Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has assured the people of the state and entire workforce that he will not leave unpaid salaries for his successor after his eight years in office.

He said he had vowed not to owe salaries since the inception of his administration, adding that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the finances of the state badly and hindered regular payment of salaries.

Akeredolu gave the assurance at the Ondo State Health Summit, held at the International Culture and Event Centre (DOME) in Akure yesterday.

The governor, who claimed that his predecessor left unpaid seven months salaries, promised that all salary arrears presently owed workers in the state would be paid.

He said his administration would sustain and continually improve on efforts at delivering effective and qualitative healthcare and social welfare services to the people.

Besides, the governor said that efforts were in top gear to continually employ qualified personnel for primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare facilities, stressing that shipment of several containers of hospital equipment worth billions of naira had been brought in to the state from the United States (U.S.).

He also acknowledged that the need to quickly reposition the health sector with utmost commitment and collaboration is a task that must be done by all stakeholders, reassuring all medical and health workers that healthcare remains a central focus of his administration’s REDEEMED agenda.

The governor, however, commended the health workers for their level of perseverance in the face of hardship and also appealed to them that their welfare remains a top priority.

Meanwhile, indigenes of Idanre Town, in Idanre Local Council of Ondo State, have urged the state government to explore all tourism potentials in the community for the development of the state at large.

Chairman, Owa of Idanre’s 45th Coronation Anniversary Committee, Dr. Anthony Omolola, said this yesterday while addressing journalists at the palace to herald the 45 years of the monarch, Oba Fredrick Aroloye, on the throne.

According to him, the anniversary was planned to celebrate the 95-year-old monarch and project the rich culture, natural endowments in the ancient town to the whole world.

He noted that aside protecting the aesthetic heritage for the coming generations, it would also shove up the Internally-Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state tremendously.

He added that N500 million had been raised to fund the activities of the anniversary and to renovate the palace, which is currently undergoing serious face-lift and expansion to accommodate over 2,000 people.