We are constrained to add our voice to the on-going debate on the propriety or otherwise of the decision of the Oyo State government to employ the services of a consultant to manage revenues from public tertiary institutions in the state.
It is our view that both the government and Joint Action Committee of Trade Unions across all state-owned public tertiary institutions should work on the same page in ensuring that there is proper accountability in the management of funds.
We do not want to presume that there are interests within the labour unions who are antagonistic to a procedure that would tidy the financial book-keeping protocols in those schools.
We hold to the belief that stakeholders in tertiary institutions in Oyo State should cooperate with the state government in Governor Seyi Makinde’s decision to appoint a consultant for the aforementioned objective.
Rather than opposing the idea, we believe that all stakeholders in these institutions should commend that Governor for this initiative that would ultimately ensure that public tertiary institutions in Oyo State are self-sustaining and viable.
With this initiative, financial intelligence monitoring would be put in place which will engender transparency and prudence in these institutions; in addition to providing a common platform for government to monitor and ascertain its Internally Generated Revenue base.
It will also enable the government to make realistic budget estimates through the dashboard information sharing protocol.
And contrary to the current practice where contracts and procurements are arbitrarily awarded, this initiative would provide government with necessary feedbacks to guide decisions on feasibility of contracts award, eliminate over-invoicing and ensuring that procurements are done within the framework of due-process and global best practices.
Other noble objectives which government’s decision would earn for the state include monitoring income and expenditures of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDA) to curtail frivolous claims; blocking leakages in the MDAs, especially in the tertiary institutions where IGR are not remitted to the government until the introduction of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).
We commend Governor Makinde for the promptness of his administration in paying the salaries of Oyo State government workers, including those in the public tertiary education sector. It is our belief that such gesture by the government should be reciprocated by the way of worker supporting the government in every step that would help the state generate more funds.
It is on record that since the employment of consultants to streamline the financial records in these institutions, the state government has been able to cut cost to the tune of N1 billion and with a noticeable effect of reduction in the friction between managements of respective institutions and their governing councils.
We therefore urge all stakeholders in public tertiary education sector in Oyo State to align with the decision of the state government and indeed give all necessary support to the consultants whose works are already bearing good fruits.
Signed:
Dr.Adeniyi Adeyemi
Seyi Makinde Movement for Good Governance
