By Peter Dansu The Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, has finally broken his silence on the recent sack...
By Peter Dansu
The Executive Chairman of Badagry Local Government, Hon. Babatunde Hunpe, has finally broken his silence on the recent sack of non-pensionable staff, a development earlier reported by Badagry Today. In a video interview with Maxb TV's correspondent, Mrs. Pentho Francis, the chairman not only confirmed the report but also gave detailed reasons behind the action, debunking claims that the move was routine or without justification.
According to Hunpe, the disengagement was necessary to reposition the local government’s workforce for efficiency and accountability. He explained that many of the affected workers were either unproductive, engaged in ghost working, or simply absent from duty.
“We cannot continue to pay salaries to people who do not justify their pay. For instance, in some Primary Health Centres (PHCs), you will find more than 20 workers on the payroll, yet not a single patient in sight. In some cases, workers were nowhere to be found at all. I even encountered that of a gate man, during my tour of facilities, who abandoned his duty and left his little son to man the gate,” Hunpe lamented.
Sharing his personal experience further during an inspection tour in Yorùbá language, Hon. Hunpe narrated:
“Mo dé Primary Health Centre kan, mi ì ní tí dárúkọ ẹ̀ nísìnín, básìkò bá tó, màá dárúkọ ẹ̀,... a à rí patient ẹyọ kan níbẹ̀, mo dẹ̀ bèrè, wọ́n ní bóṣe ń rí nìyẹn, wọ́n ní ẹ̀kọ̀ọ̀kan ni àwọn patient máa ń wá, but àwọn tó pàdé mi, tó ń kí mi, tí wọ́n ń ṣiṣẹ́ níbẹ̀, wọ́n tó 20, eight hours ni wọ́n dẹ̀ ń run, kòdẹ̀ sí Doctor láàárín wọn, kòdẹ̀ sí nurse láàárín wọn, ẹ̀yàn wá ń sọ fún èmi pé kí ló dé tí mi ò fiwọ́n lẹ̀ bẹ́ẹ̀, pé kí wọ́n ma gbowó bẹ́ẹ̀. Àwọn kan wà nínú àwọn tí wọ́n ní a dá dúró yìí, wọn kìí wá biṣẹ́, wọn ò yọjú rí, ẹ̀yàn kan dẹ̀ ń sọ fúnmi pé kí ló fà á tí mo ṣe dáwọn dúró….”
The chairman noted that despite having 15 PHCs in Badagry, only four operate round the clock while most others run limited hours and remain underutilized. He argued that such a workforce arrangement was unsustainable and unfair to the council, which struggles to meet the growing demands of the community.
Related News: Hunpe Sacks Onilude’s Hired Workers in Badagry LG, To Be Replaced With His Own Hirees
Hunpe, however, clarified that the sack was not a blanket dismissal. He disclosed that steps are already being taken to reabsorb some of the affected workers who are truly dedicated and productive.
Addressing allegations that he unjustly sacked them (a position that was not contained in Badagry Today's report), Hunpe stressed that his decision was borne strictly out of the need for productivity, not tradition or sentiment.
Setting the Record Straight
Hunpe’s clarification comes after Badagry Today’s initial report triggered mixed reactions across the community, with some applauding the move while others criticized it. To set the record straight, Badagry Today wishes to emphasize that its earlier report did not in any way condemn the chairman’s action.
The report merely highlighted the development and captured public reactions from different angles. Before publishing, due diligence was carried out: the reporter reached out to the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the chairman for the official position, but messages went unanswered for over 24 hours. When pressed further, the CPS only responded with a brief statement:
“They are non-pensionable because they are not bonded to the council and can be disengaged at any time. However, the chairman will be re-engaging the essential and needed persons out of the disengaged non-pensionable staff.”
That response was published in full, as received. Had the detailed explanation now provided by the chairman been made available at the time, it would have been reflected in our initial report.
For many observers, Hunpe’s explanation has now shed more light on the matter. Saying that the decision will ultimately strengthen the productivity of the council.
As the dust settles, the key question remains whether the local government’s workforce will now rise to the challenge of delivering better services to the people of Badagry.
Video excerpt:
Video Credit: Chief Mrs. Francis Pentho of. MAXB TV
That's a good example of administrative acumen for effective service delivery. Keep it up Mr Chairman, reabsorption or new intake should be based on a round peg into a round hole, also take into cognizant your first team that started your campaign G18. Well done sir.and keep it up
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