Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has given a four-week ultimatum for the conversion of all ad-hoc staff working in the 33 local government areas of the state into permanent employees.
This directive was announced on Wednesday during the commissioning of the newly-constructed Local Government House and Staff Training School in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The governor explained that the decision was essential to address the workforce shortage at the local government level. He emphasized that all employment processes must adhere to due procedures within the given timeframe.
Makinde reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting local government authorities, stressing the importance of synergy between the state and local councils. “We will continue to work with the local government so that our vision at the state level can also be sold to the local government administrators. When there is synergy, we can achieve more,” Makinde remarked.
Reflecting on the condition of the local government system when he assumed office in 2019, the governor highlighted the backlog of unpaid salaries, pensions, and gratuities. “For primary school teachers, their leave bonuses were last paid in 2017. The primary schools, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and other infrastructures were in a bad shape,” he said.
Makinde detailed the financial improvements his administration had made, stating, “We have paid the primary school teachers their leave bonuses from 2017 to 2023. Additionally, we have cleared over ₦18 billion in pension arrears and paid more than ₦15 billion in gratuities to retirees.”
He further explained that a local solution was developed to ensure these payments were made consistently, without neglecting the needs of the people.
The governor also discussed his administration’s collaboration with local government councils to upgrade healthcare and educational facilities across the state. “We have upgraded 209 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), equipped 264 more, and completed around 60 model schools. We have also constructed and renovated hundreds of primary school classrooms through the Oyo State SUBEB intervention project,” he said.
In his remarks on infrastructure development, Makinde added, “We commissioned the first 40km of roads in Ibadan in July, and we have another 60km to go in this first phase. After Ibadan, we will turn our focus to other zones.”
Governor Makinde assured that his administration would continue to pursue innovative ways of working with local government authorities for the benefit of citizens, promising that the new Local Government House would create a conducive work environment for staff and boost their productivity. Additionally, he vowed to transform facilities within the State Secretariat before the end of his term in 2027.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Land, Housing, and Urban Development, Mr. Williams Akin-Funmilayo, hailed the construction of the new Local Government House as a monumental achievement. He expressed gratitude to Governor Makinde for his visionary leadership and dedication to the welfare of local government employees.
Similarly, the National President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ambali Olatunji, represented by the vice-president (South-West Caucus), Comrade Babalola Abimbola, praised Makinde for his efforts to prioritize the well-being of local government workers.
The project consultant, Mr. Olalekan Akingbade, on behalf of the University of Ibadan Ventures, described the new facility as a “masterpiece with state-of-the-art equipment” and acknowledged the governor’s commitment to ensuring high standards.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Ademola Ojo, called the edifice the first of its kind in Oyo State and in Nigeria. He urged the local government staff to maintain the facilities well and highlighted the administration’s unprecedented worker-friendly policies.
