Varsity Don Lauds Oyetola For Prompt Payment Of Salaries

… says Governor a Miracle Worker

A lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University, Dr. Tunji Ogunyemi, on Tuesday lauded the Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, for paying salaries and pension benefits of workers in the State in spite of government’s limited resources, describing him as a “miracle worker”.

The university don maintained that the administration of Governor Oyetola deserved accolades for also managing to do capital projects and for responsibly paying a huge debt inherited from his predecessor.

Dr. Ogunyemi gave the commendation while speaking as Guest Lecturer at the 2020 Osun NUJ Public Lecture themed: “Examining Governor Adegboyega Oyetola’s Two Years of Governance in Osun: A Journey of Transformative Leadership or Political Rhetoric?”, held at the NUJ Secretariat Conference Hall in Osogbo.

Ogunyemi who is an economist, explained that the State derives major percentage of its earnings from monthly Federal allocations, adding that Osun’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was low, a development he said was owing to State’s weak tax base.

He said Osun as a State created without take-off grant is more outstanding than many other States of the country just as he assured that the State would be more developed if citizens could participate fully in the governance, while taking note of basic fundamentals such as paying tax to government.

“Osun has a fundamental problem in IGR which is as a result of too little tax base. So, Governor Oyetola should be commended for the feat he has achieved in the area of welfare and security. These are the two top items on the list of the core responsibilities in governance.

“Oyetola should in fact be called a miracle worker for being able to pay salaries and benefits of workers as and when due and securing life and property of the residents. Let us celebrate the State in terms of being the most peaceful State in Nigeria,” Ogunyemi added.

Earlier in his lecture, the Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Professor Olalekan Yinusa, enumerated the numerous achievements of Oyetola’s administration across all sectors, particularly in the areas of capital development, commerce and industry, health, mining, agriculture and culture and tourism.

Also speaking at the event, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Mr. Ismail Omipidan maintained that the State is lucky to have Oyetola as Governor whom he described as “financially prudent”.

Omipidan said, “We may not have all the money in Osun, but I believe we are getting our priorities right as a government. Governor Oyetola is a man We the People can bank on. He means well for the people and takes their welfare, their security and the development of the State very seriously.

This is why, in spite of financial constraints, he has prioritised the welfare of workers and  those of the good people of the State. “