Technocrat Media Nigeria
AKURE – Ondo governor, Rotimi Akeredolu has issued warning to the medical doctors in the State’s workforce saying they can’t be dictating to his government as if they are different from other workers.
Akeredolu made this statement during a live program ‘Mr. Governor speaks’ monitored by TECHNOCRAT MEDIA.
While answering questions on doctors’ and workers’ agitation, he said “doctors in the state should not try to say they won’t collect salary percentage as agreed at the labour meeting.
“They shouldn’t try this again. We are not fearful; we are ready for them. They are not different from teachers, lawyers, journalists and other categories in the state.
“All of them have students going to school like doctors. People should help us talk to them.
Salaries and finance
The governor said, “there is no government that will use all its monies to pay salaries. We are not elected to pay salaries alone.
“Nobody would remember you for salaries paid but legacies left behind. The challenge is that money is not available. I’m not happy about it and we are all not happy.
“If there is money, we’ll pay. We met six months arrears and we paid. But we have to balance everything. It is only about five percent of the people of the state collecting salaries, what about the rest ninety-five percent?
Job creation
The governor said the security challenges witnessed in the state has links to unemployment. He said his government recognised it was issue, that is why the government established the Ondo State Entrepreneurship Agency.
“We created Ondo State entrepreneurship agency with a clear focus. In their short time, they are building entrepreneurs and giving out recycle funds. ONDEA has been existing since my first time. We are taking it seriously.
Water supply/Owena dam project
Mr. Akeredolu explained that the World Bank and African Development Bank had given the state a loan to complete the dam.
He said “Water will soon be flowing into Akure and its environs. Water is important to us.
Legalisation of cannabis
Akeredolu said, “we believe in it that it should be legalized. We should stop looking at the abuse and focus on the usefulness. We can regulate it.
The governor described the cannabis in Owo as the best in the world.
“When we have something that can give us foreign exchange earnings and we are saying no to it. It is not acceptable. We have to look for a way to legalise it for medicinal purposes, Mr. Akeredolu stated.
Ondo south development
“I think I have much for the central. Ondo south is coming up. The SGG, information commissioner, head of service and the deputy governor are all from the south.
“Ondo south holds the treasures of the state. We are working on the sea port but the bottleneck at the federal is an issue. If the port come to life, Okitipupa, Irele and Ilaje will all become industrial zones.
He stated that port will benefit the whole country not only Ondo state.
Tourism development
Mr. Akeredolu said, tourism is important and remain one the ways people can get employments.
“We are working on bring investors to harness that area.
New governor’s lodge
The governor was asked why building a new governor’s lodge at the time when the state can’t pay salaries.
He responded, “the new governor’s lodge is as important as the sea port. Yes, there’s no money but that’s why we are taking bonds to build it. What we are putting together is a museum.
“We are going to complete it in eighteen months.
Health sector
When asked about how he planned to deliver affordable healthcare which may not come cheap.
Governor Akeredolu said his government has done a lot in the health sector
“We put in place the first teaching hospital in the state. I’m told that we are the highest paying state to our health workers.
Mr. Akeredolu urged the people of the state to take advantage of the state’s health insurance scheme.
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