…Promotes 37,132
Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, yesterday urged the state workers to vote for his deputy, Prof. Olusola Eleka, in the forthcoming polls and assured that if he wins, he would ensure the welfare of civil servants are taken care of.
“l wanted somebody else but the Lord said he should be this man. I have no choice but to support this gentle man. The APC said they will bring money, it is okay; they said they will rig, use technology, and federal might; it is okay. But I want to tell them that the power of the people is greater than those of us in power. The coming election is about your future,” he said.
“I appreciate you for the support that I have enjoyed in the face of challenges in this administration, I can’t thank you enough. You deliberately and consciously brought me back to government in 2014 and I will never forget your role, particularly the teachers.
“My legacy was already rubbished, my achievements quashed, it was quite hopeless but for God and for you. Today, those things I needed to put right are reasonably in place by your grace and that of God, for making me who has no big family name to become a governor two times. I was taken out of power by the powers that be but the people did not take me out. I want to believe again by the grace of God and your support, I will also be the first governor to have a successor of his own,” Fayose said.
He then announced the promotion of 37,132 workers whose promotion was left unattended to since 2015. The breakdown of the promotion reveal Civil Service, Hospital Management Board, Teaching Service Commission and parastatals had 23, 480 promoted, while SUBEB and Local Government Service Commission is 13, 652.
The governor said that the development was to settle the agitation by workers demanding the implementation of the promotion arrears. He added that that it takes effects immediately.
On the new minimum wage, the governor calls for a review of revenue formula in favour of States so that they can pay the new wage. He also asked the labour unions to put pressure on the Federal government to release the difference between the oil benchmark and the new oil price.
He cited the judgment of the apex court that declared excess crude illegal, saying that all monies should paid into the federation account where it is shared among the three tiers.
He reiterated his earlier pledge not to leave office as debtor of workers’ salaries, saying that with faith, all things are possible. The governor also promised that he won’t leave office without paying all outstanding workers’ salaries, urging them to have faith in his words.
In his remarks, the Chairman Trade Union Congress (TUC), Odunayo Adesoye praised Fayose for the transformational governance he piloted saying that the state has witnessed tremendous development in all facet of life.
He said: “You have led the way in demonstrating how a responsible government should salvage the lives and property of the citizens through the progressive singing into law the anti-open grazing law.”
He however urged the governor to ensure that the issue of salaries and pension arrears are addressed. He also urged government to address the issue of casualisation in the banking sector urgently.