GOVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday said it may be difficult for the state government to immediately commence the payment of the N18, 000 minimum wage, saying the financial situation of the state was precarious.
Addressing over 100 paramount and traditional rulers in the state, Amosun lamented that the legacies of the founding fathers of the state had been mortgaged by the immidiate past government of Gbenga Daniel.
He, however, added that he was not interested in probing his successor.
According to him: “I am not interested in any probe. I don’t want to use my good time to chase what I know is bad. They said they left N50 billion. We are looking into our debt, but at the appropriate time, we will tell you what we met on ground. I will even be happy if what we met on ground is N50 billion.
Ogun is the most indebted state in Nigeria. Lagos borrowed 250 billion and Rivers – 150 billion. Lagos generates N30 billion per month.
Rivers generate between N12 – 15 billion. What we generate is N900 million to 1 billion and you have a loan of N50 billion. There is irrevocable Standing Payment Order. The position we met is very bad. Bond is a veritable tool for development, but we can’t go there to pay salaries unless other things happen.
“The state needs to borrow about N4 billion to pay salaries, so if the civil servant wants N18, 000 minimum wage, we will have to borrow about N6 billion. All our assets have been concessioned.”
Speaking on the concession by his predecessor, Amosun told the traditional rulers that the number one tourist centre in the state, ‘Olumo Rock’ which is the least was concessioned for 15 years. Others are between 25 – 60 years. I begin to wonder why somebody will sign away all our patrimony.
To make matter worse, all of them were made without following laid down procedure. It did not go through the State Executive Council, not even the Assembly. For me we will look into all of these and review them.
“If it affect any of you, our Kabiyesi, it is nothing personal, it is about the state. I am not here to witch-hunt anybody”, he said.
On the power plant projects by the administration of Daniel, Senator Amosun said the ”’totality of N15.9 billion expended. The state has paid 50 percent to contractors and the percentage of completion is just 20 percent. Ogun government property at Victoria Island was signed out for a person for 60 years.‘’
I believe it is important to carry our Kabiyesi along in all that we do.
Tomorrow (Today), we will be addressing our people. We will be stepping on toes in trying to rebuild the state, but we have to.
In all we do, we will not allow our people to suffer. We will provide alternative. It is not to demolish for demolishing sake, our people have suffered a lot, we will not add to their problems. We will take briefing from you. We will at all times try to follow due process which will make it different for whoever is governor to do what is right, but find it expedient to correct us readily. When we veer off the track, feel free to correct us.”
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