In this interview with WALE AKINSELURE, Minority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Ojo Joshua Olagunju, speaks about the disquiet in the assembly over unpaid salaries and allowances, among other issues. Excerpts:
RECENTLY, there has been disquiet among members over unpaid salaries and allowances.
It has not been well with members of the Eighth Assembly since inception. We started rough. However, whatever will have a good ending, at times, usually starts rough. Due to unpaid salaries and allowances, members have struggled to cope,especially with financing their accommodation, transportation. We have not been paid our wardrobe allowance, running cost allowance; the principal officers have not received their official vehicles. So far, what we have received are stipend which is about N100, 000 cannot cater for our needs and that of our constituencies in two or three days.
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Every month, each office is expected to receive a specific amount as running cost allowance, constituency allowance, transportation allowance, wardrobe allowance, housing allowance, including a statutory allowance for members. Some members have to travel from Saki, Ogbomoso, Ibarapa, Igboho,Oyo for our various sittings. These members cannot continue to spend hugely on hotel bills. Such allowances, if paid, will enable the lawmakers comfortably perform their legislative responsibilities. The principal officers should get vehicles and other members should receive car loans. It is not honourable for members to be seen on motorbikes. We have de-emphasised the issue of payment of our salaries because we understand that even civil servants are being owed salaries for months. But, the running cost should be paid to sort out our inconveniences. In a nutshell, things have not gone as expected.
But some of these expenses like purchase of office equipment, cars, for every tenure of a public official, amount to recurrent expenditure. How do legislators help government reduce the cost of governance and maximise available revenue?
Since our return to democracy in 1999, everything has become monetised. Whenever there is a new government in power, money must be made available for that public official to purchase what suits him or her. For instance, if my predecessor got a Hyundaicar, it is not ideal for such to be handed down to me. I should be allowed to purchase what I think will make me effective on the job. Even at the national level, one will recall that we previously had Apo Legislative quarters for members. But this system was later suspended. Moreover, if legislative quarters subsist, the amount that will be spent on renovating and equipping the quarters, at the end of each dispensation will be twice the allowance that will be given to the incoming members. It is most appropriate for funds to be made available for members to cater for their individual needs.
Principally, our duty is to make laws. Also, we make laws that will facilitate government’s plan to generate more revenue. For instance, we just passed a resolution on the need to enforce traffic rules and regulations in Oyo State. If the Federal Road Safety Corps, the police, Vehicle Inspection Officers, Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA), enforce the laws, there will be increased revenue for government. Then, vehicle owners know that they have to get their driver’s licence and vehicle particulars up to date. Also, there are other areas that we can make laws to increase the revenue generating ability of the state. We have also passed the Revenue Administration Bill which allows for the restructuring of the Board of Internal Revenue.In particular, these revenue generating agencies must be properly monitored because one realises that many of them do not remit the total amount generated. And we have also passed a law to enforce the reduction of the number of ministries from 23 to 13.In fact, to show our commitment, we have slashed our salaries, though we are yet to make it public.
You have painted a picture of performance of your legislative duty which is not reciprocated by the executive through payment of your allowances.
The executive acknowledges that we have performed our duties as expected. Therefore, it is left for the executive to compensate us accordingly. We do not have to beg; what we ask for are our statutory rights so as to carry on our duties as expected. Initially, the government talked about lack of funds, but we now that the Federal Government has provided some relieve funds for the state.The government is indebted and until those debts are settled, there will be no meaningful development. However, I am optimistic that things will begin to take shape in the coming months.
You are a co-sponsor of the Oyo State House of Assembly Self-Accounting Bill. What are the intentions of this bill?
The intention of the bill is towards ensuring the autonomy of the Assembly. We want to stop a usual situation where we have to look up to the executive for a penny. For example, the National Assembly, at the beginning of each year has a statutory allocation. They have a budget. The Lagos State House of Assembly also operates in this manner. Once this bill becomes law, it becomes mandatory for the governor or Accountant General, as the case may be, to allot a certain amount to the House of Assembly once the state government receives the monthly Federal Government allocation. Even if Ajimobi fails to assent to the bill, we will retrieve and veto it with two-third majority. Vetoing the law will also erase the wrong impression of the House of Assembly being a rubber stamp. Let us assume that the executive wants our approval of a request and we also have a request. The rubber stamp picture comes from the fact that we are compelled to accede to the executive’s demands so as to get our request. There is a saying that exchange is no robbery. This law will enable us to be more effective in the performance of our duties.
You are leader of the minority with 14 members. The ruling party is in the majority with 18 members and may always have its way. To what extent does the minority determine the shape of events in the Assembly?
For any bill to be passed into law, two-thirds of the 32-member Assembly, that is, at least 21 members are required to stamp approval on it. So, the majority requires our involvement of the minority for progress in the Assembly. Without the minority, no law can be made in the state. At times, the majority might have its way on motions, but not on the making of laws. However, this distinction is not spelt out on the floor of plenary as we have worked harmoniously so far.
The state government has set a monthly IGR target of N2.2 billion by next year and N7.6 billion by 2020.
It is interesting that we are now being compared with states like Lagos, Ogun, AkwaIbom. But Ibadan, the state capital, is just very big; we do not have many industries. It will be very difficult for the state to attain those set targets. Well, this can be achievable only if we have more industries and electricity supply is regular. We can only hope. Moreover, I think government policies should be targeted towards improving our maintenance culture. Government does not have to construct roads, bridges, every time and then. Our maintenance culture in the state is poor. The state government should concentrate on the maintenance of existing infrastructure. For example, the roofs of the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso are being blown off. Many roads in the state have gone bad. At the local government level, chairmen fail to maintain existing projects; rather, they start new ones just for their selfish interests. Across the state, the classrooms in public primary and secondary schools are dilapidated. The state government should focus on the maintenance of existing projects rather than embark on gigantic projects which may not be completed before the end of its tenure.
