It is no more news that the proverbial rainy days are now with us and that only the wise ones and the prudent states of the federation are the ones standing tall and laughing at the foolish and the extravagant (prodigal) states.
Facts have emerged on why Governor Ambode of Lagos State decided not to buy Ileya rams this year and perhaps did not constitute a large adhoc pilgrims welfare committee or a modest permanent pilgrims board among other measures to cut down costs in an austere period.
For over fifteen (15) years, Lagosians under past administrations were used to getting contracts to supply rams to government or getting free rams during the Ileya (Sallah) celebration, but not so this year.
The kind hearted Governor would have wished to do so but not this time of recession when realities on the ground suggest otherwise. Ambode had reasoned wisely that it is better to pay salaries to the state workers and carry on with infrastructural development than to eat rams today and starve the people the next day.
When about thirty (30) out of the thirty six (36) states of the federation are struggling to pay salaries, when nineteen (19) of these states are owing their workers between three and six months salaries and three states are paying only basic salaries without allowances, Lagos State under Governor Ambode is not only paying full salaries sometimes seven to ten days before the month ends, he is paying leave bonus allowances enbloc.
It is incredible but true. When the ‘almighty’ federal government cannot pay workers in time and is looking for loans abroad to pay salaries and execute projects, only Lagos State and Anambra states are certified the most financially healthy in the country today.
Investigation by Oriwu Sun revealed that Governor Ambode would have spent about N350million for this year’s ram gift, if he had obliged. No one knows how much the state saved from the strategy, to appoint the Home Affairs Commissioner as the sole administrator of the 2016 Haj/Amirul Haj and some of the pilgrims (Muslims or Christians). These measures must have raked in million of naira into the coffers of the state.
We gathered that the Governor had reasoned that most times, these free ram gifts go to people who on their own could afford/buy the rams – the commissioners, Imams, top personalities in the public and private sectors etc leaving out the poor masses. Hence, the stop order was commendable.
The governor compensated the poor by organizing a reception sometime in August in the State House for more than 1000 less privileged ones who were hosted by the Governor where he served them food, drinks and gave them some cash gifts.
What a pleasant way to govern the people!! For him to let the rich buy the rams this year for themselves and let government to take care of a segment of the poor, that is rational thinking.