The lawmaker representing Irepo/Olorunsogo in the Oyo State House of Assembly and Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon. Qosim Orelope Olayanju has said that the lawmakers agreed to a 30 per cent pay cut to ensure smooth running of government.
Hon. Olayanju disclosed this while speaking with PMParrot on Sunday evening, noting that the coronavirus pandemic has affected the state’s economy.
The Chairman House Committee on Information stated that the agreement was reached when Governor Seyi Makinde met with the state’s lawmakers at the Government House during the weekend.
“The weekend’s meeting was sequel to a meeting held two weeks ago where Makinde had initially presented the proposal to the lawmakers, that political office holders had to make sacrifices to cushion the effect of a drop in federal allocation on the running of the state.”
Hon. Olayanju said that Governor Seyi Makinde at the two meetings, explained to the lawmakers that the pandemic had resulted in about 60 per cent drop in the federal allocation and that he wanted to ensure that irrespective of the economic situation, salaries of civil servants must not be slashed or become irregular.
He disclosed that the lawmakers agreed to the slash in the interest of the smooth running of the state.
“Our income has been slashed by 30 per cent as our support towards COVID-19. The governor brought the idea and we agreed that effective this month, there should be the 30 per cent deduction.
“We were made to understand that the pandemic has greatly affected the economy of the country and the state as well as that the Federal Government has reduced allocation by 60 per cent.
“This situation could have affected regular payment of salary of Oyo State civil servants but the governor maintained that irrespective of the economic situation of Oyo state, the salaries of civil servants must not be affected. Hence, we agreed that political office holders should make sacrifices,” Olayanju disclosed.
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