The Executive Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, FCA today paid severance allowance to former political office holders in Abeokuta.
According to him:
“Today, we are once again gathered in affirmation of our Mission to Rebuild Ogun State. undoubtedly, the last seven years and nine months of our State have witnessed unprecedented development in all spheres of our economy. But, in addition to this, there is a need to reward those responsible for driving the development and make them assured of their future. For this reason, I see todays ceremony of payment of severance allowance to former Political Office Holders as another symbolic effort of our Administration at rebuilding our dear State.”
Meanwhile, he said since the inception of his administration, he has kept faith with the payment of gratuities and pensions to retired public servants. “It is important that, as we kept on paying retirement benefits for Civil Servants, we must also do the same for their political counterparts. Since the two – Public Servants and Political Office Holders- are two sides of the same coin. This, we believe, will encourage our people to put in their best and make the development effort sustainable. Let me assure all our people, on either sides of the coin, either as Political Office Holders or Public Servants, that we will continue to keep faith with the payment of their entitlements after their service to our dear State. Amosun Added.
He also said that his administration began the payment of Severance Allowance to former Political Office Holders on Tuesday, 24th June, 2014 while the second batch of payment was held on Wednesday, 28th December, 2016. Those two exercises concluded the payment for all Political Office Holders who served at the State level since 2007. This final batch representing 793 beneficiaries, is for Political Office Holders who served at the Local Government level from 2007 till 2015.
He also said that the payments take care of Political Office Holders even in the previous Administration. As his administration will not discriminate in the recognition and appreciation of services rendered towards the development of our dear State. Another clear departure in the mode of these payments is that rather than spreading the payments over 12 months like previous administrations had done, we are paying in bulk at once. “Our belief is that when our people are financially buoyant, they will be more empowered and the attendant purchasing power will ripple across our States economy and trickle down even to the market men and women. Therefore, today, we are making available over a billion Naira for the concluding payment of severance allowances by our Administration. said Amosun.”
He expresses his profound appreciation for the support and understanding our Administration has continued to enjoy, in the last seven years and nine months, from the good people of Ogun State. The successful implementation of the 5-Cardinal Programme of our Administration, as encapsulated in the “Mission to Rebuild”Ogun State, would not have been possible without the cooperation of all of you. Therefore, while expressing our gratitude, he also implore them to continue to render unflinching support, even till the last day of his Administration in office.
However, he remind them that we have no other State to call our own. Nobody can love our State more than us. In this regard, as politicians, and in all capacities that we find ourselves, we must ensure that we do not make ourselves ready tools in the hands of expansionists who are making efforts to make our dear State a vassal of their empire. We must ensure that we protect the general interest of our State and our people at all times.
As we go into the general elections of 2019, he charges then to vote for credible candidates who are true representatives of the collective aspirations of the people, and not some stooges of certain political godfathers who will hand-over the dear State to their benefactors. He also urge them to ensure that they sustain the current trend of accelerated development and continue to build on it for generations to come.
He reassure them that, even as he approach the expiration of his tenure of our Administration, he do not intend to take his foot off the pedal. The people can expect more legacy projects by his Administration till the last day, last hour and even last minute of his tenure. All he ask is their continued support, collaboration and prayers.
