Fayemi Explains State Of Ekiti Economy To Workers

L-R: Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, answering a question, during an interactive session with Civil Servants of Level 1-6, in Ado-Ekiti.

Ekiti State Government has not had a corresponding increase between her income and expenditure even as the state has got only 25 percent income increase and about 99 percent increase in expenditure between October 2010 and October 2013.

The State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi made this known in Ado Ekiti on Monday during an interface with the State workforce. The Governor however said that inspite of the disproportion, government has not failed in its duties to its workers and other citizens.

The Governor who urged the workers to ignore propaganda being circulated in some quarters that his administration had stopped the salaries of some workers and would on re-election sack workers, said workers are government’s partners in transforming the State, adding that workers would continue to play significant roles in the administration’s quest to move the state to the next stage..

Fayemi assured that he had no reason to sack any workers even as he explained that the alleged stoppage of salaries of about 800 council workers was to fish out the truant workers who abandoned their duty posts.

He added that out of the affected staff,  about 550 who have come to challenge the stoppage on grounds of leave or absence due to ill health, have had their salaries restored. The remaining affected workers who did not challenge the stoppage, according to him, have proved that they aret ghost workers.

The Governor reminded the workers that some council workers with NCE certificates were not sacked but redeployed early this year to the service of the State Universal Basic Education as teachers since their certificates showed that they are trained teachers, not administrators.

“I dont have to sack workers  who have not done anything wrong when I return. The biometrics we did was to get ghost workers so that government can spend the money being wasted on the unknown workers on the welfare of real workers who about for the development of our State. If anyone comes to tell you that when Mr Governor comes back again in 2014, he will sack workers, don’t buy into the propaganda.  I don’t have any reason to sack them because every household in Ekiti has at least one worker who cares for his family”, he explained.

While assuring that his administration will continue to strive to put the welfare of the workforce as a priority within the limit of available resources, the Governor said his administration sees the civil servants as ” partners in progress for the delivery of public goods as enshrined in the 8 point agenda”.

Giving a breakdown of the over N40 Billion debt inherited by his administration in 2010, Fayemi said N13.1 billion was due for payment on contracts, N17.4 billion on approved projects, N3.63 billion was the outstanding on Pension and gratuity, outstanding on Recurrent Expenditure was N1.7 billion while bank loans were N8.7billion.

In a further breakdown of the income analysis from 2010 to 2013, there was 14.87% increase in the statutory allocation, 37.69 in VAT while there was 130.54% increase in IGR.

However, with the new minimum wage and relativity pay, wage bill to civil servants increased from N351,776,290 in October 2010 to N699,646,810 making 98.89% increase, while teaching service got an increase of 55.26% and increase in subventions to institutions and parastatals was 24.95%.

Loan repayment, Pension and gratuity, Other charges, Social Security scheme and Youth Volunteer scheme, and Transfer to other funds cost the stae government N1.6 billion monthly.

The Governor explained that despite the financial challenges, Ekiti government does not owe workers as it has consistently paid salaries as and when due in spite of the refusal by the federal government to release allocations to States in the last 3 months.

During the interface, workers asked the Governor questions on issues such as the increase in Car and Housing loans, increase in Christmas bonus as well as provision of more office accommodation.

Many of the workers praised the Governor for the regular payment of salaries and creation of enabling environment for them to work, while also spreading development into all communities in the State.

At the event, Fayemi presented a wheelchair to Miss Modupe Ajimati, a physically challenged staff of the State Sports Council.

Ajimati while asking the Governor a question had solicited his support for her to get a wheelchair and the Governor immediately directed that she be provided with a new wheelchair which was brought within one hour of the request.

The event was attended by the Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, the Head of Service, Mr Bunmi Famosaya, members of the State executive council, Chairman of the State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Afolabi Ogunlayi, and body of Permanent Secretaries among others.

Last modified: October 29, 2013