By Banji Ayoola
An appeal has gone to the Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to actualise his recent approval of a 60 percent increase in the subvention of state owned tertiary institutions..
The governor had announced the widely applauded subvention increase, which pleased the management and workforce, and had quelled the raft of industrial crisis that, until the announcement, had been sweeping across state owned tertiary institutions in the state.
This appeal is contained in a statement by a public affairs analyst, Mr Samuel O. Ojo, JP, who believed that fulfilling this promise would help these institutions’ managers to perform better and enjoy a hitch free academic calendar.
He noted that it is generally believed that Aiyedatiwa is a product of the Obafemi Awolowo school of governance and a successor to Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN,widely described as a ‘talk and do governor.’
Ojo appealed, “Politics is about service as leadership is about responsibility and election is about figures.
“I want to urge our amiable Governor to honour his promise to these tertiary institutions and strengthen his position as a worker friendly Governor. We do not need to re-awaken industrial or student crises in any of the institutions again.
“This time should be for peaceful atmosphere so as to get it well on mobilisation for the future elections. A stitch in time saves nine.”
According to the statement, “Tertiary institutions in Ondo State need an urgent fund rescue and when the pronouncement of 60% subvention increment was widely announced for public consumption, the heads of these institutions came with applause and euphoria to the Governor.”
However, he noted that unfortunately, the fulfilment of the governor’s promise “is in limbo and this appears to be unusual with the populist Governor in Ondo State – Dr.Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa.
Ojo, a former spokesman of the state owned Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, RUGIPO, said the case of this institution is more pathetic and deserves urgent attention.
According to him, “The case of Rugipo deserves much more an urgent case.The minimum wage issue is lamenting as no cadre or category of workforce in Nigeria either civil or public is still receiving #18000 as they do.
“The Committee set up by the Government to review this ridiculous figure over months is yet to supply its report, yet another Government pronouncement on subvention 60% increase has not seen the light of the day.”
He advised the governor to take workers’ welfare as a top priority while pursuing other physical development of the state.
According to him, “Promise is always said to be a debt. Promise honoured promotes trust and integrity. The public pronouncement on the increase of 60% subvention was widely spread to demand fulfillment.”
Ojo noted that it is also believed that the state’s income through allocation and internally generated revenue is substantial enough to meet the public pronouncements on varying developmental and human capacity projects.
Besides, he said President Bola Tinubu has confirmed that state governors are receiving enough funds to make their people happy in respective states.
Ojo advised the Aiyedatiwa administration to complement the workers’ prevailing peaceful and cordial approach to issues.
Besides, he advised, “The effective handling of School activities in the hands of the managers of our tertiary institutions should also be complemented so as to avoid industrial dispute and the evil effects of disruption to academic activities and other infastructural development.”
