The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has ordered banks and other financial institutions to freeze the state government’s accounts with immediate effect.
This is as he also directed the reversal of the state’s name to the constitutionally recognised Osun State from State of Osun which was changed by the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola-led administration.
The newly sworn governor also directed an immediate return to status quo of all fresh appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by the immediate past administration with effect from the 17th of July, 2022.
Adeleke gave the directive during his inaugural speech on Sunday.
According to him, his administration will restore the integrity of the civil service which has been bastardised through favouritism and political considerations.
He said, “We will give the civil service a better orientation with a view to restoring its professionalism. In doing this, we will be fair and firm as we act only in pursuance of public interest.
“Let me therefore announce an immediate return to status quo of all fresh appointments, placements and other major decisions taken by the immediate past administration with effect from the 17th of July, 2022.
“I wish to assure all labour unions in the state of our administration’s willingness to protect workers interest and promote their welfare at all times. We will be a labour friendly government.”
He added, “My Good People of Osun, since you elected me as your Governor on the 16th of July 2022, which the INEC announced on July 17th 2022, the former Governor, Alh Isiaka Gboyega Oyetola maliciously started putting road blocks to make things difficult and almost impossible for the new administration to serve you.
“Mass employment were carried out without budgetary provisions for salary payments for the new employees; even when the state was struggling to pay salaries and deliver other services. Various hurried and criminally backdated Contracts were awarded and again without budgetary provisions.
“Appointments of several Obas were hurriedly done without following due process, just to mention a few.
“All efforts to get the Governor set up a Transition Committee and submit hand-over notes in line with best practices proved abortive.
“It is therefore my desire to ask for your patience and understanding to give my administration a few weeks to review and sort out all the actions and malicious confusions which the immediate past administration has created since July 17th 2022. Those actions were indeed vindictive measures against the people of Osun State for voting them out of office.
“Consequently, I hereby issue the following directives which will be backed up with appropriate Executive orders:
“Immediate freezing of all government accounts in banks and other financial institutions
Immediate establishment of a panel to carry out an inventory and recover all government assets
“An immediate establishment of a panel to review all appointments and major decisions of the immediate past administration taken after the 17th July, 2022
“An immediate reversal to the constitutionally recognised name of our state, Osun State. All government insignia, correspondences and signages should henceforth reflect Osun state rather than State of Osun which is unknown to the Nigerian constitution.”