By Start Paying State Civil Servants Directly From Abuja- PDP Chieftain, Bejide Advises Buhari
A former Nigeria High Commissioner to Canada, Mr Dare Bejide has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to start paying State Civil Servants directly from the Federal Government purse as it seems the Governors are already overwhelmed in keeping up with their obligations.
Mr Bejide, who is also a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party and gubernatorial candidate in Ekiti State made this disclosure while briefing the press over the weekend. He declared that President Buhari should have used the bail out funds to pay salaries directly from Abuja, and not hand it over to the Governors.
He stated that the fact that over two third of the States were owing several months salaries calls for concern. According to him, many State Executives preferred to embark on capital projects which had no direct bearing to the lives of the masses.
“Almost two- third of the state are owing and the fund is meant to settle the backlog of Salaries. But, unfortunately, it is like most of the governors diverted the funds for various capital projects.”
“And which is why we still have the problems till now. Even in Ekiti State pensioners are yet to be paid as well as workers. Maybe, the Federal Government would ask for the details of outstanding salaries from states and paid directly into workers and pensioners accounts, instead given it to the governors.”
“Although, some people may want to argued that it is the duties of the governors to pay workers but now that they have failed, there is need for the Federal Government to sit down and look at the issue properly, otherwise the shall continue to experience the problem in all the states.”
On his ambition, Bejide disclosed that he remained the aspirant to beat in the party, claiming that he is the most senior and experienced PDP aspirant in Ekiti today.
“Well, as far as I am concerned, PDP is the party to beat in Ekiti in the sense that Ekiti once experienced the leadership of APC .It is very easy for an average Ekitiman to choose between APC and PDP. “
“If you look at the governorship aspirants in APC today, many of them are from the PDP. They left because of the style of leadership of governor Fayose. And soon as they see somebody like me emerge as candidate of the PDP, I can assure you that they will all come back. Our party has noticeable presence all over the state”.
