Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has admitted that the state is difficult to manage and that it is an arduous task to govern it.
He said this at the 2017 Inter-Faith Service of the state government at the Governor’s office, Ibadan, yesterday.
The governor, who is governing the state for the second term said; “Maintenance of our infrastructure and executing new ones have been extremely difficult. Oyo State is a big state. Ibadan alone is bigger than seven states and to govern Oyo State is a big responsibility with big problem and difficult to manage.”
He said this, just as he promised that the government would use its share of the Paris Club funds when it is paid for the workers’ welfare as recommended by the Federal Government.
According to the governor, in a statement signed by Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr. Toye Arulogun, “We are looking for ways to reduce our cost and every attempt to reduce it, is disservice to a certain group of people. We have suspended car loans, subventions to higher institutions, allowances, assistance to organisations and individuals among others.
All these, he added, were without uproar from the people adding that everybody in the state knew of the criticisms that trailed the withdrawal of subventions to higher institutions.
Ajimobi tasked the workers to be committed and dedicated to their work and show appreciation to government’s goodness, explaining that the government has started a system that encourages, recognizes and appreciates productive performance by creating an efficiency unit to appraise and grade workers on their output.
The governor charged labour leaders in the state to always embrace dialogue and help the government to seek ways to meet its obligations to the workers instead of being confrontational, noting that the era of table banging unionism should be a thing of the past.
Governor Ajimobi appealed to the entire citizens to work with the present administration in the state, promising that his administration would continue to prioritize citizens’ welfare.
The Oyo State Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade said, “Even in the face of the present harsh economic condition, Governor Ajimobi, under no influence and pressure, decided to commit 100% of the monthly allocation from the federation account to pay salaries and pensions.
The HOS charged workers in the state to be diligent, dedicated, devoted, committed and work assiduously towards ensuring financial sufficiency for the state, stating that the ongoing restructuring exercise in the civil/public service was embarked upon to clean and sanitize the system.
