TWO YEARS OF ADEMOLA ADELEKE/PDP-LED GOVERNMENT IN OSUN STATE

Nothing has Fundamentally Changed

• Working People and Youth Should Demand Real Improvement in Conditions

By Alfred Adegoke & Kola Ibrahim, DSM Osun State

27 November, 2024 marked the second anniversary of the Governor Ademola Adeleke/PDP-led government in Osun State. As expected of incumbents, the government has embarked on self-praise, alongside funfair to celebrate its ‘achievements’. In every sector, the government graded itself with high percentage of performance.

Yet, for conscious observer in the state, the Ademola Adeleke government, while it has undertaken some handful of projects, especially road projects, and paid a few months of arrears of salaries and pensions it inherited, has not fundamentally changed the course of poor governance in the state. Even the few actions it has taken are trailed by problems. For instance, some of the road projects, especially the flyovers and dualization projects in some major cities such as Osogbo, Ile-Ife and Ede, are being executed at exorbitant costs. A close analysis of awarded road projects showed that a kilometer of new road project costs averagely between N2 billion to N2.5 billion while a kilometer of road rehabilitation project costs more about N500 million. In fact, the Lagere flyover project in Ile-Ife, which is less than 2 kilometer was awarded at N14.9 billion! While it can be argued that the policies of the Tinubu-led administration have led to hyperinflation, which would definitely reflect in higher cost of projects, this does not however justify the excessive costs of the road projects. Yet, majority of intra-township and community roads, including in Osogbo the state capitol, are in deplorable condition.

This is one of the reasons we of the DSM consistently advocate the use of public works department, which is well equipped as well as democratically controlled by workers and community people, for execution of projects, rather than the contract system that usually reeks of fraud and inflated figures. This would ensure a judicious use of resources.

Also, 24 months into the Adeleke administration’s tenure, the government has only paid six months, out of the 30 months of arrears of salaries and pensions it inherited from Aregbesola and Oyetola governments. This means a payment every four months, and if this trend continues, it will take the government another 8 years to offset the salaries and pension arrears. Already, the real value of the arrears has been eroded by inflation. Therefore, elongating their payment will further erode their economic value.

In addition, gratuity and contributory pensions are irregularly paid in installments, with only two instalments of gratuity being paid, while pensioners on contributory pensions, who retired since 2018 have not been paid their entitlements. While the payments (of arrears of salaries, pensions, gratuities and contributory pensions) by Adeleke government may be a little better than the governments of Oyetola (which claimed the government did not owe any arrears of salaries and pensions) and Aregbesola (which caused the problem in the first place), the reality is that its method is not sustainable, and indeed not fundamentally different from Oyetola government’s approach i.e. irregular payments.

While the government has signed an agreement of new minimum wage of N75,000 and minimum pension of N25,000 with labour leaders, the question of consequential adjustment on all categories of workers has not been properly addressed. It is common for governments to claim to increase minimum wage only to find out that the new wage does not make any significance difference to the majority of workers. Furthermore, the N75,000 minimum wage is still a far cry from adequate wage that will enable workers to meet today’s cost of living. Worse still, the minimum pension of N25,000 is too low and ridiculous given the high cost of living in the country.

However, aside the issue of infrastructural projects and workers’ welfare is government’s attitude to social sectors and economic development. For instance, the education and health sectors in the state have not witnessed a serious and important development needed. Most of the public primary and secondary schools still lack basic facilities including libraries, laboratories and workshops. There is also a huge shortfall of teachers and non-teaching staff. The Adeleke government has been dilly dallying in employing teachers into public schools. Even the number of teachers it promised to employ, about 1,000, pales in significance to more than ten thousand teachers needed in public primary and secondary schools in the state. Yet, the government, at its inception, was quick to sack over 1,500 teachers employed by the previous Oyetola government, citing irregularity in their employment. But it has refused to conduct proper employment for them, despite the fact that they are qualified and young; and worse still, the government has not employed new hands since then. Furthermore, tertiary educational institutions have not also witnessed serious improvement in infrastructure and staff employment, while tertiary education is being rapidly commercialised beyond the capacity of many working people.

While the Adeleke government claimed to have upgraded 200 primary health centres, and improved working conditions of medical staff, the reality is that most of the health institutions in the state, especially secondary and tertiary health institutions, still lack basic supplies and are short-staffed. The government has not conducted any serious employment of medical and health staff, in all the health institutions, in order to improve and expand service coverage. It is funny that the government’s definition of achievement in the water sector is digging of borehole, and not expansion and upgrade of water works and water supply networks across the state that will supply potable water to homes and communities. This will reduce the agony faced by many residents and communities in accessing potable water in the state. While borehole may be a stop-gap measure in a period of emergency, it is however wrong of state government to use this as state water policy or a thing of pride, especially given the environmental and health impacts and difficulty of access associated with borehole. We ask: how many boreholes will government dig to meet the safe water needs of Osun people? What the Osun State people need is potable and pipe-borne water supply in their homes and communities.

In terms of state finance, the Adeleke government has not departed from the wasteful and unaccountable approach of the previous governments of Oyetola, Aregbesola and Oyinlola. Billions of naira are still wasted on overhead cost, principally to maintain a humungous retinue of political staff and hangers-on and lavish unproductive events and projects.

The government’s so-called agricultural revolution is actually agricultural tokenism. Government claimed to have procured 31 tractors and distributed limited amount of fertilizers. But this is still a tiny drop in the ocean. For instance, the 31 tractors procured will mean just a tractor for a local government. Yet, there are hundreds of farmers in just one local government. How will one tractor meet their needs?

Moreover, tractor is just one of many farm machineries and equipment needed for modern agriculture. But beyond this is the lack of plan by government for a comprehensive agricultural programme that will involve reviving existing farm settlements and creation of new ones, establishing state-owned plantations and farms, storage infrastructures and creation of agro-allied industries to process and add values to agricultural produce. These coupled with adequate support for small farmers cooperatives, will improve state economy and help to industrialize the state. None of these can be achieved by a government that sees procurement of 31 tractors as an agricultural revolution.

In conclusion, we call on the working and poor people of Osun State not to be deceived by the propaganda of the Adeleke government. Rather, they should use their collective organizations such as trade unions, community associations, youth and student movements, etc. to raise their demands for significant improvements in living and working conditions.