TheCable

Oyo Kajola Group (OKG), a socio-political organisation, has called on Abiola Ajimobi, governor of Oyo state not to create “policy bottlenecks” for Seyi Makinde, the state governor-elect.

In a statement signed by Taiwo Ogunlade, its media coordinator, the group said it had observed how the outgoing government recently took some actions aimed at frustrating the instant take-off of the incoming administration.

“It is unbecoming of an administration that has spent eight years in the saddle to orchestrate policy somersaults and start the implementation of policies aimed largely at creating problems for the incoming administration,” the statement read.

“Ajimobi’s actions such as his insincerity on the N30,000 minimum wage, by claiming he will pay N30,000 when he is not known to have paid N18,000 since 2011. It would not be difficult for the state to pay the new wage since; the contract award spree and the announcement of full restoration of 100 percent subventions to tertiary institutions barely a week to his government’s exit are merely targeted at creating bottlenecks for the Makinde administration.

“Whereas the incoming governor had raised issues about the practice of the nation’s federalism, which generalises wages and service conditions across the states, he has not also foreclosed the payment of living wages to our people. What we understand by his statement is a call for more dialogue with the workers of Oyo state. We are behind him in doing that.”

The group said Ajimobi, in a recent radio show, had earlier admitted difficulty over the implementation of N18, 000 minimum wage but later turned back to say the incoming government would be able to pay N30, 000 minimum wage.

The group accused the governor of paying N13,500 as the state’s minimum wage for eight years and refusing to promote workers as and when due.

“It is deceitful to suddenly jump at the N30,000 without looking at the foundational matters,” the group added.