A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former member of House of Representative, Dr. Muyiwa Oladimeji on Monday commended the State Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on what he termed sincere efforts in infrastructural development in the state.
Oladimeji disclosed this during a radio programme monitored by our correspondent organized for political parties to debate on government policies vis-à-vis political activities in build up to 2018 elections in the state.
The platform provided by the radio station was aimed to enrich public discourse looking at the policy; put side by side, what is obtained when PDP ruled the State and what the APC-led government has done and is doing presently.
The former House member, Dr. Oladimeji was advocating for Peoples Democratic Party while a research consultant, Dr. Kareem Olajokun was advocating for the All Progressives Congress.
During the interview, Dr. Oladimeji said, I will take it that bridges, flyovers for the first time was been built in Gbongan and if that is an index so far on development I will congratulate my APC friend.
He hinted that, the present government has also completed the ring road started by past administrations.
He said, “This government has taken the ring road to Abeere which is excellently done; I am not going to deny that, we have to be objective about it.
” I am an objective person, I agreed that they have built very beautiful structures, Government of APC has done so well on that”.
However, Oladimeji accused the All Progressives Congress based on his assessment about the reign of the party in the state, said, the party is given to propaganda particularly on the workers’ salaries.
“During this APC reign the State has amassed more debt compared to the over 7years of PDP administration or since Osun State was created”.
However, it seems Dr. Oladimeji has not researched enough on the issue of salaries in the state. Modulated salaries began in 2005 after the civil servants had an agreement with the state government.
The civil servants through its union had requested that modulated salaries would be paid to work instead of retrenching some of the worker.
Since then the arrangement that;
Level 1- 7 be paid 100% of their salaries,
Level 8- 11 be paid 75%
Level 12- 17 be paid 50%
Has continued with agreements from both parties and till date salaries have not been left unpaid.
The state of Osun has 66,590 civil servants which is way beyond the number needed in various ministries in the state.
In order to have people keep their jobs, the present administration looked for a way to create a balance between paying salaries without making thousands jobless.
While responding to Oladimeji’s allegations and assessments about the debt profile of the state, Olajokun said, “We should look at issue holistically since APC came into government, and the first thing we did was that we employed more than 40,000 youths into Osun Youths Empowerment Scheme and today most of those youths had left the scheme as a result of what they gained on the scheme causing them to be self reliant.
“When we talked about debt, Is it a good thing or bad thing? We can dissect and analyse it. When you borrowed money are you using it for frivolities, Party?
“No government has developed Osun like APC since the creation of the State; in infrastructures, health, agricultures and others areas. Government has its own fault sometimes but we should appreciate what they are doing so far, we can see the school they built; those schools are not built for pupils in oversea but they are built for people of Osun which leveled up with world standard.
“These are development that will drive investment into the state, so, when we are being accused of propaganda let be sincere”.
Government is not overnight but a process and gradual approach are being engaged. We have impacted lives in the state, bringing investors in to the State, he said.
The public debate program was said to continue tomorrow, addressing other areas of polity.
