Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, on Thursday, said his administration will run an all-inclusive, open and accountable government for the state’s progress.

The governor stated this at a prayer service to commemorate the first working day in the year 2025 held at the foyer of the Governor’s Office in Akure.

Mr Aiyedatiwa appreciated God for the successes he was able to record in the last year of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s second term in office.

According to him, good governance was priotised, which translated to significant developments in all sectors of the economy.

Mr Aiyedatiwa said that a retreat would soon be organised for top civil servants and political office holders in the state.

This, according to him, is to ensure government policy thrusts were properly distilled and actionable plans set out.

He said that the expectations of people of the state were high and his administration must do all that is practically possible to meet them.

“In the public service, there was no incident of industrial action whatsoever in the state. Even in the face of the recent minimum wage negotiations, the labour leaders and the entire public service showed great maturity, understanding and trust. Recall that Ondo State was among the first set of states in the federation to show not only commitment, but to pay beyond the National Minimum Wage benchmark of seventy thousand Naira (N70,000.00).

“As you are all aware, we owe no promotion in arrears. Recruitment of officers was made into some Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government where personnel deficiency had long existed. We do not only pay salaries and pensions regularly, the state government has also commenced the payment of the new minimum wage of N73,000 to workers. This is aside from meeting our obligation to pensioners through offsetting a humongous amount from the backlog of gratuities running into billions of naira in order that our senior citizens would not suffer in their old age,” he said.

Mr Aiyedatiwa said his administration had also ensured that work continued on the ongoing infrastructure projects he inherited, especially the urban and rural roads.

Earlier in his sermon, Pastor Michael Ogunbayode, an elder in Seasons of Life Ministry, Lagos, said that the purpose of the meeting was not only to appreciate God but also to seek His direction for the year ahead.

Mr Ogunbayode said that those who recognise the right thing to do at the right time positioned themselves for divine favour and alignment with God’s will.

(NAN)