- Says, No Worker “ll Lose Job Under His Administration
By Kehinde Ayantunji
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Osun, Gboyega Oyetola has said no governmnet in history has demonstrated serious commitment to the welfare of workers like the administration of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the State.
Oyetola said Aregbesola’s administration in the last seven years has increased gratuity of pensioners from N50,000 to N500 million which is the highest in the history of the state before the country encountered economic challenges in 2014.
Oyetola recently said this in his campaign Office, Osogbo while playing host to the Triangular Group of the Pensioners who declared support for him.
APC governorship candidate said his administration will continue to respect the senior citizens and prioritise their welfare if he emerges as the state governor.
Oyetola while responding to the controversy over pension and gratuity said, the state government is paying monthly pension regularly alongside other workers but only defaulting in the aspect of gratuity, explaining that it is not true that the government is defaulting in pension payment.
He said” I appreciate your support and endorsement, so delighted, what you have done embolden me. Despite the blackmails and protests over pension, the respected senior citizens recognizes the need for continuity and steady development in the state; we have set a good standard in governance and we must never allow the beast of yesteryears to reverse the progress.”
“Aregbesola’s administration values and recognises pensioners as senior citizens who have diligently served the state, and he has been doing his best to better the lots of workers in the state. It is not true that we are not paying monthly pensions, pensioners are getting their monthly payment whenever we pay workers salary.
“As we all know, when we came in 2010, the highest any government released for the payment of gratuity was N50million and Aregbesola administration increased it to N500million before the country encountered financial crisis in 2014. We thank God, things are now getting better, we have been relating before and I am assuring you that pensioners are secure under my leadership”, Oyetola said.
Earlier in his address, Chairman Triangular Pensioners, Prince Rotimi Adelugba said the pensioners decided to pitch their tent with Oyetola for continuity of good governance in Osun.
He appealed to the APC flag bearer to work hard to ensure that the outstanding gratuity and pension arrears are paid while assuring him of their support.
He said “As pensioners and stakeholders in Osun governance, we have strong confidence in the capacity and ability of Oyetola to pilot the affairs of the state, we promise you our support in the September Governorship election and we are so confident of victory. Our interest is prompt payment of our entitlements and we are urging you not to let us down.”
Similarly, Oyetola, during a life television programme assured workers in the state that no civil servant will lose job under his leadership, rather, he will build efficient civil service that will possess capacity to accelerate developments.
He said civil service is the bedrock for effective governance and it would be suicidal for any serious leader to undermine the importance of civil servants in delivering the dividends of democracy.
He assured that except those who retired as a result of age and years of service, voluntarily resign from the service, or involve in fraud or fake certificate, no one will lose job as a result of salary challenges.
“The governor has persistently assured the workers that he is going to offset the outstanding, everything should not be politics, we have operated the best workers-friendly government in the history of the state, no state government in Nigeria jointly allocates revenue with Labour unions, but for Osun workers to be sure of our commitment, we are jointly taking decisions on state revenue through a committee headed by the Veteran Labour leader, Comrade Hassan Sumonu”, he added.
