Osun: Another ridiculous and treacherous incitement – By Funke Egbemode

Yet another ultimatum has been issued by disgruntled and attention seeking political vagrants. These purveyors of discord have issued a statement giving the governor of the state of Osun 7 days within which to review salaries of civil servants upward . Does this mean that they have not been paying attention to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s administration’s priorities and accomplishments over the last two years? Given the achievements of the Oyetola administration and the priority the governor has placed on improving the pay and conditions of Osun’s civil servants, it is obvious that the sponsors of these statements either do not live on planet earth or, have finally run out of ideas.

Their current ridiculous and baseless statement has followed similar patterns of previous attempts by these elements to incite citizens against the government on the one hand, and distract the government on the other.

The State of Osun has over 40,000 active workers and 22,000 retirees, and Governor Adegboyega Oyetola has never failed to pay full salaries to workers every month since the inception of his administration. He has also consistently paid pension arrears of retired officers of the Osun Civil Service.

That notwithstanding, without any agitation, demonstration or strike action by workers, and without any ultimatum from the Osun State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Governor Oyetola approved the immediate implementation of welfare packages for all categories of workers in the State, as well as the immediate implementation of Minimum Wage, lifting of ban on Annual Salary Increment and embargo placed on promotions and conversions since 2012. He followed this up with the release of N 1.2 billion to also offset pension arrears. All these happened in less than a week.

This makes one begin to wonder:

– If in spite of the COVID-19 devastation and the recent bandwagon of destruction in the State, both of which took their tolls on the economy of the State; Governor Oyetola gave priority to the welfare of workers, what more are these band of anti-government elements asking for?

– Who asks for wage increment twice in a less than a week?

– Where were these misguided activists when the Osun State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trades Union Congress gave the verdict that workers’ welfare is no longer privilege-based, but right-based under the Oyetola-led government?

– Yesterday, it was Okada riders. Today, it’s the workers of the State Civil Service. Who knows the next citizens group that these clueless activists are planning to incite against the government?

Are these trouble makers aware that since taking office, the Oyetola administration has had to contend with dwindling financial resources to meet increasing needs at a time when rising prices caused by inflation reduced buying power and an economic recession shrank the national economy including Osun’s? Osun’s indebtedness meant that more of its meagre resources would have to be devoted to servicing these loans. Yet through these very difficult economic and financial headwinds, the Oyetola administration was able as a priority to ensure that salaries of public servants were paid on time.

As part of Oyetola’s commitment to ensuring the people of Osun are served by the dedicated men and women who work for them, he did the following within just one week:

1. Approved immediate implementation of welfare packages

2. Lifted the ban annual salary increment and embargo placed on promotions

3. Approved the implementation of the minimum wage

4. Released N1.2 billion to offset pension arears

Oyetola’s administration has made service delivery a feature of its stewardship of the state of Osun. And this means that the 40,000 active public sector workers and 22,000 retirees receive their remuneration and emoluments as and when due.

It is therefore unbelievable that anyone would feign ignorance of all of the above to give the Oyetola administration a 7-day ultimatum to review salaries upward. As we stated above, it remains to be seen whether in light of the above and without reference to the Nigeria Labour Congress State of Osun chapter, any one who is not unmoored from reality will issue such a laughable ultimatum. One can only surmise that this ultimatum was issued solely for mischievious and mendacious purposes to sow discord and division in Osun. Its apparent singular intent is to incite the people and the dedicated public service officers against the governor and his administration.

The State Of Osun and the administration of Governor Oyetola are battling serious economic, social and public health headwinds. We welcome constructive criticism that can help us deliver more to the people of Osun. We look forward to hearing from our public servants how we can implement policies that will enable them to deliver quality services to the people of Osun. This clumsy attempt at cheap blackmail is absolutely unnecessary, gratuitiously cruel, inept and destined to fail.

The government hereby implores the good people of Osun to rise and resist these trouble makers who are fighting tooth and nail to distract this government, which remains focused and unperturbed.

Law enforcement agents have been fully briefed not to allow breakdown of law and order in the State due to the indiscretion of these elements.

The State Government of Osun remains committed to ensuring the safety of the lives and properties.

Funke Egbemode is the Osun State Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation