Tag: Ajimobi

Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has announced the retroactive reappointment of Mr. Ishmael OlalekanAlli as Secretary to the State Government.

A statement by the Special Adviser, Communication and Strategy, Mr. Yomi Layinka, conveyed the governor’s decision, on Friday.

It will be recalled that Alli, who was the SSG during the governor’s first term, has been functioning as SSG- designate since the commencement of the second term of Ajimobi’s administration in June, last year.

The announcement has finally put official seal on the appointment of the SSG, while other appointments are expected to be announced in due course.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has called for the establishment of community-Customs relations’ groups to provide information on border activities to combat smuggling.

Ajimobi spoke when the Comptroller-General, Col. Ahmed Hameed Ali (rtd), visited him in his office in Ibadan, the state capital. He said: “I am suggesting that Customs should have community relations groups that can be giving information on border activities.”

The governor, described his guest, a former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, as a man of impeccable character and embodiment of peace also pledged the support of the state government for the Customs.

The Customs boss said he was in the state to tour the Oyo/Osun Command.

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said he is not fazed by the strike threat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), vowing that any worker who goes on strike will not be paid.

He promised not to review the 90 per cent income dedicated for the payment of workers salary from the Federation Account.

The governor said the call by the NLC to add the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) with the 90 per cent income from the Federation Account to pay the workers will not be possible at the moment.

Ajimobi spoke yesterday at the stakeholders meeting between the government, 33 Caretaker Chairmen and traditional rulers on the economic diversification project held at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.

The governor said: “It was agreed that about 90 per cent of income accruing from the state’s monthly allocation from the Federation Account should be dedicated to the workers. The balance of ten per cent would be deployed to the running of other aspects of governance.”

He noted that till date, the government has not reneged on the agreement, adding that the ultimatum issued by Labour is not only surprising but unnecessary and uncalled-for in the prevailing circumstances.

According to him, government cannot pay 62,000 workers with the money that ought to be used to maintain over 10 million citizens.

His words: “Modern day labour union and government relationship has listed steps that must be taken. Step one is if you have any concern about anything, there is a joint negotiation committee that is made up of government and workers, you first go there to discuss with them.

“If after the discussion it does not work then you can go to the next level where the head of service and government will now appoint some people to discuss. It is when negotiations have broken down that labour can give notice of strike and not this old time labour government relationship where without discussing you will issue ultimatum to go on strike.

“It is illegal because this is a government where law must be followed and obeyed, not this culture of impunity. It is wrong to give an ultimatum to go on strike without reaching a consensus with the government.

“We have an agreement, there was a time we use to get close to N5 billion from the Federal Government and our IGR was like N1 billion, now everybody is aware of the situation, and now we are having N2 billion plus from Federal Government.”

He urged the labour leaders to negotiate with the government, vowing that any worker who goes on strike without following due process will not be paid.

Speaking on the need for agrarian revolution, Ajimobi said the state is blessed with 28,544 kilometre per square of land, adding that the state has the most fertile land in Southern Nigeria.

He said:” The only way out of the present economic meltdown in the state is through agricultural revolution and that is why we need the support of traditional rulers, local government chairmen and all the citizens. We shall embark on massive mechanised farming in 28 local government areas.

The Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, appealed to labour leaders not to embark on strike “but should be considerate and embrace the government’s conditions”.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, said: “The government has tried his best allocating 90 per cent of the federal allocation to pay the worker’s salary. The labour leaders only need to be patient and considerate.”

•‘No tenure extension for ‘caretakers’

Oyo State Governor Abiola Ajimobi has said there will be no tenure extension for the 33 caretaker chairmen.

He said after the expiration of their four-month tenure, the government will conduct local government elections.

The governor, who spoke at the swearing in yesterday, added that he will not impose any candidate or interfere with the polls.

He admonished them to shun extravagant lifestyle, insisting that their tenure was not to commit resources to naming, burial and marriage ceremonies at the expense of grassroots development.

Ajimobi said commonsense dictates that the lean resources accruable to the state and local governments should be committed to people-oriented and legacy projects.

He said: “Your appointment is an opportunity for you to dare and endure; not for ease and comfort. I enjoin you to be guided by the oath of office you just took; have the fear of God in whatever you do. If you fear God, you will not commit atrocities.

“Please note that nothing will keep you in office beyond four months, as we will be going hold elections immediately. Therefore, use this opportunity to cooperate with us to develop this state. Don’t betray the confidence reposed in you.

“I must warn that if you under-perform, you will not even last four months because when you fail, I fail; when you fail, we all fail. But I won’t allow you to fail me.

“You are not elected to service naming ceremonies, marriages and burials. We can’t continue with this retrogressive attitude and expect any meaningful development in our local governments.

“There will be primaries after your tenure and only performers will be able to win the party ticket to contest for the election.”

Ajimobi urged the council chairmen to engage unemployed youths in agriculture, adding that the state is blessed with arable land that does not need irrigation.

He admonished the people against piling pressure on the chairmen for personal favour or seeing them as philanthropists or Father Christmas.

The governor urged the people to change their attitude of seeing council chairmen as Automated Teller Machines (ATM), recommending a change of attitude.

“If you perform well, you have the opportunity to emerge as candidates from your local governments after your four-month tenure. We will not handpick or impose any candidate on the people.

“That era is gone for good. No godfather will assist you to win ticket. I will even advise you against the idea of godfather because they will always ask for more.

“Quality service is what will assist you to win the people’s confidence. It is also the one that will assist our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rule Oyo State for a very long time.  Therefore, let the people feel your impact,’’ he said.

Niyi Adeagbo of Itesiwaju Local Government and Saheed Alaran of Iseyin Local Government, who spoke on behalf of their colleagues, promised to render selfless service.

Adeagbo promised to bring unprecedented development to his council; Alaran promised to improve the lots of the masses.