With BISI FAKAYODE
Let me, as a away of commencing my submission by asserting that, by
all standard of categorisation, the two of us are qualified to be
referred to as nation builders. Indicating that we are statesmen in
where we find ourselves today. So,therefore, pull him down syndrome or
negative narratives about any leader for that matter is supposed to be
out of our disposition.
Sir, it is a truism that the worst form of democracy is better than
military dictatorship. This is so because of inbuilt mechanism that
makes democracy attractive in terms of fundamental human rights and
the rule of law.
However, perception is the major issue in politics.
This lead me to the issue at stake.
You know too just as I do that providence and fate play significant
role in the life of a political actor. Therefore it is God that gives
human position and He is the one that takes. So therefore, it is God
that removed the immediate past regime and it is the same God that
reinstated the AA administration.
Having gone this far to establish some imperative, I want to declare
at this juncture that, I have personal grudges against and on the
basis of that he denied me some of my entitlements. But as a
Christian and position I found myself today, I bear no grudges against
him, before, now and forever.
Therefore, I will not allow fixation or irrationality to overtake my
sense of reason in tackling any issue that relates to his
administration. And in the same vein, I will always engage in
constructive criticism whenever there is any issue with AA
administration without any apology. This is so because I am not only
accountable to humans but also to my creator.
From the above premise, I want to submit that your assertion on
Ahmed’s administration is far from being correct and more importantly,
it is biased.
Please, permit to recall Fatai’s first tenure and what was experienced
under his leadership.
Fatai inherited the usual agitation for minimum wage. To salvage the
situation, he didn’t do it alone, He went into negotiations with
labour and at the end of the negotiations, he implemented the exact
outcome of the negotiations.
Infact Fatah was among the first 5 Governors to implement the minimum
wage within his 30days in office. Without any malice if by today,
AA’s implemented minimum wage of 18000k a k a (gerigedi) and 30000k
new minimum wage, and payment of salary arrears AA would be my hero.
It is astonishing and amazing to read your submission that Fatah
regime did little or nothing for workers. That he didn’t care about
workers. Like I asserted in my opening paragraph you are among
respected leaders of note. So your view about any issue carries
weight. Therefore, whatever emanates from you should be a verifiable
truth and nothing but truth. The more reason why we should not
degenerate to the level of tale bearers and liars.
Do you know that throughout his first tenure, Fatah was paying as at
when due, no strike and no single worker was retrenched?.There were no
grudges against his administration because of his open door policy,
transparency, synergy and mutual understanding.
It was during his second term when there was a drop in allocation as a
result of economic meltdown that gave rise to crisis in the payment of
salaries of LGA staff and teachers. Even at that, core civil servants
were paid regularly and as at when due.
And in the disbursement of Federal allocations, labour was
incorporated into JACC decisions. So labour was part of the decision
making process in the disbursement of monthly allocations.
Again to show transparency, Fatah went on air every month to explain
the amount of Federal allocations received and how it was disbursed.
When there was drop in allocation from 3.2 billion naira to 2.5 or 2.7
billion naira at best, things fell apart, the centre could not hold.
All aspects of governance suffered. ie infrastructure, health,
agriculture, education and even social welfare.
Subvention to tertiary institutions stopped, salaries of teachers and
LGA staff became herculean task. But salaries of core civil servants
were not affected.
Thank God, AA himself confessed when last he visited Dangote factory
in Lagos that 100% of LGA allocation went for recurrent expenditure
while 75% of that civil servants was expended on salaries.
As of today AA shouldn’t have any excuse because allocation has
increased astronomically . Every month he gets over 4 billion naira as
allocation. So there is no basis for comparison.
Seven months into his administration,he has no time to meet labour to
interact with them on numerous labour issues including minimum wages.
For 8 years of Fatai administration, no single retrenchment . AA had
sacked over 700 workers. Where is the basis for comparison?. Even with
the billions AA inherited, he could fulfill his pre election campaign
promises. All what they promised has become a mirage.
So sir, as a statesman, objectivity, sincerity, sense of purpose,
exhibition of impeccable disposition and above all integrity should be
the watchword in every aspect of engagement and should be the rule.
Sir Fakayode, former Special Adviser on Labour Matters to former
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, was responding to APC
chieftain, Elder Oyin-Zubair’s claim that he served under an
administration that lacked human face.
