Special Adviser (Labour Affairs) to Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, Comrade Sikiru Bayo Titilola-Sodo, said the state government uses consultants for efficient revenue collection and also employs TSA for adequate monitoring.
Titilola-Sodo disclosed this when speaking at the monthly personality programme of the South-West Group of Online Publishers (SWEGOP).
Responding to a question on why the Governor Makinde-led administration has been criticised for using consultants for payment of salaries and projects, Titilola-Sodo said, “Workers generally don’t like consultants because regulations are guiding the operations of the finances of the government. We are in a situation where the government continues to discover and observe lapses in some areas, particularly in the collection of revenues.
“The state government makes use of consultants for efficient collection of revenues and also employs TSA for adequate monitoring. The state government thinks there is a need to control its expenditure because the resources are not limitless, and we have a lot of commitments.
“We know that the easiest way to reflate the economy of Oyo State is through prompt payment of salaries. Anyone saying prompt payment of salary, pension and gratuities is not an achievement is either irresponsibly ignorant or satanically mischievous.”
He added that “Anyone who does what Napoleon was unable to do is greater than Napoleon.” Oyo State civil service is a reflection of our society; the Oyo State Government is paying them on time. To whom much is given, much is expected.”
Titilola-Sodo also discarded the insinuation that Governor Makinde is a complex personality to work with, saying, “It depends on the perception of the person working with him.” But to me, I have found him to be a pleasant person to work with. All that I know is that anyone who wants to engage him must be fully prepared.”
He explained that “If you have a project idea to discuss with him, you must make sure that you are well prepared before you meet him. He will definitely ask you questions, and if he finds you want, he will switch off from such a discussion. I think such an attitude is natural and should be expected of a person of his calibre.”
When will his administration review the wages and salaries of workers in the state, in line with the current economic realities in the country?
The minimum wage in Oyo State was negotiated in February 2020. Respective local councils were finally directed to embark on negotiations in December, which were concluded within two months. The minimum wage payment took effect in January, and the February salary was paid in line with the new minimum wage. So, arrears of the minimum wage were paid in March.
The minimum wage in Oyo State is N30,500, which Governor Seyi Makinde has been paying. He has been keeping to his promise by paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th day of every month.
The minimum wage negotiation was the first of its kind in Oyo State. It was a negotiation that was devoid of rancour, violence, protest and strike. The governor doesn’t wait for federal allocation before paying the workers.
Although the salary has not been reviewed upward, we have continued to meet our responsibilities as and when due. Paying workers’ entitlement is not limited to the active workers; the senior citizens are not left behind. This present government has committed over N13.5b to the payment of gratuities across the board in the state.
What is the true position of things with tertiary institutions in the state?
This government needs to be commended, given the enormous responsibilities before it. The tertiary institutions have the right to make their demands, but they should be reasonable in making their demands.
There was no domestic issue with LAUTECH until the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) declared a strike action. LAUTECH joined the strike, but we have other state universities that didn’t join the strike. An example is the Lagos State University (LASU).
We are appealing to them to resume because the institution is just coming out of a crisis-ridden period. When Oyo State took over the institution, there was an agreement to pay N8b to Osun State as a settlement, which the state government has been paying. This is an open secret that many staff members of the institution are aware of.
So, if we say something is happening nationally, should we now jeopardise the interests of the institution, students and the environment in which it is located? These are the things we are appealing to them to consider. When this government came on board, we inherited arrears of LAUTECH staff salaries that were at least eight months, and we have paid everything.
As for other institutions in the state, we also negotiated their new minimum wage, and they got what even public service did not get. The minimum in that sector was 95 per cent of the table that came from Abuja, while some got as high as 98 per cent.
After Lagos State, we pay the best wages in Oyo State. It is only our public service workers who are mainly shortchanged, and this is not deliberate; it is something that can be corrected. Our health workers earn better than other health workers in the entire South-West, except Lagos State. In addition, we have paid all the arrears in the institutions except Lanlate, which has a special issue and which we have not refused to settle.
What is the governor demanding from the workers to reciprocate the good gesture of prompt payment of salaries?
The request the government has always been making from public workers and civil servants in the state is to be diligent in their duties, honest and loyal to the government and people of Oyo State.
Some parts of the state civil service are experiencing systemic collapse. What is the government doing to revive them?
There are critical departments that must be staffed, but it all depends on the resources available to the state. Over N11b is being paid as emoluments every month to workers and retirees in the state. I dare to say that no government has done what the Makind-led administration has done in terms of infrastructure in the space of three years in Oyo State.
Being on the other side of the divide, how easy have you found it to make Labour Unions cooperate with the government?
I have been lucky. Of course, we disagree sometimes. I know they love me. Above all, we are open and honest with each other. When it is time to criticise and complain, we do have it. I have not lost my instinct for activism, and they still see me as one of them. The solidarity is still very strong.
Do you think workers in Oyo State will vote for Governor Makinde for a second term?
If one good term deserves another, I am confident that we shall not lose a single vote of the workers of Oyo State. We have tasted the two sides of a coin, and we know the side we would want to continue to reflect the sun. This will be reflected in how workers in the state will vote for the governor in the 2023 elections.
Oyo State Civil Service is an ageing service. The wish of Governor Seyi Makinde is to open more opportunities for the people to reach the peak of their careers. That is what informed the creation of 20 new permanent secretary positions. We have about 100,000 workers in Oyo State.
Recently, the parliamentary staff of the Oyo State House of Assembly embarrassed the Speaker concerning their Consolidated Legislative Salary Structure (CONLESS). What is delaying the implementation of CONLESS?
No matter what you do, excellence is a work in progress. It should have been implemented, but everything is subject to the availability of resources. It is good for them to demand its implementation, but the question is, how many states have implemented it? Are all federal laws immediately domesticated across states?
That is not to say that anything that is germane to the welfare of workers of Oyo State would be treated with levity. It is the same Honourable Speaker who presided over a meeting where an agreement was reached that the matter would be resolved. A date has been fixed, and I can tell you that the outcome is going to be to the satisfaction of the two parties.
