SPEAKER of Osun State House of Assembly, Mr. Najeem Salaam, in this interview speaks on unpaid salaries in the state, Justice Oloyede’s petition against Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the proposed summit being championed by a group among other issues.
By Gbenga Olarinoye
THe insolvent status of Osun appears to have grounded the business of governance. Are you not worried about this?
Bankruptcy is declared when a state or an institution has gone under. Osun has not gone under. Yes, we have financial challenges but they are temporary. We are working around it. I must acknowledge the unalloyed support of the people and some section of workers who think beyond the box.
Osun is passing through a phase and it is so because Osun just like others is a constituent unit of a troubled nation, which was raped badly by the ousted Peoples Democratic Party,PDP.
Economic planning
And if President Muhammadu Buhari could describe the country as an Augean stable that must be cleaned up, what do you expect Osun as an integral part to do? The predicament is not the making of the governor or as a result of poor economic planning. It is a structural problem and not until the top gets it right, the federating units would still be contending with epileptic economy. The kind of federalism we practise is what I call ‘feeding bottle’ federalism. Osun is the least paid in terms of allocation and now that our allocation has fallen short of what we are used to, what can we do? We are Strategizing on how to wriggle out. It will take time, but we have to do it.
Some believe the governor dragged the state into this condition of indebtedness. How do you react to this?
Najeem Folasayo Salaam.
Najeem Folasayo Salaam.
Aregbesola and Omisore
Aregbesola and Omisore
People are entitled to their opinions, but it would be unfair to hold the position of the opposition as statement of facts because their insinuations are full of fallacies and innuendoes. Let it be known that the executive doesn’t do anything without the knowledge of the legislature. So, when some people say the governor has done this or that, the impression is that the governor has the power of life and death. Governor Rauf Aregbesola came to Osun and was dissatisfied with the state of under-development he met on ground. He vowed to change the sedentary life of the people, reawaken its commerce and position the state among the comity of performing states. He began with infrastructure, education, agriculture and youth engagement. Look, we should be careful not to make crime out of the zeal to serve because it is convenient for Aregbesola to pay salaries and flashes some substandard projects. But he chose to work and the opposition are talking.
On debt profile: Tell me of any individual who intends to be great that would not incur debt. When I wanted to build my house, I took loan from a bank and I suffered to pay back. When an industrialist wants to establish an industry, he approaches a bank or consortium for fund. Then, what is the issue in approaching financial institutions to source for funds to finance public infrastructure? America with its might has a debt ceiling of over 17 trillion dollars. We have to be fair to ourselves when criticizing a government. Of course, it could have been a different ball game if the those monies were borrowed to finance consumption.
It saddened me that we have to resort to borrowing to offset pension and salaries, but for the fact that the banks could not lend us for now as a result of vindictive directive given by the Jonathan administration, people are shouting that the state can not pay salaries.
A serving judge in the state judiciary recently petitioned the legislature to investigate Gov Aregbesola for alleged financial recklessness. How do you see that?
We have more than one petition against the governor and we have inaugurated an investigative panel headed by my deputy, who is a lawyer, to work on the petitions.
But the minority leader opposed the composition of the committee, protesting the exclusion of opposition members…
Those who wrote the petitions knew that the House of Assembly under my watch is credible and they have faith in the process. Besides, it is my prerogative to constitute the committee. As the Speaker, I see all members as honourable men, but all of them could not be appointed into the

committee. Moreso, ranking and experience count in legislative business. The chairman has been in the House for more than six years and he is very competent to head the committee. So, it is a committee that is carefully put together to serve the interest of the people. As for the minority leader, he is playing his role and does not have to agree with us on everything.
Meanwhile, the report would be submitted to the House for debate and the minority leader will have his say on it, but if he is part of the committee, he would be barred as a matter of rule, to speak on it when the report is presented. So, he should know that we have done him a favour by reserving a room for him on the floor when the report is ready. I chose to toe that part to prevent tyranny of the majority.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/07/osun-gov-aregbesola-not-guilty-of-indebtedness-house-speakersalaam/

Ojoro master

Aregbesola is a mere commissioner and not Osinbajo

Coughs** clears throat# after paying monthly tithe to tinubu wetin for still remain for the allocation itself?

Coughs** clears throat# after paying monthly tithe to tinubu wetin for still remain for the allocation itself? Scammers #

Not guilty?...when he no wan pay his people...which kind speaker be dix

Areggbesola, pay salaries or vacate the office. How can you owe people money for months and sleep at night. Where is the allocation for salaries? How do you expect these people to survive. What manner of wickedness and evil exists in Nigeria even Gpd must be baffled. I wonder why they have not torn down the roof of the government house with you in it. Pay up or leave.

When you tend to side with a man you are "probing", what is the essence of the probe then, outcome is already known. Btw, I couldn't read the interview op, make it more reader friendly

Somebody has been summoned to somewhere in ikoyi towards Banana island and called to order......
Now he's cool with the present state of Osun. Well I was told he's loved by his people - they don't mind not being paid salary

DWJOBScom:
Somebody has been summoned to somewhere in ikoyi towards Banana island and called to order......
Now he's cool with the present state of Osun. Well I was told he's loved by his people - they don't mind not being paid salary

many just come to here to spew rubbish .argue is loved by his people.this is a fact. Osun has the largest civil service workforce in the southwest apart from lagos.and i think 3rd in Nigeria .coupled Jonah mismanagement,crude oil price crash and APC state revenue attack scheme which treatment was given to all apc states.while pdp states where given free money from the ecological funds.this affected many apc states with osun feeling it more because unlike others in the west it has more workforce and less igr.benue is still owing in some instances 10months from the last pdp administration

chrisblack:
many just come to here to spew rubbish .argue is loved by his people.this is a fact. Osun has the largest civil service workforce in the southwest apart from lagos.and i think 3rd in Nigeria .coupled Jonah mismanagement,crude oil price crash and APC state revenue attack scheme which treatment was given to all apc states.while pdp states where given free money from the ecological funds.this affected many apc states with osun feeling it more because unlike others in the west it has more workforce and less igr.benue is still owing in some instances 10months from the last pdp administration

Gibberish!

Who is mismanaging? AreGBESE or PDP? From inception till now, he hasn't commission a SINGLE road in Osun. Go and ask.

GoodDay

chrisblack:
many just come to here to spew rubbish .argue is loved by his people.this is a fact. Osun has the largest civil service workforce in the southwest apart from lagos.and i think 3rd in Nigeria .coupled Jonah mismanagement,crude oil price crash and APC state revenue attack scheme which treatment was given to all apc states.while pdp states where given free money from the ecological funds.this affected many apc states with osun feeling it more because unlike others in the west it has more workforce and less igr.benue is still owing in some instances 10months from the last pdp administration

Even when stooping rubbish you can still be nice about it!
The Governor messed up and even people in the state knows it..........you can't spare a man who can't make decision on what to spend on and what should benefit his people. Enugu state govt has nothing(don't make me site Rivers and Uyo cos you will raise another) but not owing it's workers, they carried out massive construction too, built roads and all but not owing a dime(I stand to be corrected).
It's sad you all are not Objective in your support.
I saw the governor of Osun dance on the rooftop of a moving bus throwing dollars off it's roof and it was done continuously and now he can't pay bills yet his people love him - something is wrong

Vikkie14:
Gibberish!

Who is mismanaging? AreGBESE or PDP? From inception till now, he hasn't commission a SINGLE road in Osun. Go and ask.

GoodDay

Abeg tell am o