By; NIYI OGUNGBOLA, Abeokuta.
The Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has assured that his government would effect the payment on the increase of Obas salaries from October 2016 enjoining them to continue to pray and support the mission to rebuild the State.
This was disclosed during the inauguration of the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount ruler of Yewa land, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle as the new chairman of the State Council of Obas held at the conference hall, Obas Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The Governor noted that the delay in the payment of the increment of Obas salaries was due to the economic downturn confronting the nation adding that government has decided to take the bull by the horn in effecting the payment.
“We have now agreed that from this month we will start the payment of the increment though our Paramount rulers want us to pay the backlog and i say we can’t afford it. They say if government is going to write off the backlog, we must make it what I call ‘Bullet Payment’, a lump sum. We then agreed that we pay two months in the first month and continue to pay regularly from next month’’, the Governor said.
Amosun called on all traditional rulers in the state to support genuine investors by allocating lands to them, noting that easy access to land was a strong factor in attracting investors and improving the social economic development of the State, the Ogun State Governor, threfore assured the rural dwellers of government’s readiness to embark on massive construction of rural roads.
According to him, massive growth would dot the rural areas, charged the traditional rulers to encourage genuine investors by willing cop rating with them and give them all the enabling hands in their various areas.
The Governor while thanking the traditional rulers for the important roles they played in the creation of the 37 LCDAs, urged them not to relent in their efforts at supporting the government in its war against land grabbers.
He also hinted that the Federal Government is already collaborating with the State Government to cultivate at least 1000 hectare of land across the State for farming activities which would generate at least 500,000 employments.
