Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Barely 24 hours after he announced that Oyo is technically bankrupt, Governor Seyi Makinde has said about N60 billion of the state money is in wrong hands.
He disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to the judiciary at the state High Court, Moshood Abiola Way (former Ring Road), Ibadan,.
He was received by judges, registrars, deputy registrars and other categories of members of judiciar and members of Judicial Service Commission, led by the Chief Judge, Justice Munta Abimbola.
Abimbola noted that a cordial relationship between the three arms of government is crucial to the effective and successful administration in the state.
Makinde, who said the independence of judiciary is non-negotiable, promised that his administration would be “completely transparent in terms of finances of the state.
“I have asked that a committee be set up that will administer the funds coming to Oyo State, and we will have a member of the judiciary to be a part of that committee.
“I need your support. During my inaugural address, I promised to set up Oyo State Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. It is not a joke. I am serious about it. I am also serious about what I said regarding waving my immunity to come before that commission if I am found wanting in managing the resources of Oyo State. The bill has been prepared and it is going to the House of Assembly. Once it is passed, I want your support to implement and execute.
“We have on record, at least close to N50 billion to N60 billion of Oyo State money in wrong hands. Maybe, we are being sensational, maybe we have vendetta against our political opponents, I am sure very shortly, the ball will be in your court to look at it dispassionately.
“I am saying before you that don’t listen to us if we send anybody to you that we want you to help us persecute this individual or that individual for political reasons. We want you to follow your mind.
“I said yesterday (Tuesday) that Oyo State is technically bankrupt. I mean it. This state is bankrupt. This is our current situation, and it is our reality. However, it is not the end of the story. What we are getting from the Federation Account and the IGR, when you put them together, and we net off salaries, not even the cost of administration, we are talking of roughly N500 million available for every other thing.
“Also, we have verified at least N150 billion in debt. This morning (Wednesday), I met with the pensioners. The retired primary school teachers, they were owed about N60 billion in backward of pension arrears.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has urged Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to declare a state of emergency on pension matters.
The pensioners made the request based on the N62.5 billion of unpaid pensions and gratuities owed retired primary school teachers and local government pensioners by the immediate past administration, led by the All Progressives Congress(APC).
To this end, members of the union, led by its acting Chairman, Abimbola Abolade, and the Secretary, Olusegun Abatan, staged a solidarity rally to the Governor’s Office, Agodi, Ibadan.
Abatan, however, said Makinde has been paying salaries and pensions on the 25th of every month, commended him for living up to his electioneering promises.
He also advocated upward review of the pension because many pensioners still collect as low as N2,000 every month.