The Deputy Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Mohammed Fadeyi, disclosed on Monday that the Governor of the state, Engineer Seyi Makinde has enjoined the House to upwardly review the monthly salaries of 351 councilors in Oyo state.
The affected councilors during a one day conference tagged ‘Community Grassroots Development and Leadership Team Spirit’ in Ibadan on Wednesday, said the monthly salary is not commensurate with the responsibility bestowed on them by the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Some of them who spoke to our correspondent on condition of anonymity said Governor Makinde and his aides had at several fora promised to look into this issue but nothing concrete has come out
“Our salary, as at today is N111,000 per month compared to the salary of the political aides of Mr. Governor. Out of this meagre salary, people from our various wards will come with pressing demands.After defuctions, what is left is not enough to take care of ourselves talkless of immediate families”, the councillor said.
However, the Deputy Speaker assured them that in no distant time, everything would be sorted out. He said the governor has told the House to look into the issue of their monthly salaries and get back to him.
Hon. Fadeyi who represented the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ogundoyin at the event impressed it upon the councilors to reciprocate the gesture of the governor by ensuring his return to the office in 2023.
Also speaking at the occasion, the PDP spokesperson in the State, Engineer Akeem Olatunji stressed the need for synergy between the councilors and their respective chairmen.
According to him, a house divided against itself cannot stand hence the need for every arm of government to work together.
He said the re-election of Governor Makinde in 2023 would determine the fate of the chairmen and councilors across all the local government areas in the state.
In his address, the Special Adviser to the governor on Legislative Matters, Hon. Samuel Adejumobi charged the councilors to be good ambassadors of government in their respective wards.
“The electorate are reading you like books. You are the leaders and eyes of government in your respective wards. Let us guide against rancour and acrimony”, he said.
