ACN ACCUSES OGUN OF PLANS TO SELL GOVT CARS, RECRUIT WORKERS

ABEOKUTA -THE Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, in Ogun has warned against alleged fraudulent auction of government vehicles by the out-going Governor Olugbenga Daniel administration.

A statement by the party's publicity secretary, Mr. Sola Lawal yesterday said the Daniel administration last week issued a directive for the sale of the vehicles to officials who hitherto, used them following the outcome of gubernatorial election.

According to the party, the unlawful machination would see each official car in government pool being sold for N300, 000. Payments would be made into government treasury.

The party warned government officials 'to be wary of the 'Greek gift' as the in- coming administration of Senator Ibikunle Amosun may not honoúr such deal meant to frustrate its rebuilding plan.

The party also alleged that mass recruitment of staff into Ogun State civil service was being carried out by the Daniel administration as it wound up its eight years and condemned the action of Governor Daniel who it said has asked that applications be brought from all the local governments to his Sagamu private residence, adding that it was not only mischievous but also a plot to weaken the rebuilding plans of Senator Amosun.

The party said it was not against the employment of the people of the state, but that 'this last minute recruitment by a government which has annihilated and muzzled its workforce cannot be in the interest of the civil service in particular and the state in general.

'Is this not the same government that has inflicted untold hardship on its workers, particularly through its epileptic attitude no payment of salaries and emoluments as well as refusal to remit the deductions made from teachers' salaries into the cooperative fund? Is this not the same government that the doctors in its employment recently protested its insensitivity to their pitiable plight?

'For this same government to now turn round while on its way out to create the impression that it is caring and magnanimous is suspicious and should be viewed with skepticism'.

….It's a lie, stop blackmailing us -  Ogun govt
IN a reaction, the Ogun State government has asked the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to desist from the politics of bitterness and propaganda which divide our people in the unfolding political dispensation and stop blackmailing it. In a statement signed by Mr Sina Kawonise, Ogun State Commissioner for Information and Orientation on behalf of Governor Gbenga Daniel, which was made available to Vanguard yesterday said: 'Our attention has been drawn to a statement issued by the Action Congress of Nigeria,'ACN, Ogun State accusing the State Government of last minute massive recruitment into the public service and illegal auctioning of official cars.

'But for the members of the public who may be misled by this patently untrue allegation we would have ignored the statement. However let it be put on record that the on-going recruitment into the public service is purely  routine and the process was kick started more than six months ago and was meant to fill existing vacancies. Therefore a process that actually began about six months ago and that has gone through the due process for the engagement of staff to fill existing vacancies cannot be described  as last minute gambit meant to destabilize the in-coming administration.

'Again the sale of official cars to individuals who have used them in the past four years is in line with extant rules and the process is completely in tandem with what obtains in the private and public sector, including governments.

Those who have used such vehicles for four years are told to show through writing their intention to purchase the vehicle, the letters are sent to the permanent secretary in-charge of political administration, after which such vehicles are sent to the Ministry of Works for valuation and assessment before the amount to be paid by those concerned are now determined. Indeed the process has just started and no single official car has been sold to any individual,' the statement added.