By Opeyemi Adelakun
Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has approved the recruitment of more than 6,000 workers into the state public service and extended the retirement age and years of service for workers in some critical sectors.
The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, disclosed this on Thursday at the NUJ Press Centre in Akure during the maiden edition of the quarterly press conference organised by his office.
The conference was themed, “18 Months of ‘Our Ease’: How Governor Aiyedatiwa Is Delivering for the People of Ondo State.”
Adeniyan said the recruitment drive was part of the administration’s efforts to strengthen the public service, improve service delivery and reduce unemployment across the state.
He said the new employees had been recruited into critical sectors including education, healthcare, security and agriculture.
According to him, the administration has also implemented various skills acquisition and empowerment programmes targeting women, youths, market traders, artisans and small business owners.
Adeniyan said 1,000 women had benefited from the O’Datiwa Skill-Up a Woman Initiative, through training in areas including tailoring, catering and information and communication technology, with beneficiaries receiving start-up kits.
He added that the One Youth, One Skill Programme had trained hundreds of young people in various trades, while market women, artisans and small business owners had received interest-free loans and grants through the Ondo Ease Fund.
On workers’ welfare, the CPS said the administration had prioritised regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities.
“Workers now receive their salaries on or before the 25th day of every month,” he said.
Adeniyan also claimed that the government had cleared inherited salary arrears owed to civil servants, as well as outstanding salaries owed to former political appointees who served under the administration of former Governor Olusegun Mimiko between 2009 and 2017.
He said the government had also made progress in settling pensioners’ entitlements, adding that about 10 years of outstanding gratuities had been cleared.
The CPS further disclosed that the administration had reviewed hazard allowances for health workers and salaries and entry points for medical doctors.
He said the government had also approved an extension of the service period for tutors from 35 to 40 years and the retirement age from 60 to 65 years.
Adeniyan added that the state had fully implemented the workers’ Contributory Health Insurance Scheme.
He attributed the administration’s reported achievements to what he described as prudent financial management, saying the state had recorded an 82.6 per cent reduction in its domestic debt profile.
The governor’s aide said the reduction represented the highest percentage recorded in the country and reflected the administration’s efforts towards fiscal discipline and debt management.
He said the government would continue to highlight its achievements across various sectors as part of efforts to keep residents informed about its policies and programmes.
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