Date Published: 12/09/10

Fayemi promises to pay former political office holder's entitlements within three months

The Ekiti State Government has assured former political office holders that their outstanding entitlements would be paid within three months.

Governor Kayode Fayemi who gave the assurance at a meeting with the former political holders on Thursday at the Jibowu Hall of the Government House said that it was their legitimate rights to be paid all their financial entitlements.

He reiterated the determination of his administration to clear the backlog of arrears of entitlements money owed political office holders from positions of councilors to governors.

According to him, government is not doing them a favour by paying them adding that he would look into the issue of those who were in office from 1999 and 2003 as a means of appreciating their service to the state.

The government largesse is to be enjoyed by former political office holders who are members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and the Labour Party (LP).

Fayemi said: “We have a committed to resolving this matter as expeditiously as possible. What I have done so far is to ask those who are preparing the budget for next year to try and incorporate as much of what we owe into that budget Next year is around the corner, we are talking of next month”.

The governor said that their welfare had always been on his mind and it has become imperative for his administration to ensure that they are comfortable enjoy succour.

Some of the ex-political office holders who spoke with journalists expressed their gratitude to the Fayemi-led administration for the government’s gesture.

Former Acting Governor, Chief Friday Aderemi noted that the governor’s meeting with former political holders was unprecedented in the history of the state.

Aderemi who had also served as former Speaker of the State House of Assembly recalled his ordeal when he begged a former governor for his legitimate rights.

He said if the response he got was one tenth of what Fayemi is given, he would have been grateful.

Aderemi revealed that he was ignored and the best that government could offer was payment of their severance in five installments.