THE Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) has defended why Governor Abiola Ajimobi suspended payment of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) fees for the final year students in public secondary schools and sponsorship of people on holy pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia and Israel.
The party was reacting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Accord over their joint condemnation of the state government’s decision.
It noted that the APC-led administration had been footing the bills of WAEC fees for students of public secondary schools and sponsoring selected individuals on Muslim and Christian holy pilgrimages.
The party, in a statement by its spokesman, Olawale Sadare, yesterday, said the measures were parts of the plans being introduced to help the state cope with its financial squeeze.
It reads in part: “The governor had stated that the measures were temporary as the palliatives would not only be restored soon, but many more are to be added to better the lots of the people.
“The two painful decisions were taken as the last resort in view of the desire to take the state out of the current economic imbroglio as quickly as possible.
“In all honesty, Governor Ajimobi deserves accolades for resisting the temptation to agree with some concerned individuals and groups who had come up with pieces of advice considered inevitable for the state to jerk up its internally generated revenue at all cost.
“But the governor, out of his love for the masses, declined to accept most of the suggestions made as he was of the opinion that such would aggravate the suffering of the common man.
“We recall that the state government had earlier taken major measures in that direction and these include; reduction of cost of governance, which brought about the pruning of ministries from 23 to 13, stoppage of daily feeding of fasting residents at Government House and distribution of food items to the needy during Ramadan fast, postponement of all political appointments, turning down of sponsorship requests from many partners and non-governmental organisations.
“Interestingly, all of these had little or no direct negative effect on the common man and it was when further measures were needed to be introduced that the governor considered the options of WAEC fees and pilgrimage stuff.”
The party added: “In view of the foregoing, it amounts to sheer hypocrisy and a height of irresponsibility on the part of the opposition elements if they chose to take the advantage of the current situation to display their hatred for the people.
“The question on the lips of the people is that; what difference did the PDP make in the life of the state in its eight years combined rule? Between 2003 and 2011 that the PDP was in the saddle; values were not only eroded and peace did not only vacate the land, resources of the state were plundered while its economic base was badly depleted.
“That was an era when shares of government in blue chip companies were sold and proceeds siphoned even as government lands and properties were taken over by private individuals. The consequences of all these and many more left the state stranded as it began to survive only on hand-outs from the Federal Government.”
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