Payment of salary, pension not achievements to be celebrated – Ekiti governor

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, has said that it is not an achievement for a governor to pay monthly salaries of workers, gratuity, and pensions for retired workers, saying that he has no business in government if that is the only thing he could do.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of three newly appointed Permanent Secretaries held at the conference hall, Governor’s office Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji said that the responsibility of a governor goes beyond just paying workers’ salaries and allowances.

He added that it is the responsibility of the governor to provide security for the people so that they could sleep with their two eyes closed in addition to making life comfortable for them.

The governor urged the newly appointed Permanent Secretaries to hit the ground running and key into the policy direction of the government as managers of human and material resources, urging them to give their all at a critical time

Charging the Permanent Secretaries to be up and doing, Oyebanji said, “To whom much is given, much is expected. It is my hope that you will key into the policy direction of this government. As permanent secretary, you are both managers of human and material resources of the government. I also challenge you to give your all at this critical time.

“In the next few months, this administration will be in office for two years. We therefore need to run faster than we are currently doing. Accordingly, all permanent secretaries must double up so that we can achieve the shared prosperity of this government.

“You must therefore be committed to probity, transparency, and prudence, especially at a time like this. As human resource managers, you will be expected to foster an atmosphere of teamwork, confidence building, and collective responsibility.

“You should be a leader who inspires others and a solution provider. You must also embrace innovation and technology.”

Speaking on behalf of the new permanent secretaries, Mr Michael Boluade, thanked the governor for the appointment.

Boluade assured that the appointees remain committed to developing the state as he commended the Governor for ensuring that all appointments during his administration were merit-based.