Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuf, on Monday, August 10, 2015 refused to attend a meeting organised by the Osun Legislators Forum – a forum consisting of lawmakers from the state from the Federal House of Assembly and the Osun State House of Assembly – to find solutions to the financial crisis bedeviling the state.
Also absent from the meeting were the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and Senator Isiaka Adeleke.
The absence of Lasun from the meeting further gave credence to the strained relationship between him and Governor Rauf Aregbesola who attended the meeting along with Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola; a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal, Oluseyi Petinrin (retd.), monarchs and other prominent leaders in the state.
Lasun had defied the All Progressives Congress’ directives and successfully contested for the office of Deputy Speaker.After his victory, the APC Elders Forum in the state called for his resignation, also advocating that he be sanctioned, two actions that were not heeded by lawmakers.Speaking at the event, the Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Osun State, Jacob Adekomi,countered claims by Governor Aregbesola that the state’s monthly wage bill stood at N3.6billion, stating that the figure was smaller than that.He further said that the NLC would resist any attempt to retrench workers, stating that they are willing undergo a staff audit to determine the number of workers in the state.He posited thus: “Retrenchment of workers is not a solution to the problem of the state. We have always support the government and we will continue to support the government.
“Let the state government stop using consultants to do what civil servants can do. If at all the state government will use consultants it should be minimal and their commission should not exceed 10 per cent.
“Osun State wage bill is not up to N3.6bn that the government is claiming. Workers are not up to 35,000 which is the government’s figure. That was why we agreed to submit ourselves for screening to know how many we are. There are some persons on the state government’s pay roll who are not workers.”
Adekomi also advised Governor Aregbesola to withdraw form the joint ownership of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso (LAUTECH) and focus on the Osun State University as the state does not have enough funds to sponsor tow universities.
He said: “Let Osun stop the joint ownership of LAUTECH with Oyo State. We should merge our part of the school with UNIOSUN. This will save the government the subventions spending on the university.”
