Ondo State’s Broke, PDP Alleges

MIMIKO-WINS-ONDO-ELECTIONOndo State is broke, according to the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It said the recent ‘sack’ of over 10,000 council workers was an indication that government could no longer meet its wage bill.

PDP faulted the government’s “so-called staff auditing” and its denial that no worker was sacked in the after of the audit exercise.

In a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Wale Ozogoro, PDP said, “The government has continued to deceive the people that the sacked workers are ghosts. The commissioner for information said before the staff audit, the number of council workers was 24,000, but it has dropped to 14,000.

“Some people have been servicing corruption by collecting money on behalf of the 10,000 ghost workers.

“The government needs to answer the following questions: How many of those indicted of collecting the ghost workers’ salary have been prosecuted by the government? How long will this audit last?

“What of those who were sacked because they were below 10 years when they left Primary School? Are they also ghost workers? Why is there no development at the local government level?

“The government is broke and therefore embarked on inflicting pain on workers. The commissioner was economical with the truth. He painted a picture of a virile economy and an unprecedented recovery, which is contrary to the truth.

The party alleged that government owes workers about three months salary, adding that the administration of Gov. Olusegun Mimiko is reckless in the appropriation of public funds.

It said: “The state government has been the sole runner and user of council funds. It has continued to parade its stooges as caretaker chairmen and executive members as against elected officers, thereby breaching the country’s constitution.

“The council caretaker executives are at the whim and caprices of the governor, who controls their finances, thereby denying the third tier of government even development.

“Council election has been avoided over the years by this administration because of this free fund at its disposal.

“Most painful is the latest justification the administration is giving to its anti-people stands, rather than admitting that its frivolities, misplaced priorities, vulgar spending, excruciating debt burden and maladministration are responsible for the reduction of the work force.

“The LP controlled government has continued to deceive the populace by portraying itself as a progressive party. The running of this government has proved otherwise.

“To shield the fact that the state is broke, they have embarked on a futile mission of screening and unmasking ghost workers while surreptitiously making them pay N5,000 at the Ministry of Education for Primary School Leaving Certificate, all aimed at generating fund to run the government. When this method was not yielding much, it sacked them.

“We have maintained that Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has plunged this state into unprecedented debt, which generations unborn will remember it for. Accountability, which is the fulcrum of stewardship, has eluded this administration.”