The Ogun State Government has rolled out further
measures to respond to the globaleconomic meltdown
which has begun to have a telling effect on the
financial situation of States in the country. Rising
from its weekly executive council meetingon
Wednesday February 18, 2009, the government
suspended its sponsorship of peopleon pilgrimages
and outfit allowances to all categories of staff.
According to a press statement by Adegbenro Adebanjo,
chief presss secretary to Governor Gbenga
Daniel ,other decisions reached at the meeting
presided over by Governor Gbenga Daniel include
reduction by 50 percent the monthly running costs of
ministries, departments, agencies and schools, the
setting up of a mechanism to review payment of fees
for WAEC examination for students in final year of
secondary schools and limiting new
employment to the special approval of the State
Governor.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Kehinde Sogunle, said the new
measures are follow up to the earlier decision of
the Executive Council to carry out a voluntary
reduction in the salaries and allowances of all
categories of political office holders by 12
percent, a measure that the Federal Government has
also taken a cue from. The Commissioner said the new
measures ,which would also affect cut in sundry
bills, like telephone and energy, have become
imperative given the State’s receipt from the
federation account for the month of January which
fell by 34 percent, a reduction of N900 Million .
Describing the decision as proactive, he said the
Otunba Gbenga Daniel administration would continue
to take measures to
ameliorate the impact of the meltdown on the people
of the State. The State executive council at the
meeting also carried out a review of the focus of
government saying issues relating to health,
Infrastructures, economic development and security
would now take priority. The Government said the
proposed State’s bond
would be used to firm up its developmental and
economic projects to ensure that a lot of activities
in the construction sector breathe new life into the
State’s economy.
Governor Daniel at the meeting said the gains of
the new measures would include the ability of the
state to retain its current workforce and the prompt
payment of the salaries of its workers in spite of
the meltdown. Governor Daniel also assured the
people of Ogun State that his administration would
continue to support projects and policies that
affect the welfare of the people and economic
initiatives that the private sector can buy into for
the overall development of the State.
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