissioners this month, by God’s grace. We
have reduced our ministries to 13,” he disclosed.
The governor
further spoke on the environmental sanitation in the State Capital stressing that the people of the State had started
complaining that the streets were now dirty again.
"Our
people complained that we were too harsh on street traders, so we calmed down.
``Now, the
same people have been coming to us to loudly register their embarrassment over
the condition of our environment.
``We have
decided that from Oct. 1, it will be fire for fire with street traders. There
will be no turning back this time around.
``We will
clean everywhere. We will use Oyo Youth Empowerment Scheme (OYES) personnel to
achieve that,” he said.
Speaking on
the petition instituted against him by the Accord Party at the tribunal, he
expressed optimism that he would win at the tribunal.
``Even
though I should not be talking about the tribunal issue, but I can say it here
that there is no case.
``I am
confident that we will win. I am not afraid. We won that election," he
said.
The
governor further expressed full support for the anti-corruption
crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying it is the best for the country.
Ajimobi who
was speaking during a radio programme monitored in Ibadan, said that Buhari’s
anti-corruption crusade would take Nigeria to greater heights.
``I fully
support Buhari. I thank God now that we have him in power. He is a man that is
determined to wage relentless war against the malady of corruption.
``If we do not
fight corruption as a nation, then we cannot grow,” the governor affirmed
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