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Tag: Fayose

  • Bailout: Fayose not to blame for pensioners’ exclusion – NUT

    Bailout: Fayose not to blame for pensioners’ exclusion – NUT

    The Ekiti State Wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has absolved Governor Ayo Fayose of blame in the exclusion of pensioners from the N9.6 billion bailout largesse released by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    The state government has explained that pensioners’ outstanding entitlements would not be paid from the bailout fund with the statement causing tension among the retirees.

    The state’s NUT Chairman, Kayode Akosile, at a briefing in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday expressed optimism that the matter would soon be resolved.

    He said: “The state government cannot be blamed. Governor Fayose is not that kind of a governor that will punish pensioners unjustly. You could remember that the governor applied for N29.6 billion bailout from CBN, but only N9.6 billion was released to the state.

    “If pensioners are not captured in the payment, I know the governor will soon find solution to it. The governor by that action and deed has shown that he loves teachers, both active and retired ones.

    “As much as I am not comfortable with the fact that our retired members may not benefit now, I am very optimistic that that the issue will be addressed very soon.”

    Speaking on this year’s World Teachers’ Day scheduled for October 5, Akosile hailed government’s decision to appoint three Tutors-General and one Headmaster-General at the event.

    He explained that the gesture would boost the morale of teachers and add value to the profession.

    Akosile said the recent education summit held in state has raised the commitment of stakeholders in the sector, most especially parents.

  • Ekiti has received N9.6b bailout cash, says Fayose

    Ekiti has received N9.6b bailout cash, says Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has clarified that the state only got N9.6 billion out of the over N29 billion it applied for in the Federal Government’s bail-out funds for states.

    The governor, who spoke on Monday in Ikogosi-Ekiti during the opening ceremony of a two-day retreat for commissioners, permanent secretaries and heads of agencies, also said out of the N5.6 billion applied for by the 16 local governments in the state, the FG only approved N991 million.

    In a statement in Ado-Ekiti by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor made the clarification following insinuations that the state government did not want to pay pensions arrears and gratuities of retirees.

    “You people know that I don’t hide anything from you when allocations come. We applied for N29 billion from the bail-out fund. It is to cover the August and September 2014 salary arrears left by the Fayemi government, leave bonus, pensions, gratuities and others. But for reasons we don’t know yet, the FG only approved N9.6 billion for salaries leaving other issues.

    “The 16 local governments applied for N5.6 billion and we did all the necessary papers and presented them to the appropriate authorities, but only N991 million was approved. We were later told by the Central Bank of Nigeria that about 14 states had similar problem with the small amount approved for local governments.

    “I have since written to them to rectify the situation and I hope they will do that quickly. It is only the Federal Government that can explain why they only approved one item, salary, out of the many items we presented to them on the workers’ issue.

    “We have nothing to hide and people should appeal to the FG to release the money in full. We know it is loan that we will repay with nine per cent interest,” he said.

    The governor also explained that the state had experienced a sharp decline in monthly allocations in recent time.

    “Last month we had a shortfall of N500 million and this month we have a shortfall of N600 million. The economy is dwindling and in bad shape and the Federal Government must do something about it urgently,” he noted.

    The governor also gave the assurance that there would be transparency in the disbursement of the CBN’s N2 billion loans to small and medium scale enterprises as soon as the state receives it.

    He urged participants and civil servants to be loyal, committed and dedicated to their duties.

    He promised a conducive atmosphere for them to work and motivation to deserving ones.

    The Head of Service, Dr Gbenga Faseluka, expressed the determination of public servants to put in their best.

     

  • Bailout: Ekiti only got N9.6b out of N29b – Fayose

    Bailout: Ekiti only got N9.6b out of N29b – Fayose

    Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has clarified that the state only got N9.6 billion out of the over N29 billion it applied for in the Federal Government’s bail-out funds for states.

    The governor, who spoke on Monday in Ikogosi-Ekiti during the opening ceremony of a two-day retreat for commissioners, permanent secretaries and heads of agencies, also said out of the N5.6 billion applied for by the 16 local governments in the state, the federal government only approved N991 million.

    In a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor made the clarification following insinuations that the state government did not want to pay pensions arrears and gratuities of retirees.

    “You people know that I don’t hide anything from you when allocations come. We applied for N29 billion from the bail-out fund. It is to cover the August and September 2014 salary arrears left by the Fayemi government, leave bonus, pensions, gratuities and others. But for reasons we don’t know yet, the federal government only approved N9.6 billion for salaries leaving other issues.

    “The 16 local governments applied for N5.6 billion and we did all the necessary papers and presented them to the appropriate authorities, but only N991 million was approved. We were later told by the Central Bank of Nigeria that about 14 states had similar problem with the small amount approved for local governments.

    “I have since written to them to rectify the situation and I hope they will do that quickly. It is only the federal government that can explain why they only approved one item, salary, out of the many items we presented to them on the workers’ issue.

    “We have nothing to hide and people should appeal to the federal government to release the money in full. We know it is a loan that we will repay with nine per cent interest,” he said.

    The governor also explained that the state had experienced a sharp decline in monthly allocations in recent time.

    “Last month we had a shortfall of N500 million and this month we have a shortfall of N600 million. The economy is dwindling and in bad shape and the federal government must do something about it urgently,” he noted.

  • APC accuses Fayose of plan to divert bailout cash

    APC accuses Fayose of plan to divert bailout cash

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has challenged Governor Ayo Fayose to declare how he intends to spend the bailout cash.

    The party said this became necessary in view of the governor’s announcement that pensioners’ entitlements and other category of workers would no longer be captured in the disbursement of the cash.

    The APC in a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said it was putting the following agencies on notice- Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Debt Management Office (DMO), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

    It urged the people to resist the governor’s plan to “divert” the money to other wasteful use.

    “Fayose has started his usual stunts of the ‘more you look the less you see’ antics.

    Ekiti people will no longer tolerate any juggler playing games with the bailout cash. We will like to see the breakdown of the loan explicitly stated.

    “We are still at a loss as to why pensioners’ arrears are not included in the bailout fund when we were initially told that all debts to civil servants and former political office holders were included,” Olatunbosun said.

    The APC spokesman said the party could not understand why a governor, who claimed he did not owe any salary, would suddenly become the first to apply for bailout loan.

    “Fayose said he did not owe salaries and that means he didn’t need the bailout loan, but he was the first to secretly apply for the loan before he subjected the matter to a public debate.

    “We have it on good authority that Fayose is planning to divert the money to pay contractors.

    “Fayose should realise that the bailout fund is not free money from the Federal Government but a loan which the state will pay back over 20 years as specified in the loan terms.

    “We wish to notify Fayose that failure to declare the breakdown of the bailout fund publicly will lead to employing the instrumentality of the FOI Law to demand for same at the Central Bank and the DMO.”

  • Fayose, monarch, others hail cleric

    Encomiums were showered on the Senior Pastor of Chapel of His Glory, Ado Ekiti, Rev. (Dr) Kunle Salami, during the launch of his three books recently.

    The books were titled How to become wiser; Effective Leadership and How to manifest greatness.

    Salami, a former Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) Ekiti State, had published ten titled before.

    Governor Ayo Fayose described Salami as a “man of integrity, humility and a mentor in all ramifications.”

    The governor who was represented by the Government House Chaplain, who also doubles as Special Adviser on Religious Matters, Pastor Seyi Olusola, also described Salami as “an exceptional minister of the New Testament.”

    According to him: “Reverend Salami is always available anytime we need his assistance and we pray to God to continue to strengthen him , empower him and energize him, influence him and organize him.”

    Other dignitaries who graced the occasion include the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe represented by the Odole of Ado Ekiti, Chief Bayo Ogunmodimu; Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Janet Olusola; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State University, Prof. Ibiyinka Ogunlade; General Secretary of the state chapter of the PFN, Reverend Tunde Afe and other Christian ministers.

    Oba Adejugbe described Salami as a man of substance whose impact has been felt within and outside Ekiti State.

    The guest minister, Reverend Sunday Akingbelure, told the congregation that he had known the author since 1982 when they met at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife.

    He described the author as a diligent man of God who has served in the vineyard of God with enthusiasm urging the younger generation to look up to him as a role model.

    Akingbelure urged the congregation to avail themselves of the opportunity offered by the books to develop themselves spiritually.

  • Ekiti pensioners protest exclusion from bailout

    Ekiti pensioners protest exclusion from bailout

    Pensioners in Ekiti State are set for a showdown with the Ayo Fayose administration, following alleged plans to exclude them from benefiting from the N9.6 billion bailout loan released from the Central Bank.

    The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has given the government till Tuesday to pay civil servants the arrears of their September 2014 salaries, 2014 and 2015 leave bonuses, among other benefits.

    The union said it would stage a “massive protest” and make the state “ungovernable”, if the government failed to accede to its demands.

    A thick pall of gloom enveloped the state secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) on Wednesday, following government’s decision to exclude retirees from the bailout largesse.

    The state NUP Secretary, Rufus Ogedengbe, said the pensioners were “shocked” when the Head of Service, Gbenga Faseluka, said on Tuesday that they would no longer benefit from the bailout funds.

    Faseluka, at a briefing to mark the civil service week, said the bailout funds would only accommodate the arrears of pensions but would not cover arrears of gratuities.

    Ogedengbe said the latest “bombshell” that pension arrears would no longer be paid from the bailout funds was a shocker.

    He said: “On Tuesday, the Head of Service called us on the issue of bailout and we were told that the bailout fund does not cover pensions and gratuities for both government pensioners and local government pensioners.

     “We received the information with shock; we were very surprised because we thought that that this was an opportunity for the government to pensioners.

    “We asked why and they told us that the government will continue to try to find ways to address the issue. We will continue to pressurise the government to do something about this.”

    TUC Chairman Kolawole Olaiya declared the union’s readiness to protest next week, if workers were not paid by Tuesday.

    Olaiya, who spoke yesterday in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, also warned government against diverting the bailout funds.

    He said workers would make the state ungovernable, if they found out that any government official diverted the money.

    The TUC chairman warned the government against playing games, adding that failure to pay workers by Tuesday might spark an industrial crisis.

    Olaiya said: “We have been expecting workers’ accounts to be credited but the governor has been approbating and reprobating. By Tuesday, if the accounts are not credited, there will be problems in Ekiti State.

    “Our leave bonus for two years (2014 and 2015), September 2014 salary arrears, arrears of deductions are there, whether that of pensioners is there, I don’t know.

    “All these must be given to workers latest by Tuesday, if this is not done there will be problems.”

    Warning against any plan to divert the fund, Olaiya declared: “Should the government divert it and we have the evidence, we will make the state ungovernable.

    “Now that the government has fulfilled conditions to access the funds, if anyone diverts it, it will not be palatable.”

    But the governor has said he should be counted out of the plans to divert the bailout funds.

    Fayose said as a lover of workers and a firm believer in the biblical injunction that a labourer was worthy of his wages, he would never contemplate punishing workers.

  • Fayose preaches harmony at sallah

    Fayose preaches harmony at sallah

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has urged Muslims to continue to live in harmony with people of different persuasions and always think of one Nigeria regardless of where they stay or live.

    The governor called on Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of sacrificial giving as the nation faces tough economic challenges.

    In his Sallah message in Ado-Ekiti yesterday signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the Ekiti governor also advised religious leaders in the country not to play politics with religion.

    Fayose opined that Nigeria needs the total commitment of all to become great, saying emphasising divisive tendencies among the people at this point would not do anybody any good.

    He said: “Such divisive tendencies based on religion or ethnicity will only create gulf among us instead of bridges to connect us.

    “Our religious leaders must also be careful not to use the bodies and people they lead to fan embers of discord by mixing religion with politics.

    “We must note that this period calls for sacrifice on the part of everybody. We must be ready to give all as Prophet Ibrahim decided to offer his son as sacrifice to Allah and he reaped the great reward of obedience.

    “And as we celebrate, we must be sober and show moderation as well.”

  • APC condemns Fayose’s airport project

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State has described the airport project being proposed by Governor Ayo Fayose as a “wasteful venture and the most economically unviable project at this period”.

    The party said embarking on such a gigantic project runs contrary to the governor’s claim that the state has no money expressing fear that the N17 billion project would constitute a huge drainpipe on the state’s “weak economy”.

    In a statement yesterday by its spokesman, Taiwo Olatunbosun, the party described the planned project as an avenue to siphon money from the treasury.

    The project, Olatunbosun said, was mooted by its promoter for the purpose of “characteristic flight of the state funds” as, according to him, offers little or no hope for the local economy.

    While criticising some community leaders for their “accomplice role” in the project mainly planned for the fancy of the few who see Ekiti State as their private property, Olatunbosun, condemned Fayose’s action of begging and cajoling some first class traditional rulers with “mouth-watering offers” to support “this wasteful venture”.

    Contending that an airport is not what Ekiti needs at the moment, Olatunbosun argued that airports in some neighboring states that are more economically viable have become inactive expressing fear that the same fate could befall the proposed airport.

    He said: “Of what economic sense and use is an airport to the economy of Ekiti when the Akure Airport is less than one hour drive to Ado Ekiti?

    “What has been the positive economic impact of the Akure airport on the economy of Ondo State, which has hundreds of big industries compared to Ekiti with none?

    “We wonder why the governor could not learn anything on the poor state of Ibadan Airport in that highly industrialised city.

    “To even think about such a needless and wasteful project has shown Fayose as very insensitive to the plight of the common man in Ekiti.”

     

  • Ekiti eviction saga: Fayose revokes Fayemi’s sister’s, aide’s house purchase

    Ekiti eviction saga: Fayose revokes Fayemi’s sister’s, aide’s house purchase

    The Ekiti State government has revoked the sale of the house purchased by the Mrs. Bolu Fayemi-Ayodele, the elder sister of former Governor KayodeFayemi, at the Irewolede (Fajuyi) Estate along Ilawe Road, Ado Ekiti, the state capital.

    Mrs. Fayemi-Ayodele who was served with the letter conveying the revocation order on Thursday vowed to challenge the action in the court of law.

    The former governor’s sister received her revocation barely 24 hours after the Corporation in a letter by its lawyer, Br. Awe,  revoked house sale to the Chairman of Irewolede Residents Association, Ayo Orebe.

    Confirming the receipt of letter revoking the sale of the house she purchased on mortgage in 2011 in a telephone chat on yesterday,  Mrs. Fayemi-Ayodele described the action as “politically motivated.”

    She said: “They brought the letter yesterday (Thursday) it was given to me to sign that I received the original copy. The official who brought the letter said he was carrying out the directive given to him and I can’t blame him for that.

    “The house in question is  not a rented house, it’s my personal house which was purchased on a mortgage which still subsists even though I have not completed payment. I am going to court to challenge this latest action because a case is already in court over the last eviction and  if there is any case in  court, parties are not expected to take any action until the case is disposed of.

    “When I read the content of the letter, I told the bearer that all that was written in the letter are fallacies. I know that the action was taken because he (Fayose) believes that I am a sister to the former governor (Fayemi) and he feels that he can do anything he likes. I believe that action was politically motivated.”

  • Man petitions police over Fayose’s take over of house

    Man petitions police over Fayose’s take over of house

    THE Chairman of Landlords Association in Irewolede Estate in Ado-Ekiti,  the Ekiti State capital, Ayo Orebe, has decried the revocation of the sale agreement on a three-bedroom bungalow sold to him in 2011 by the government.

    Orebe, who was one of the house owners ejected from the estate by the government on August 6, has petitioned the Commissioner of Police, Etop James, insisting that the agreement made with the Housing Corporation subsists for 25 years.

    Governor Ayo Fayose had issued a one-month deadline to all house owners in the estate who were yet to complete payment of mortgages to do so or risk eviction.

    They were allowed back into their homes after some traditional rulers and prominent citizens pleaded for more time on their behalf after which Fayose gave a new deadline of November 30 after which “action” will resume on December 1.

    Orebe and other house owners had filed a suit at an Ado-Ekiti High Court urging the court to restrain the government, Attorney General, police, the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps from ejecting them from their quarters, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

    The letter of revocation was served on Orebe on Tuesday, which prompted him to write a petition to the police, claiming that he was being victimised for having the “audacity” to challenge the governor in court.

    Apart from Orebe, the houses purchased by 16 other residents, who joined the estate chairman as plaintiffs, were also revoked by the Housing Corporation which claimed it was acting on the instruction of the governor.

    The revocation came after Orebe went to court challenging his earlier forced eviction and further threat by the governor and the housing corporation to forcefully eject him if he failed to pay within one month.

    His lawyer, Rafiu Oyeyemi Balogun, had gone to court asking for N20 million damages over illegal eviction having not broken mortgage payment terms and to further restrain the governor and corporation from illegal eviction, pending the determination of the case.