THE Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Ekiti State, has called
on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to urgently charge the
arrested Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo, and Accountant General of the
State, Mrs. Yemisi Owolabi, to court if indeed it has anything against them...
The state Chairman of NLC, Ade
Adesanimi, said the anti-graft’s continued detention of the commissioners is
delaying the payment of salaries to the hungry workers in the state. He said
this yesterday during the celebration of World Teachers Day, organised with
fanfare for teachers in the state by Governor Ayodele Fayose. The event was
held at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital. Recall
that the EFCC on September 28, picked up the two commissioners while Governor
Fayose was declaring his ambition for president in Abuja. The EFCC had said it
arrested them after they failed to honour prior invitations extended to them on
the need to explain an alleged misuse of the Paris Club loan refund.
Represented by his Vice-Chairman, Gbenga Akosile, Adesanmi said: “If the EFCC
has anything against them, they should charge the commissioners to court so
they can come home and pay us our salaries. We are currently hungry and we want
to collect the little that we are entitled to now. The actions and the
inactions of politicians are having a toll on workers in Ekiti.” Speaker of
Ekiti Assembly, Kola Oluwawole also condemned EFCC’s arrest of the
commissioners, describing it as barbaric, dictatorial, inhuman and illegal. He
called for their urgent release by EFCC. Speaking at the event, Fayose
commended the teachers’ efforts in getting the state to come tops in NECO for
two consecutive times. He announced automatic promotion to level 15 for all
level 14 graduate primary school teachers in the state and car gifts with a weeklong
holiday in London or Dubai for all best teachers in the category of primary and
secondary school and the tutor general of the state. Fayose said: “I thank you
so much. You have done very well and deserve to be celebrated. Today, you have
put my enemies to shame by making me proud. They said I am not educated but I
have improved greatly on education in the state. Today, I have made Ekiti
teachers proud without subjecting them to inhuman treatment that the last
administration subjected them to.” You will not see those tormentors again. “It
is only in continuity that you can continue to have car gifts for teachers in
the state. Just like it is being sustained in Lagos, let us sustain the Fayose
legacy in Ekiti and ensure this government continues.” For this year’s edition
of the World Teachers’ Day, Fayose dished out a cash gift of N100 million which
would be paid directly into the personal accounts of the teachers. He also
promised to increase the cash gift to N150 million next year should the success
be repeated. The brand new car gifts were presented to the best teachers from
both primary and secondary schools as well as the best head master general.
Other cash gifts and many other gifts were handed out to the teachers. Fayose
granted the prayers of the teachers and announced the immediate and automatic
promotion of all primary teachers on level 14 to level 15 for those who are
graduates among them. This attracted great applause from the excited teachers
who hailed him severally. Assuring for the umpteenth time that he would ensure
outstanding salaries would be paid workers before his exit, Fayose, announced
Toyin Arogundade as new state Tutor General, Petoa Group of Schools as best
private in the state, best primary school teacher.
No comments: