Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has revealed his administration’s plans to turn around the economic fortunes of the state.
The governor, who spoke on Sunday during the governorship debate in Akure, said for any miner to operate in Ondo State, such miner must be registered.
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“For us, we have put a regulation in place that any miner that is coming to Ondo State must visit our Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to be registered. We double check them to know the kind of licence they have and what it will allow them to do,” he said.
“All of these we will establish that. Then they need to sign an MoU with the community so that they can give back to the community. It is not a case whereby they will just jump on any land and drive away the native people. That will not be allowed to happen.”
The governor also said the state government plans to encourage young people to embrace cocoa farming.
Workers Welfare
During the debate, the governor revealed his administration’s readiness to improve the welfare of workers in the state.
Aiyedatiwa said though the Federal Government signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law, the Ondo State Government has decided to pay workers N73,000.
He stated this on Sunday during the governorship debate which held in Akure, about two weeks before the gubernatorial poll.
“For the minimum wage, it is a law between the Federal Government, the labour leaders and the private sector and we just have to implement it,” he said.
“Even though the baseline was N70,000, we can afford N73,000 for our workers and that is what we have done.”
Aiyedatiwa said if given a fresh mandate, he would boost the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to ensure that the workers’ welfare is being prioritised.
His remarks come two days after he announced that the ₦73,000 wage for civil servants will be implemented in November.
Governor Aiyedatiwa, while addressing the workers in Akure, emphasised that the welfare of civil servants will continue to be a priority for his administration.
According to the governor, the new minimum wage is a settled matter and a testament to his administration’s focus on improving the quality of life for the state’s workforce.
He noted that a committee was set up to work out the implementation structure of the minimum wage and now that it has just been concluded, he will give the necessary approval for payment to begin.
“Anything we have done for civil servants has never been politically driven. If workers are not happy, they won’t be encouraged to put maximum effort into their work. That is why we have always prioritised their welfare,” the governor.
Governor Aiyedatiwa expressed appreciation for their show of solidarity and reminded them of his shared identity as the number one public servant in the state.
