Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has assured workers in the State that they would receive August salary before the end of this week.
The Governor who gave this assurance on Monday during the flag off of his Thank You tour of the 35 councils in the state, said that the workers know that his administration has not defaulted payment of salaries since it came on board in October 2010.
The Governor who was received with pomp and funfair in the councils visited said the thrust of the tour was to express his appreciation to the people of the state for their support for his administration since October 16th, 2010 when he assumed office.
Highlights of the tour include the commissioning of road projects as well as community empowerment projects.
The Governor, who took time off to explain the circumstances surrounding the delay in the payment of August salary to workers in the state, said that in spite of delay in the release of Federal allocation, Ekiti State government had always paid salaries before month end.
He added that the government used to get overdraft to pay salaries before the State gets allocation until the opposition approached the Bank in June to prevent the State from getting the loan.
Fayemi explained: “We are a civil service state and many of our workers are agitated on what is happening to their salaries. Very soon, the efforts that we are making to ensure that their salaries are paid would yield fruits.
This is the first time in four years of being in office that we have not had the payment of salaries as and when due, And the reason is simple: first the resources of the state has dwindled considerably.
The allocation had reduced by 40% in many states, not just in Ekiti and as a result of that, we also had a shortfall in what comes to Ekiti.
What we have done in the last 6 to 8 months is to reach an understanding with our financial institutions to help defray salaries so that when we have money, we can defray whatever remains on our behalf.”
“But you have also heard altercations between members of the incoming government and ourselves over illegal relationship that they are trying to forge with the financial institutions and the fear they are putting in the minds of certain financial institutions that have a relationship with the state and this has no doubt affected the state.
There is certain reluctance on their part to grant the usual overdraft that we use to cover our operational cost in the state.
For us, we owe a duty to the people of the state so we don’t want our people to suffer because this government has a tradition of welfares.
That’s the ideology that brought us into office. So we will do everything at all times to ensure that our people receive their salaries before the end of this week”.
The Governor said the rumour making the rounds that he is carting away with state funds is baseless and untrue; stressing that all public funds have been judiciously and accountably used in the last 4 years of his administration.
He stated that the developmental projects which included intra-township road projects, civic centre and palace projects are the manifestations of the promises he made to the people in 2007 during his electioneering campaign.
The Governor added that the transformation which his administration had brought to the State are also evident in the road infrastructure development, school renovation, quality health care service delivery, and the attraction of investments to the State worth Billions of Naira in various sector of the State’s economy.
Dr. Fayemi said the N20 Billion bond which the State Government got was expended on the development of the State; saying that the legacy projects and various infrastructural projects were undertaken through the bond since the State cannot undertake any developmental projects from leftovers of the allocation after salaries are paid.
The Governor, who was accompanied by his Deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Dr Adewale Omirin and some commissioners was given warm reception as they sang songs of hope and the Governor’s campaign slogan- “Kodurosoke”.
Last modified: September 22, 2014