Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti
A former Ekiti State Governor Segun Oni has denied planning to sack any public servant employed under the administrations of Governor Kayode Fayemi and his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose if he wins the state governorship election scheduled to hold on June 18.
Oni made this clarification in Ifaki Ekiti yesterday while interfacing with the leadership of a pro-SDP group under the banner of Ekiti Build Back Better (EBBB) led by its spokesman, Idowu Adelusi.
He noted that he did not sack any of the workers employed by the administrations of former Governors Niyi Adebayo and Ayodele Fayose when he assumed office in 2007.
He described his decision in 2007 as a clear departure from the policies of other governors, though said building the state’s human and material resources “is my priority and not scheming vengeance against anyone.”
As a human capital development expert and administrator par excellence, One emphasised that the state’s revenue was quite sufficient “to pay the monthly workers’ salaries and the pensioners’ entitlements, as well as grow the economy of the state, if properly utilised.”
He disclosed that he employed 4,000 people into the service without any of them going through any godfather to be absorbed into the system, saying it was basically on merit.
He said: “Direct employment of young people into the civil service took place. Over 4,000 new jobs were made without going through any godfather.
“There were many vacancies, because the civil servants were willing to retire because of the prospect of getting their gratuity within three months of retirement.
“The government provided microcredit facilities to farmers, artisans and young graduates and introduced a local content policy that compelled contractors to employ local people in their companies.
“The government also collaborated with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) for skill acquisition for the youths and, thus, provided alternative means of employment.
“The government also made farming more attractive by providing enabling facilities in the rural areas, thus, reducing rural-urban migration, youth unemployment and discouraging the youths engaging in nefarious activities which are prevalent now.
“The state government also brought in experts to train the youths in sporting activities. Some of the youths later became national stars.
“Oni did not engage in illegal sacking of workers, whether in the civil service, the tertiary institutions or the local government. He did not indiscriminately dissolve statutory boards; all the board members, particularly in the statutory boards, enjoyed their tenures without any inhibition.”
“Oni is a democrat, who believes in the rule of law and not the rule of thumb like some former governors who almost turned the state upside down for their selfish reasons.
“I, therefore, called on the Ekiti people, the workers, pensioners, artisans, teachers, market women, students and traders to vote for Oni to become their governor for a better Ekiti State”.
