The Osun Masterminds, a civil Society Organization has cautioned the State Government over industries political appointments.
According to the Executive Director of the Organisation, Prof Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli in the May edition of the state of the State address in Osogbo, on Monday, the appointments weakens the finances of the state.
The Group also challenged the state Government to publish names and portfolio of the appointees of the Government.
“We make bold to decry the indiscriminate political appointments been shared by this government and its burden on the finances of the state.
“We challenge the state government to publish the names and portfolios of the appointees of this government either as Media assistant, Special Assistants, Senior Special Assistants or special advisers.
“At a time every state government is finding all means to reduce salaries and emoluments of public office holders, it is rather unfortunate that the state government is daily churning out political appointments either to compensate or lure political adversaries and this goes to impact on the finances of the state.
“We note that positions of Special assistants, senior special assistants and personal assistants no matter the nomenclature used in describing persons so appointed are not recognized under the 1999 constitution or under the political, public and judicial office holders (Remuneration) law 2008.
“The appointments with salaries been drawn from the coffers of the state are in no way beneficial to the state nor are they rendering any documented or impacting service to the state. It therefore amounts to pilfering of the state resources to have such unspecified number of persons as Special Assistants and senior special assistants to the Governor and many of them without portfolio”, he explained.
“In the interest of the state, the Government may need to tone down the number of persons been appointed”, he advised.
Prof. Wasiu Oyedokun-Alli also lamented over insecurity has increased rapidly in the State capital, Osogbo in recent weeks. The criminal activities that ranges from people being robbed at gunpoint in popular areas of Osogbo and reports of bloody cult clashes in some other areas of the city.
The director urged the government to act quickly and also advised the government strongly against political patronage of known thugs and cultists.
”He said “Government must act immediately, to curb the growing menace of armed robbery, cultism, thuggery in the State capital while also while ensuring criminals found guilty of crimes are made to face the full weight of the law. The fight against insecurity cannot be won if politicians continue to patronize thugs and known cultists.”
