The Ekiti State chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to urgently charge the arrested Commissioner for Finance, Toyin Ojo, and the Accountant General of the State, Yemisi Owolabi, to court if indeed it has anything against them.
The NLC boss in the state, Ade Adesanimi, said the anti-graft’s continued detention of the commissioner and AG is delaying the payment of salaries to the hungry workers in the state.
He spoke on Thursday during the celebration of World Teachers Day, organised with fanfare for teachers in the state by Governor Ayodele Fayose.
The event held at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State capital.
Recall that the EFCC on September 28 picked up the two officials while Fayose was declaring his ambition for president in Abuja.
The EFCC had said it arrested them after they failed to honour prior invitations extended to them on the need to explain an alleged misuse of Paris Club loan refund.
Represented by his Vice-chairman, Gbenga Akosile, Adesanmi said: “If the EFCC has anything against them, they should charge the commissioners to the court so they can come home and pay us our salaries.
“We are currently hungry and we want to collect the little that we are entitled to now.
“The actions and the inactions of politicians is having a toll on we workers in Ekiti.”
The Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Kola Oluwawole, also condemned EFCC’s arrest of the officials, describing it as barbaric, dictatorial, inhuman and illegal.
Oluwawole called for their urgent release by the EFCC.
Speaking at the event, Fayose lauded the teachers’ efforts in getting the state to come tops in NECO for two consecutive times.
He announced automatic promotion to level 15 for all level 14 graduate primary school teachers in the state and car gifts with a weeklong holiday in London or Dubai for all best teachers in the category of primary and secondary school and the tutor general of the state.
Fayose said: “I thank you so much. You have done very well and deserve to be celebrated. Today, you have put my enemies to shame by making me proud. They said I am not educated but I have improved greatly on education in the state.
“Today, I have made Ekiti teachers proud without subjecting them to inhuman treatment that the last administration subjected them to. You will not see those tormentors again.
“Today, you can see the difference. This is why I am giving you my dear son, Olusola, for next governor, just like Jesus gave the Holy Spirit as comforter when He was leaving. The Christians.
“Any other person crying in our party is crying for his selfishness because we already have a Southern agenda in my deputy, Olusola.
“It is only in continuity that you can continue to have car gifts for teachers in the state. Just like it is being sustained in Lagos, let us sustain the Fayose legacy in Ekiti and ensure this government continues.”
Recall that Ekiti has since 2016 been coming tops in the National Examination Council exams and maintained the top position till date with a margin of 85 per cent in the recently released results of NECO.
Governor Fayose had celebrated the last year World Teachers Day with brand new car gifts to best teachers from both the primary and secondary sections of the state.
He also distributed cash of N50 million, which was paid directly into the teachers’ personal bank accounts.
For this year’s edition of the World Teachers’ Day, Fayose dished out a cash gift of N100 million, which would be paid directly into the personal accounts of the teachers.
He also promised to increase the cash gift to N150 million next year should the success be repeated.
The brand new car gifts were presented to the best teachers from both primary and secondary schools as well as the best head master general.
Cash gifts and many other gifts were handed out to the teachers.
Fayose granted the prayers of the teachers and announced the immediate and automatic promotion of all primary teachers on level 14 to level 15 for those who are graduates among them.
This attracted great applause from the excited teachers who hailed him severally.
Assuring for the umpteenth time that he would ensure outstanding salaries would be paid workers before his exit, Fayose announced Toyin Arogundade as new state Tutor General and Petoa Group of Schools as best private school in the state.
As a show of gratitude, the teachers assured the governor of their support for Fayose’s anointed candidate for the Ekiti State 2018 gubernatorial election, his deputy, Olusola Kolapo.