Makinde govt to get $611million we worked for ― Ajimobi

GOVERNOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has admonished the incoming administration of governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde to be more concerned about how it will generate money to run the government than engage in rhetoric about the expenses of the outgoing government.

Noting that his administration sourced for the funds it was spending on its various projects, Ajimobi said the incoming administration was set to reap from its efforts to include $611 million from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the recognition of Ibadan, the state capital, as a learning city.

Speaking at governor’s office, Ibadan, on Monday, Ajimobi said the award was in recognition of his government’s strides in uplifting the state’s education sector, by encouraging public/private participation in the running of schools and renovating schools infrastructure.

“The incoming government should think of how to get the money that they will spend rather than lamenting about the money that we are spending. We sourced for the money that we are spending.

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“But, we have got some money for them that they can spend. We got an award from UNESCO that Ibadan is one of the best cities in learning in the world. The incoming government will get the award in Geneva and it comes with $611 million. They should collect it because it is for the development of Oyo state,” Ajimobi said.

In further remarks, while receiving the governing councils of state-owned tertiary institutions, Ajimobi urged staff of institutions to support the incoming administration to further uplift the educational institutions in the state.

Chairman, governing council, The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Professor Isaac Adeyemi, who spoke on behalf of the other governing councils, praised the Ajimobi administration for reinstating 100 per cent subvention to tertiary institutions and committing about N200 million monthly to clear the backlog of arrears of salaries of tertiary institutions’ staffs.

Speaking with Tribune Online, State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela said the full implementation of 100 per cent subvention began in April.

Pointing to declining financial resources, the state government had in 2016 slashed the subvention from 100 per cent to 25 per cent but later increased it to between 50 and 80 per cent in 2018.

Asked why the restoration was deemed fit at the twilight of the outgoing administration, Olowofela averred that government was a continuum hence shouldn’t be seen as a burden for the incoming government.

Aside from the expected $611 million from UNESCO, Olowofela said the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) would also in June access a grant of N2 billion.

Meanwhile, Chairman, Joint Action Committee of the state-owned tertiary institutions, Mr Babatunde Adeniyi, confirmed to Nigerian Tribune, that the 100 per cent restoration took effect in April with workers getting their full salary.

He also affirmed the monthly release of N200 million to be shared among all six institutions to clear their respective backlog of salaries.

Adeniyi expressed optimism that the incoming Makinde government will sustain the current arrangement so as to end the perennial industrial crisis in the state’s tertiary institutions related to unpaid salaries.