2023: I’ll pay workers well to reduce corruption — Lagos ADC gov’ship candidate

Mr Funso Doherty, 2023 Governorship Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Lagos State has  pledged civil service reforms and adequate wages for workers  if elected.

Funso, the Managing Director and CEO of Pensions Alliance Limited (PAL Pensions), one of Nigeria’s foremost Pension Fund Managers made the pledge on Sunday  at a stakeholders meeting of the state’s party executives and its candidates.

According to him, the fortune of the state can be better and lives of residents transformed with savings from corruption and wastages in the system.

“Better wages for workers will reduce or eliminate corruption in the system,” he said.

Doherty said, if elected, residents should expect leadership that would act in public interest and lead with integrity, because of his track records.

Doherty said: “We will pursue a programme of civil service reform. Reasonable compensation will help to fight corruption.

“We will address the issue of compensation for public and civil servants. Workers will be appropriately compensated and we will take decisions and actions in the interest of the people.

“I will prioritise transparency, accountability and operation of government and civil service in a corrupt free manner for the benefit of the people.

“The vast resources of this state will be deployed selflessly without self interest and vested interest for the benefit of the people to improve their lives and infrastructure in health, education and ease in doing business.”

He added that his administration would address the traffic and transportation challenges  of the state through massive road, rail and water infrastructure as well as ensuring adherence to law and order on the road.

“We are coming into power with a message of positive change. Our only interest will be interest of the people,” he said.

Also speaking, the Lagos State Chairman of the party, Mr George Ashiru, who noted that ADC would be fielding candidates in all elective positions, described Doherty and other candidates as credible and experienced to provide leadership and care for  residents of the state.

“We will ensure civil service reforms and I promise that if ADC is elected into office in 2023, all civil servants in Lagos will have a pay rise of 100 per cent as a minimum after one year.

“I do not see and I cannot accept that anybody in the  civil service who has a degree should earn anything less than somebody in the private sector.

“Why will there not be corruption when people are living under liveable wage?

“If we reform the civil service, we get people paid what is appropriate to them, they will be more efficient, do more work, reduce corruption and increase the  internally generated revenue.

“The cardinal principle for us is that people must be paid for the value that they bring,” he said.

Ashiru said  the party would be able to achieve this from savings from reduction in corruption, and not from increasing the budget or borrowing.

He said  the party recognised the need for security, healthcare, education, infrastructure development and these would be the focus of the party’s candidates.

According to him, it is savings from wastage in the system that will  empower every single project of government. (NAN)