N-Power: Pay Ekiti beneficiaries now, Fayose tells FG

*Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State

(Nigeria) Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose on Sunday, complained that the people of the state were yet to receive their emoluments since the N-Power beneficiaries started working a few months ago.

The governor also took a critical swipe at the Federal Government alleging that it was only deceiving Nigerians on the scheme hence, it was now failing to pay beneficiaries as at when due.

Fayose also denied the allegation that he diverted the salaries meant to pay workers of the local government areas of the state, saying the modalities for payment of the salary in questions was not entirely handled by him but by a committee set up by the local government workers themselves.

Members of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE and their chairmen had had issues on the method allegedly proposed by the local government chairmen on the payment of the workers’salary arrears of July and August 2016.

The NULGE officials alleged in a letter by the secretary of the union, Mr. Muyiwa Cole, that three of their officials had been suspended by the chairmen  and threatened that "the union wishes to inform your office of the threat to industrial peace this action may lead to if not curtailed on time."

According to the letter, with reference: NULGE/EKS/151/Vol. 1/54, dated March 13, 2017, the deputy chairman of NULGE, Mr. O. Olatunde "has been queried and suspended from service by the Local Government Service Commission along with the NULGE branch chairman of Ado Local Government, Alaketu Akeem while the NULGE branch chairman in Ijero Local Government Owodunni Olaoluwa, has been queried by the chairman of Ijero Local government."

NULGE further alleged in a statement attached to its letter, that the suspension of the officials was because of "the refusal of the union to divert the balance of workers' July and August 2016 salary to pay furniture allowance to local government council chairmen."

Speaking during the monthly broadcast tagged 'Meet your Governor' at the Ekiti State Television on Sunday, the governor explained he had received some report that the NULGE and their chairmen were having issues with the payment of salary and furniture allowances of the chairman and he had invited the parties to resolve the issue when one of the workers' leaders, and the Deputy President of NULGE, Mr. Olatunde, spoke rudely to him and refused to show remorse nor apologise for his alleged rudeness.

"I had therefore, asked the disciplinary committee of the local governments to discipline him. And while that was going on, he released a statement alleging that I diverted the funds meant to pay their salaries. I don't on my own decide how their salaries are paid. A committee, Joint Account Allocation Committee,  JAAC, where all unions of workers' leaders are members, is the one that determines how the salaries are paid.

“I called the commissioner and chairmen, they said they both agreed that they would pay deductions in December and January and that chairmen would get their furniture allowance which amounted to N 375million . I appealed to chairmen to have N100 million first as a sacrifice so that traditional rulers, political office holders and others could have their salaries. This they agreed but they came back to say that one of the leaders of NULGE had disagreed and I asked to see the man by inviting both parties with a view to resolve the matter.

“When the man in question entered the government house, he behaved rudely to me and even when I cautioned he remained rude.

He talked to me rudely and insulted me and I asked him out of the governed house. He left without remorse and the next thing was a statement alleging that I am diverting funds which is just a lie.

“He is to face the disciplinary committee of the local government commission. We are waiting for the disciplinary committee of the NULGE."

Reacting to the threat by owners of some filling stations that they would go on strike if laws closing their stations for violating regulations, are not reversed by the governor, he said: "My duty is to ensure that the people in the state are protected and not exposed to danger. No fewer than 38 people were rendered homeless in the last inferno from the filling station that was razed about a month ago.

“We have to protect our people from the inferno from filling stations sited in business and residential areas by shutting the stations.

“Stations to be shut were built in wrong places and many of them didn't have license.

I am revoking all the licenses of those stations wrongly sited. And will from now, be the only authority to issue license to owners of filling stations.

“Civil servants are registering the filling stations and backdating such registrations to several years back. The civil servants would be dealt with severely if investigations exposed them.”

Governor Fayose also explained why his government had shut down some branches of the new generation banks in the state saying he got court orders before closing them down due to their failure to pay dues to the state government:  "I got bank closed with court orders because they refused to pay their dues to government. Some of them have returned GT bank First, Ecobank and others. They have asked for understanding and compromise and we have agreed but they have to pay their dues. About five banks have returned and we are resolving the issues.

“On farming and the need to empower people who are interested in farming, we are giving out lands to people who are interested, making plans to get tractors which farmers would rent. We are also planning to give loans to people interested.”

Governor Fayose who appreciated Ekiti women for coming to celebrate women day with him revealed that over 100, 000 women had paid for the Ankara with which the women celebrated the international women day he added that 75,000 of these women did not receive the clothes and their money is being refunded.

Condemning the alleged beating of a woman and her mother by the police in Ekiti, the governor said he has raises a committee to investigate the development and promising that the rights will be protected by his government, assured that any officer found guilty of beating the woman would be punished.