Being the Remarks by His Excellency Seyi Makinde, FNSE, Executive Governor of Oyo State, During the Commissioning of the New Local Government Service Commission and Staff Pension Board Buildings on Wednesday, 2 October 2024
This commissioning today of the new Local Government Service Commission and Staff Pension Board Buildingsis the very definition of better late than never. The commissioning should have happened before now, I think the building was ready for commissioning in January this year, but the January 16, 2024 explosion in Bodija area of Ibadan happened and some parts of the building was affected. So, we had to do some remedial work to put the building back in shape and now it is ready.
First and foremost, this building will provide a more conducive environment for Oyo State’s local government workers to enhance their productivity. I remember before we came into office in 2019, I came to this secretariat to see if I could find a new building anywhere, but it was not possible. Even right now, a lot of the buildings are in a dilapidated state because they have not been maintained. We will see how much maintenance we will be able to do before we finish this tenure. This is a start.
What I would refer to as an irony is the fact that it is the same local government that people are going around town saying Seyi Makinde is trying to destroy that we built the first modern building for.
Let me say this, in a country where there is a trust deficit between the leaders and the led, it is no wonder that some people will always take advantage of situations to fan the flames of disunity or choose to push unintended narratives and perceptions. As I said in my broadcast yesterday, we must always remember who our real enemies are, so we do not turn against our friends.
Well, I am still here to repeat myself unequivocally: I am not against elected representatives of the people carrying out their constitutional duties. What I will speak up against is anyone trying to create a constitutional lacuna where none exists. Or to turn one arm of government against the other.
Here in Oyo State, under my watch, we will continue to make decisions that will bring the full benefits of democracy to the good people of Oyo State and we are aware of the role that the Local Government Authorities (LGA) have to play in ensuring that democracy reaches people at the grassroots. By design this is supposed to be the function of the LGAs, but in practice there have been several factors that have militated against the LGAs achieving this goal.
We have been able to identify some of these challenges. For example, when we came into office in 2019, we met a local government system that was owing salaries, pensions and gratuities. For primary school teachers, their leave bonuses were last paid in 2017. Primary healthcare facilities, primary schools and inner roads were all in a bad shape.
And so, we had to figure out a way of reducing these deficits. Insisting that first line items must be drawn against LGA accounts was a homegrown way of ensuring that outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities are paid. And so, we had to figure out a way of reducing these deficits. Insisting that first line items must be drawn against LGA accounts was a homegrown way of ensuring that outstanding salaries, pensions and gratuities are paid. Presently, we have paid backlogs up to over N18 billion, while those retirees from 2019 have been paid over N15 billion. I make bold to say, this would not have been possible without the systems that we put in place.
We have also worked collaboratively with the local government councils to upgrade 209 PHCs and equip 264 PHCs. We also completed 60 model schools and constructed and renovated hundreds of primary school classrooms through the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board (Oyo SUBEB) intervention projects. Yet, when you see the state of most schools in Oyo State, you will realise it is not even a drop in the ocean.
Presently, 105 primary schools in rural areas in Oyo State are being renovated under the Global Partnership for Education (GPE)/Better Education Service Delivery for All Additional Finance; Transforming Education Systems at States Level (GPE (BESDA AF-TESS) Programme. Funding for the renovations was provided by GPE grant of N4.5 billion. The renovations are at 90% completion.
Clearly there is a lot more that needs to be done as we continue to support the LGAs in Oyo State. There are so many inner roads that still need to be constructed. We commissioned the first set of about 40 km in Ibadan in July and we have an outstanding about 60km to go in this first set.
Rest assured; we will continue to seek innovative ways to collaborate with the LGAs to the benefit of the good people of Oyo State.
And on that note, we will proceed to commission this LG Service Commission and Staff Pension Board Buildings to the glory of God and for the benefit of the good people of Oyo State.
Thank you and God bless you.
Seyi Makinde
2 October 2024