OGUN WORKERS SHOULD BEWARE OF AMOSUN’S GREEK GIFT- Isiaka
The Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organization (GNICO) hereby urge the good workers of Ogun state at all levels, not to be deceived by the “Greek Gift” given them yesterday by the ever deceitful and slippery Sen. Ibikunle Amosun-led administration. The government belatedly announced the release of N1.5billion purportedly for the payment of salary deductions which it owed the workers for several months.
We recall that prior to yesterday, the government and the workers have had a running battle over the failure of government to remit these deductions. Despite the pleas and warnings of the workers to Amosun, he refused to remit the monies; and even called the bluff of the workers at of their meetings telling them that, “they can protest against him with their votes if they want and that with or without their votes, he will win the forthcoming election”.
Let it be quickly stated that before the hurried announcement of yesterday, Amosun owed the workers six (6) months of “Salary Deductions” for Cooperatives and twenty-eight (28) months of “Unremmited Pensions Deductions”. Whereas, government always claimed it was financially healthy and usually resort to grandstanding whenever it was accused of being broke but we know that government has mismanaged the state’s resources in a manner so unprecedented and callous.
Besides the unremmited monies, the regime always found it hard to even pay salaries of the workers. For a government that receives an average of N4billion monthly federal allocation and also claims to generate N6billion internally; totalling N10billion expendable funds, to now find it very difficult to pay workers salaries which is in the region of N2.6billion and also honour bank commitments shows that something is fundamentally wrong. Judicial workers just resumed after three months strike. Local government workers are currently on strike. Teachers and workers were on strike at various times.
For the avoidance of doubt and so that the workers and good people of Ogun state are not hoodwinked into contemplating voting for Amosun, the state is in a precarious situation due to Amosun’s profligacy. As at the moment government has barely survived on sustained borrowing and loans realignments. All the Ministries, Departments and Agency (MDAs) of the state are broke. Works is broke and can’t pay contractors, MDGs is broke and owes contractors, even SUBEB is broke and owes contractors for seven months because Amosun owes Ecobank N3billion and only managed to pay the interest for three months before stopping. Consequently, Amosun keeps borrowing to offset loans; and the cycle continues.
As Amosun faces the polls in a week time and sensing that the workers and indeed the masses have concluded that they will not vote for him, he and Kemi Adeosun (Commissioner for Finance) ran around to shop for a fresh N2.5billion foreign loan (as no local bank will give him further loans) and decided to dole N1.5billion to pacify the workers and then spend the rest to buy votes. This has further put the state in heavy indebtedness; hence his desperation to return to office to cover and manage the mess.
The question that arises is that where are Ogun state Statutory monies such that he has been running government on revolving loans? Could the answer be that funds are being freighted through dubious road expansion projects and needless bridges usually awarded at mind – boggling cost. Is it by coincidence that Amosun is at the moment building a bunker-styled mansion at Ibara GRA (adjacent TJ’s hotel) valued at N7billion and a 15-Storey office structure at Ibara roundabout (near the bridge) valued at N4.5billion? What of the private Jet story? What of the Ikeja GRA hotel under construction? What of the one acre property in Deira province in Dubai?
Clearly, Amosun has insulted the sensibilities of Ogun people and took them for a ride. We advise our workers to collect what is their right and go ahead to reject Amosun next Saturday. Ogun State cannot afford another four years under this corrupt and inept government. What they brandish as “Ogun standard” is a mataphor for “Covered stealing through mega road contracts”. We need a credible alternative to rescue Ogun state.
We assure our people that Prince Gboyega Nasir Isiaka will bring back sanity and accountability into governance. He will make life more abundant and the incoming PDP administration under his watch shall give Ogun its pride of place. People should not be deceived by Amosun’s last minute bazaar because it is another four horrendous years in waiting . On Amosun Must Go we stand.
(Signed)
Ifekayode Akinbode
Director, Media and Publicity
For: Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organization (GNICO)