By Mike Edet, (with agency reports)
THE NUMBER of unemployed people in Ondo state, over the last three years, has risen to an alarming rate of 1.2 million.
The figure emanated from an independent survey, carried out across the eighteen local government areas of the sunshine state by some assessors that comprise civil society groups, which revealed that the present Ondo state government, under the leadership of Dr Olusegun Mimiko has been paying lip service to employment matters, unlike the ongoing massive job creation initiatives in other states of southwestern part of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that Governor Mimiko, after taking his oath of office as the governor of Ondo State on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, said no resident of the sunshine state will go to bed, hungry again. He promised to tackle unemployment in all the nooks and crannies of the state by creating jobs that will surpass those of previous administrations, within 100 days of his assumption of office.
However, contrary to Mimiko’s promise of job creation, the survey showed that, out of the 3,441,024 million of the official residents of Ondo state, comprising 1,761,263 Males and 1,679,761 Females, 1.2 million are roaming the streets of Ondo state without any source of livelihood, while the incomes of many of those, who have work, are not enough to take care of their basic needs.
The survey also revealed that, In Osun state, over One hundred and fifty thousand, (150,000), jobs were created by Governor Rauf Aregbesola within 100 days that he assumed office, while Governors Kayode Fayemi and Abiola Ajimobi of Ekiti and Oyo states respectively have created over three hundred thousand (300,000), jobs and are still doing more to encourage massive industrialization of their states in order to engendered job creation, especially for the youths of their states. However, reverse is the case, as far as Ondo state is concerned.
The survey exposed the fact that the present government in Ondo state has not employed up to three hundred (300) people since its inception and it looks as if there is an embargo placed on employment by the ruling Labour Party government.
A source at the governor’s office, Alagbaka, Akure told THE PLATFORM that Dr Olusegun Mimiko has warned all the Caretaker Chairmen in the eighteen local government areas of the state and other governmental departments and agencies that, they must not employ additional staff in other not to increase the monthly overhead cost of the government, and that whoever violate the order would be sanctioned.
The source added that the governor believed that the capital projects being carried out by his administration may be affected if the issue of employment creeps into his programmes.
Efforts by this paper to speak to any of the government spokesmen were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, no fewer than Nine thousand, One hundred and Eighty Six (9,186) elderly citizens in Ekiti State have joined the rank of the beneficiaries of the Social Security Scheme of the Ekiti State Government.
The new beneficiaries have started collecting the N5,000 (Five thousand Naira) monthly stipend which the state government monthly pays existing 10,084 citizens aged sixty-five years and above.
Speaking recently, at the flag-off of payment for the Batch B beneficiaries of the scheme at Ekiti East Local Government area of the State, the State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi said the scheme which was employed by his administration to address adult poverty challenges was already hitting at the target as more elderly citizens who had once thought the programme was a mirage are now subscribing.
“I am happy to note that since the inauguration of the Scheme in October 2011, the accruing benefits have been providing succour to a total of 10,084 indigent elders who have been receiving monthly stipend of N5,000 each. Today, a new set of 9,186 senior citizens is being injected into the scheme bringing the total beneficiaries to date to a little less than 20,000.
This novel approach which has been applauded across political, ethnic, social and economic divide is a tool being employed by this administration to battle poverty challenges,” he said.
Dr. Fayemi said the scheme was conceived to improve the living condition of the senior citizens and serve as a poverty reduction strategy in favour of the deserving poor through the provision of regular income and free health care; adding that this was a fulfillment of his electioneering campaigns.
The Governor said the emergence of the second batch of the beneficiaries became necessary so as to capture as many qualified elderly citizens as possible who did not participate in the first enumeration exercise partly due to skepticism arising from the weariness of failed promises by politicians.
“Being a major public issue, the implementing Ministry was directed to conduct another enumeration of the elderly citizens in February 2012. The exercise brought out over 34,000 elderly citizens from whom another batch of Nine thousand, One hundred and Eighty-six thousand beneficiaries have been selected. This to me, is another evidence of a promise kept”, he said.
On how the State Government has coped despite its meagre resources, Fayemi said the scheme was not conceived because Government has abundant resources but due to “the will to positively affect the lives of the toiling masses for whom this government is in authority”; saying that the administration was always propelled by the need to make life meaningful and comfortable for the elderly.
While stressing that the scheme would now cost Government a sum of One hundred Million Naira monthly, the Governor said elderly citizens should rest assured of continued care and support from government, even as he said that the Scheme now has a strong legal backing so that it can outlive the present administration.
Fayemi who hinted that the programme was dear to him charged all Council Assistants to the Governor to be alive to their responsibilities so that the programme could run more effectively and efficiently; adding that “all hands must be on deck for the smooth implementation of the scheme to ensure its holistic success as any deviation would be sanctioned.”
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Labour, Productivity and Human Capital Development, Mr. Wole Adewumi said the scheme was not aimed at undermining the ultimate responsibility of families to care for their aged ones but should see it as a reward for the past contributions of the deserving elderly citizens.
Adewumi added that people would foster social solidarity through a regained sense of citizenship that will enable them contribute to the society and enhance citizens-government relations, even as government is acknowledging its own roles and moral commitment to the welfare of citizens regardless of party affiliation.
Thanking the Governor for the stipend, one of the existing beneficiaries, Madam Abigael Oyedele who collected her May stipend commended the Fayemi-led administration for remembering the elderly citizens and confirm prompt receipt of her stipend.
Madam Oyedele prayed for the success of the Fayemi-led administration.
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