Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Friday said salaries of senior political appointees in the state have been slashed by 50 per cent to mitigate the shocks to economy as the state ibattles to get over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides, he said the state had secured the cooperation of the legislature to take a 30 per cent cut to their monthly allocations, because his administration would not slash salaries of civil servants in the state.
The governor made the disclosure in his address during the low-key celebration of Workers’ Day (May Day), held at Labour House, Ibadan, the state capital.
Makinde, who commended every worker in the state “as we fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Not just the health workers who are leading the charge and risking daily exposure to this disease, but the volunteers from various sectors who are working in little ways and big ways to ensure that we prevent, contain and control the spread of COVID-19 in our state.
“The next couple of months are going to be difficult ones, but we are working hard to mitigate the shocks to our economy. Already, we have secured the cooperation of the legislature to take a 30 per cent cut to their monthly allocations, while senior government appointees take 50 per cent pay cuts. This is because we feel that the economic safety of the workforce must be prioritised.
“We must on this day, appreciate the efforts of those who have taken pay cuts so that others may be catered for. I am happy that under this administration, the wellbeing of the common man takes precedence. I give you my word; we will continue to put in the work needed to ensure that you are never paid with “bear with us” at the end of any month.
“We salute the workers who have had to sacrifice their earnings at this time, those whose businesses have been affected by the partial lockdown in Oyo State.”
Makinde, who dismissed insinuation that there were “rifts within his cabinet, and have tried to make it look like we are not united in this battle to restore the economic health of our great state completely. I want to assure you, the good people of Oyo State, that these are just disgruntled people clutching at straws. The entire cabinet will continue to work with you to ensure that Oyo State attains its rightful place in Nigeria.”
The governor stated further that the COVID-19 pandemic has struck, and “it is now the responsibility of us all to build something out of this pandemic that will make generations to come proud. Post COVID-19, we will be left with an economy which must be grown and sustained. This is why I ran for governor, for a time like this. I will make the tough decisions so that our economy can thrive.
“We want to get our economy back on track. This is why we have started opening up the system while keeping an eye on the reports from the Oyo State COVID-19 Emergency Operations Centre. We have partially opened up the state secretariat. We are picking up infrastructural projects that we have had to hold off. Already, some projects have been approved in the last week. We are injecting funds to kickstart our economic recovery.”
The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in the state, Bayo Titilola-Sodo, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC), Emmanuel Ogundiran, thanked the governor for prompt payment of salaries of workers on 25th of every month since he assumed office and for not slashing workers’ salaries. They also urged the governor to take note that some private companies have been threatening to reduce their workers’ salaries or outright retrenchment, adding that the labour unions might have to intervene.