ONI WANTS FG TO INVOLVE STATES WHEN NEGOTIATING WAGE INCREMENT

Ekiti State Governor, Engr. Segun Oni has called on the federal government to always carry along state governments before negotiating wage increase with workers in the public sector to avoid continuous dislocation of the State governments' resources.

Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, Mr. Wale Ojo-Lanre, said in a release issued in Ado-Ekiti today that Governor Oni, who was speaking during a courtesy visit on the Minister of Finance, Dr. Segun Aganga in Abuja yesterday, said since the states would also carry the burden of wage increase, they must be part of the wage increase negotiating processes.

He also appealed to the federal government to release the outstanding funds of Ekiti State already cleared by the Debt Management Office

(DMO) to the State to cushion the effects of the meltdown in the State.

While briefing the minister on various rehabilitations being carried out on federal infrastructures, particularly federal roads, Governor Oni sought the assistance of the minister on prompt processing of reimbursement for the capital projects.

The governor noted that with the commitment already demonstrated by his administration towards the uplift of infrastructures in the State, the must play its part to see to it that the State gets its due benefits from the federal government.

Governor Oni, who, commended Dr. Aganga for his focussed management of the ministry since he was appointed, said his appointment to oversee the nation's finance ministry was not misplaced.

“Dr. Aganga is a round peg in a round hole and the nation stands to benefit immensely from his wealth of experience in the area of managing the resources of the nation,” Oni said.

The governor called on the federal government to always carry along state governments before negotiating wage increase with workers in the public sector to avoid continuous dislocation of the State governments' resources.

Responding, Dr. Aganga said having spent some part of his early education in Ekiti, he appreciates the developmental challenges facing the State.

He lauded the governor for upgrading several infrastructures in the State and entrenching good governance in the administration of Ekiti State.

Dr. Aganga, who said that the federal government would continue to assist States in the areas financing infrastructural development to boost their economy, noted that; “We must all collaborate to upgrade our infrastructures so that we can boost economic development.”