The Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has said he will not leave unpaid salaries for his successor after his eight years in office.
He gave the assurance at the Ondo State Health Summit, held at the International Culture and Event Centre (DOME) in Akure on Monday.
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Governor Akeredolu said he had vowed not to owe workers’ salaries since the inception of his administration, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the finance of the state badly and hindered regular payment of salaries.
He noted that although his predecessor left unpaid seven months salaries, all salaries arrears presently owed workers in the state would be paid before leaving office.
“I am glad to inform you that we made giant strides in all of these areas.
“Unfortunately, COVID-19 pandemic came in the third year into our first term with its attendant economic crisis which has since put governments across the world in financial straitjackets.
“Notwithstanding the precarious situation we inherited in 2017, you will recall that we had settled six of the seven months arrears of salaries.
“We employed and have continued to employ qualified personnel for our primary, secondary and tertiary health care facilities.
“We equally brought in several containers of hospital equipment worth billions of naira from the United States.
“Again, we established Teaching Hospital Complexes in both Akure and Ondo city as well as established the Contributory Health Insurance Commission among other achievements that are well known to most of our health sector practitioners in the State,” the governor said.
He said his administration is determined to sustain and continually improve on efforts at delivering effective and qualitative healthcare and social welfare services to the people.
The governor stated that efforts were in top gear to continually employ qualified personnel for primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities.
He commended the health workers for their level of perseverance in the face of hardship, assuring them that their welfare remained a top priority.
