AD chief attacks Makinde for transferring Water Corp staff demanding payment of allowances

By Ikechukwu Okaforadi

A chieftain of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) in Oyo State, Engineer Oyedele Hakeem Alao, yesterday said that Water Corporation in Oyo State needs total overhauling, even as it slammed the Governor for transferring the staff of the State Water Corporation for demanding payment of their allowances.
Alao, who contested the 2019 gubernatorial election on the platform of AD said this in a statement made available to journalists by his Media Aide, Omotayo Iyanda on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Recall that staff of the corporation had in January protested the non-payment of their allowances, however, some of them had been transferred to other ministries and agencies after the protest.
But Alao, while reacting to this, insisted that transferring the workers because of protest demanding for their allowances is not the solution to the problems confronting the corporation.
Alao urged Makinde to find ways of providing portable water to the people of the State through the complete overhauling of the corporation.
Alao while speaking further on the Ramadan fast by Muslim faithful, said the basic teachings of Ramadan, according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), was to be compassionate, feel what others were feeling and put oneself in their shoes, “and this is why we have to be open and fair in all our endeavours before, during and after each Ramadan.”
He stated that both the governed and their leaders in particular must always assess themselves to ascertain whether they were fair in their dealings with their fellow countrymen, apparently referring to the transferred staff of the water corporation.
Alao charged Makinde to put in more action in the developmental activities of his government for the people of the state, especially in the area of security and sincere resuscitation of the moribund Water Corporation of Oyo State (WCOS).
He said “Truly, Governor Makinde took some steps in the last few weeks to address the problems being encountered by the staff of the corporation in their personal lives and career as civil servants. Truth be told, the Oyo State Government under Engr Seyi Makinde has never done or taken any outstanding action to put water corporation back to its former glory.
“Pipe borne water is not being distributed across Oyo State at the moment, except in few places like Aremo, Oje and Beere whose supply is even very erratic and epileptic.
“Water Corporation of Oyo State needs complete overhauling and we have to be committed and serious about it, not paying only lip service and allowing the use of the corporation as a conduit pipe for political office holders and their cohorts.
“Transferring the staff of the corporation to other MDAs has not and would not solve the humongous issues and problems with the oldest government department in the state.
“How on earth will somebody think that deployment of staff to other MDAs will reduce the wage bill of the government? Is it not the same Oyo State Government that will pay the bill of the staff transferred to other ministries? This is like scratching the wall with mere fingers.”