Drama in Ogun State As Gov.Amosun Pays Ex-Appointees

Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State

There was a mild drama yesterday as Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State released cheques for the severance allowance of former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and other appoin­tees who served with him.

Although the former governor was not physi­cally available, his Com­missioners, Special Advis­ers and Assistants were all available to collect their cheques.
Those who were paid included political of­fice holders who served with the immediate past administration between 2007 and 2011.

Also benefited from the gesture were all appointees who also served with Gov­ernor Amosun in his first term.
The Governor said a to­tal of N1.5 billion was dis­tributed to 663 appointees within those years.

Amosun while pre­senting the cheques to the beneficiaries urged them to channel some of the money into the state’s economy.

He said: “This is to ap­preciate the good work that these persons have done for the state. They served from 2007 to 2011. Also, some served from 2011 to 2015. Some of them are still serving.

“We wanted to pay this money just like immedi­ately we came in. Now, we are paying N1.5 bil­lion to our office holders who have served and are still serving the state. It wouldn’t matter the politi­cal party and administra­tion that you worked with.

“This money, about N13 billion being paid to our pensioners, civil servants and political office holders will rejuvenate our state’s economy. This will mean a lot to our market women, petty traders and taxi driv­ers.

“When we collect this money, most of it will be spent within the corridors of Ogun State. Judicious spending of this allowance will make our economy boom and our people will be better for it.”

However, the ceremony was almost marred and took the intervention of security operatives as some former political of­fice holders alleged that their names were excluded from the list.

The State Co-ordinator of the Conference of Local Government ex-Political Office Holders, Jamiu Kes­hinro described the exclu­sion as deliberate.

Keshiro explained that about 557 of them were affected by the non-pay­ment of their constitution­al right.
The affected appointees later moved to the en­trance to the Governor’s office were they blocked the way and prevented ve­hicles from moving.

This development an­gered the governor who later drove out of his office and showed his annoyance on what he called ‘unruly behaviour’ of the appoin­tees.