Governors that can’t pay salaries should resign – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, yesterday
distanced himself from the decision of the Nigeria
Governors’ Forum (NGF) to cut staff strength of the
public service as a way out of the current economic
challenges facing the nation.
Governor Fayose said that the decision could not
have represented the collective will of the NGF,
alleging that: “It could at best be described as an
agenda of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and
its central government, which appears to be
clueless about revamping the Nigerian economy.”
Fayose, who stated categorically that Ekiti State
should be counted out of such arrangement,
insisted; “I like to restate that workers remain
critical stakeholders in governance in Nigeria and
as such, their rights and privileges must be
protected and guaranteed at all times in the spirit
and letters of the Nigerian Constitution,
particularly the fundamental objectives and
directive principles of state policy.

“It’s painful that a Government which indulged in
propaganda and promised to alleviate the
sufferings of Nigerians could consider the idea of
retrenching workers within its first six months in
office alongside the withdrawal of subsidy on
petroleum products.
“It’s a known fact that some state Governors
plunged their states into huge debts very
carelessly and recklessly thus mortgaging the
lives and souls of their states.
“There is therefore no moral justification for a
resort to job cut. The social implications of laying
off workers at this critical period include social
crimes like robbery, suicide and all sorts of
malfeasance.”
According to him, governors must go and engage
with their people, through interactions on the way
forward.

Continuing, Fayose stated that “sate governors
and parties that cannot cope with basic
obligations particularly payment of workers
salaries may want to step down for more
competent manager.
“State governors must ensure drastic reduction of
costs of governance especially those of pleasure
for such executives; central and state
governments must cut down on foreign travels
and huge estacodes; and we all must look
inwardly for alternative means of sourcing
revenue rather that resort to borrowing.”