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A socio-cultural group, Oyo Development Initiative (ODI), has urged the Oyo State Government to diversify the state’s economy in order to meet the demands of the workers, citizens as well as the development requirements of the state.
In a statement by its coordinator, Dr. Adesola Okanlawon, on Sunday the group said the financial situation of the state has necessitated diversification and creativity for government to meet its various obligations.
While commending the state government for demonstrating commitments to the agreement with workers by paying the two months salaries it promised to end the last strike, ODI said its renewed drive for Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) was a welcome development.
It further described payment of the salaries as a commitment to transparency, integrity and good governance.
The group further appealed to the government to put in more effort to clear the outstanding salaries.
The statement read: “The government has demonstrated commitment to workers’ welfare by promptly paying the two months salaries stipulated in the last agreement owed the workers. Though, this is not all that is owed, the Oyo State government should be commended for the payment in meeting its part of the agreement. We urge them not to relent as the outstanding months salaries should be paid in due course.
“We understand the present economic problem facing the country but there is always a way out of every problem. The government should block all the loopholes affecting the Internal Generated Revenue (IGR). The renewed IGR drive should be transparent and government should put into judicious use the revenue generated.
“We believe that with the expected increase in the revenue of the state, Governor Abiola Ajimobi will pay the workers as and when due and there will be more development projects in the state which were the hallmarks of his first term in office. The quantum of his first term welfarist achievements and laudable projects gave him the unprecedented second term mandate.”
ODI urged the state government to create more awareness about taxes, levies and duties in the new IGR drive and how it would be beneficial to the state and its citizenry, adding that, the effort to make of the state great is the responsibility of all stakeholders.