ONDO GOVERNMENT: CLEARING THE MESS OF THE PAST & FORGING A NEW PATH.

By Comrade Olabode Akinwale

ONDO STATE also known as the “Sunshine State” due to its rich natural resources and pleasant climate is blessed with vast agricultural resources, including Cocoa Production and has significant deposits of bitumen, making it one of Nigeria’s leading producers of these commodities.

Additionally, Ondo State’s tropical savanna climate, with abundant sunshine throughout the year, contribute to its “Sunshine State” moniker.

Since the advent of the fourth republic, the state has been led by five executive governors, with Hon (Dr) Lucky Aiyedatiwa being the latest on the saddle.

From Adefarati, Agagu, Mimiko, Akeredolu and now Aiyedatiwa, the state has been lucky to have leaders with integrity, vision and capacity.

However, because of the main peculiarity of man, which is fallibility, some of the past leaders made grave mistakes by leaving many very important matters unattended to while in office.

Although, government is a continuum, there are some oversight or unintentional failure to do some things that cannot be easily excused away.

One of such obvious negligence is the failure since 2010 to pay retired state and local government workers their entitlements.

This lapse on the part of past administration’s has led to the untimely death of some pensioners who could not afford to eat well nor pay medical or drug bills as low as N10, 000!

Other such indifference by past state leaders is the issue of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Ówó.

Until the arrival of Aiyedatiwa, the state polytechnic was a shadow of its old self.

The institution has struggled with irregular salary payments, with staff owed up to 14 months at some point which has led to protests and strike action too many to count.

Aside salary arrear indebtedness, non – payment of pension/gratuties, inadequate infrastructure, inability to organize convocation for graduates for close to 14 years are some of the issues bedeviling the polytechnic.

It is an unpardonable error for any government to look away while its state owned institution allows graduating students to exit school unceremoniously year in, year out.

Once a government in power is confused, priorities will be misplaced and the people will invariably suffer.

At some point in time in Ondo State, civil servants were owed about 8 months of unpaid salaries.

Even in the recent past administration, civil servants sank into the lowest ebbs of their work lives, when they were only paid 40% of their salaries every month.

Forging a new path.

When Hon (Dr) Lucky Aiyedatiwa was sworn in as the substantive governor of Ondo State on 27 December, 2023 after the unfortunate demise of his principal – Arakunrin Odunayo Akeredolu, SAN, he made a promise to do things differently, rightly and sincerely.

The constitution of his cabinet soon after gave credence to his determination to excel as a governor.

The Governor for the first time in Ondo State appointed a female Accounting and Financial expert to lead his finance team.

The woman – Mrs Omowunmi Isaac has since demonstrated beyond doubt that she is astute and eminently suited for the finance commissioner’s job.

The state polytechnic.

By Saturday the 24th of October, 2025 Rufus Giwa Polytechnic will convocate thousands of graduates at a convocation ceremony where students who have graduated since 2011/12 till date will be ceremoniously bid farewell.

To make the convocation possible, the state government paid the 13 years Accumulated Expenses so that the school can organize a hitch free sent forth ceremony for the graduates (past and present).

Through financial assiduousness, N2Billion has being paid up till date to the polytechnic as bailouts.

The staff of the polytechnic now get their salaries as and when due.

Pension and Gratuities.

Recently, the state government paid N12Billion and N2.4Billion being the backlog of gratuities owed local government and state pensioners respectively.

The gratuities debt burden has been hanging since 2010 despite the regular Federal Allocations that successive governments have received.

Today, pension payment in Ondo State is stress free. No kickback nor percentage deduction as bribe to anybody.
Pensioners get payment alert on monthly basis.

The old “staggered method” of payment has ended and gratuity payment is no longer by “man know man” syndrome where old and frailed pensioners will have to part with close to 50% of the value of their entitlements as bribe before getting through.

The political will and compassionate nature of the State Governor has brought a lot of ease to the people of Ondo State.

The Honorable Commissioner for Finance deserve some praises and commendation so that she can put in more effort.

Salaries and Allowances.

The state government has seen to it that salaries of civil servants are paid not just regularly but timely.

Now in Ondo State, workers get post paid because when an employer pay the employees before the last day of the month, it means that such employees are being paid in advance for work yet undone.

With regards to other Allowances, the state has almost finished offsetting the bills.

Fact check revealed that Accumulated Allowances Bill for workers remain just 3 months outstanding to be paid soon.

As an indigene of Ondo State, it gladdens my heart to know that the state’s administration and finances are in good hands.

My take is about more performance and from all available indices, the state’s finance team is setting the state on a solid financial pedestal.

All debts accumulated by past governments have been cleared according to the Debt Management Office. And the debts were in hundreds of billions of naira.

If the state government can continue in this new path of financial prudence and fiscal responsibility, its certain that the people will enjoy more dividends of democracy from their elected government.

Comrade Olabode Akinwale writes from Akure, Ondo State.