Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September 22 governorship election in Osun State, Adegboyega Oyetola has said that if elected as governor of the state, he will rely less of allocation from the federation Account, but seek other means of increasing Internally Generated Revenue.
Oyetola also assured civil servants in Osun state that if elected governor of the state, he will pay all the outstanding salaries within 12 months of assuming office, while insisting that the current government in the state did not owe salaries to junior workers in the state.
Oyetola who was at the APC national secretariat to complete formality for the submission of his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission also said that the resignation of the Secretary to the State Government Moshood Adeoti will affect his chances of emerging the governor of the state.
Adeoti who was one of the aspirant foe the APC ticket withdrew from the race on the allegation that his Senatorial district of Osun West was being marginalized has however picked the governorship ticket of the Action Democratic Party (ADP).
He said he will increase the Internally generated revenue of the state without necessarily increasing tax, but ensuring that those who are supposed to pay tax, but have not been doing so pay appropriate tax to the government.
“First of all, most state has been challenged by the lack of fund over the years But there is this misconception on the issue of salaries about Osun state. We paid salary from level one to seven. We do not owe anybody in that category. We paid 75% for people on level 8 to 10. The only category of people we owe is actually from level 12 to 17 as well as pension.
“So, when you talk about owing salary, people tend to forget that it is not across board. Salary is fully paid from level one to seven, up to date. Levels eight to ten, we pay 75%. It is only portion of 12 to 17 that is being paid 50%.
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“Yes, it is a challenge that we all recognize. But we believe that will not persist for too long. My attitude and the method I want to adopt is not to entirely rely on allocation that comes from the federal government but to look at the means to seriously develop the IGR, not necessarily by increasing tax, but by ensuring efficiency in terms of collection and by bringing people who have been evading tax to come into the bracket. You can still get more by doing all of that without necessarily increasing tax.
“So we are committed to paying whatever that is outstanding and we are looking forward to be able to pay full salaries subsequently. In any case, why do we want to be in government if we can not think outside of box? We must be very creative, that is the essense of being in government anyway. I believe in another one year you would have seen that things would have changed to better.”
“Well, SSG is my brother actually, I would have loved that he remains in the party. But as a matter of choice, he decides to leave the party. There is nothing anybody can do about that.
“But as to whether it will affect my fortune during the election, I don’t think so. One, if you look at the result of that election, I had 127,000 votes. These are purely members of our Party. We are going to have opportunity of other voters.
“On the average, we usually have about 600, 000 or so serious voters. If you look at the percentage of that from members of our Party alone and with the kind of programme I want to run, and the fact that people seem to have that level of trust in me, I believe I will have more not only from the APC which is our base, even from the generality of the people.
“So, I wish him well. He is a somebody I have some regards for too. Sometimes politics is like that. You path and meet again. I wish him well”.
©The Nation
