On Oyo workers’ wages

July 4, 2019

POLITICIANS generally see the campaign season as a game, a time to make grandiose statements that they do not intend to keep. They play to the gallery and sadly, people fall for their tricks. They make utterances meant to excite passion among the masses and give them electoral benefit but everything ends there.

It seems unbelievable, but workers in Oyo State actually received their salaries on June 25, 2019. During the last electioneering, the Oyo State governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde, then a candidate, was said to have promised that he would be paying workers salaries by the 25th day of every month.

True to type, he has actually begun to fulfill this promise. Arguably, Nigeria would have been a great country, at least greater than it claims to be now, if we had had leaders who took their words seriously.

Unfortunately, we did not and the result is the pervasive underdevelopment that we see all around us today in all spheres of our national life. It is refreshing to see a paradigm shift. But then, how does Governor Makinde intend to keep up this lofty gesture?

Traditional rulers will be relevant under my govt ― Makinde

No doubt, this cannot be a one-off. Mr. Makinde must, as he promised, plug all loopholes in the finances of Oyo State. This should be done painstakingly and without apology.

He must ensure that government money is spent on the people and not corrupt civil servants. We all know that the corruption in the civil service is massive and pervasive. That ugly trend has to be checked.

Then, Governor Makinde must make sure that all taxable adults discharge their constitutional obligations. As a matter of fact, the people themselves would be willing to pay when they see the government fulfilling its electoral promises. Kudos to the governor for a good start; I hope he continues in the same way