Date: 2009-04-23

The recently introduced e-payment system by the Kwara State Government has started to yield fruitful results, just as the state has saved not less than N28 million from teachers’ salaries in one month, Governor Bukola Saraki has said.

The Governor disclosed this in Ilorin on Thursday while declaring open a one-day Retreat for Chairmen and Members of Boards of Agencies, Commissions and Parastatals in the State.

The e-payment system, according to him, has reduced government expenditure and has also helped to check wastages only in just one month of operation.

"If in just one month, the sum of N28 million unclaimed money was saved through the e-payment system, imagine how much would have been saved in one year if the system had been in operation long ago", Saraki said.

He explained that initially, there was a lot of noise on the e-payment system as regards teachers’ salaries where a whooping sum of N28 million was unclaimed in just one month.

"If the government was not determined in doing the right thing, we would have succumbed to the noises and go back to the manual procedures as was being done in the past", Dr Saraki further said.

Saving N28 million every month, he observed, one can do the calculation and then appreciate the improvement on efficiency of the administration.

Governor Saraki, who charged the board members to intensify efforts at improving their internally Generated Revenue to reduce government expenditure, also enjoined them to discharge their responsibilities in line with government’s posture on due process, transparency and accountability.

He also tasked them to work together as a team to justify their appointments, assuring them of full support of government to assist their respective agencies and parastatals in achieving their objectives.

The governor who stressed the need for members to maintain good working relationship with the management of their respective agencies and parastatals, expressed optimism that at the end of the retreat, they would be better informed on their responsibilities and limitations.

Dr Saraki also thanked the organizers of the Retreat especially the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and urged participants to use the opportunity of the retreat to improve the performances of their respective agencies and parastatals.

In his introductory remarks, the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Cook Olodod thanked Dr Saraki for approving the retreat and expressed hope that the investment would bring positive impact on the performance of the agencies and parastatals.

Alhaji Olododo explained that the retreat was part of the State Government’s fulfillment to bring dividends of democracy to the doorsteps of the populace and also ensure that such good will is devoid of rancour, which he stated, has bedeviled many organizations across the country.

In his welcome address, the Director of the National Orientation Agency in the State, Mr Anthony Osagbemi said the purpose of the retreat was to sensitize the board members on the roles expected of them in their various agencies and parastatals.

Mr Osagbemi commended the governor for his foresight and infrastructural development efforts in the State and called on the people to support his administration to ensure the completion of all the on-going developmental projects.

The one-day retreat, whose theme is "Management and operational guidelines, roles and limitations of board members", was organized by the National Orientation Agency in collaboration with the Kwara State Government and office of the Secretary to the State Government.
 

Mas’ud Adebimpe

Chief Press Secretary to the Kwara State Governor

23/04/09