Former President, Goodluck Jonathan, on Wednesday alleged that some state governors are encouraging youths to be criminals rather than becoming assets to society because of politics.
The former President made the allegation at the official commissioning of the Edo State Civil Service Secretariat complex reconstructed by the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led administration.
“I have to thank you for the completion of this project and the renovations of the dilapidated ones. It takes somebody who wants to give the best to his people to do this kind of job. This shows that it is somebody who has a vision that can provide this.
“Let me also join the Head of Service and the young first-class graduates that you employed to thank you. When the Head of Service mentioned that in his speech I was quite pleased.
“In fact, if you go to some states, governors are busy encouraging criminals because of politics. People that will rig elections for them, carry ballot boxes, knives and cutlasses to pursue people.
“But you are encouraging the brains of Edo State. The brains don’t come from one political party, the brains come from all the political parties.
“You are not supporting these brains because you want to win an election but because you want to build a state, and for you to build a state, you have to build the people,” he said.
The former President also commended Governor Obaseki for improving the welfare of the state’s civil servants.
While stating that before now civil servants in the state go home monthly with salaries that cannot take them home, he noted that with the N70,000 minimum wage, the governor is now paying workers salaries that can take them home.
“Initially, when I read in the papers that you proposed to pay N70,000 minimum wage, I was also worried if my good friend would be able to pay. But, that is the word of a visioneer.
“To be a leader, especially a political leader, you must be somebody who has a vision. If you have a vision, no matter how challenging it is, you will find a way to do well. That is why you’re the leader”, he added.
The former president advised undergraduates to struggle to make First Class, instead of joining cult groups, drinking alcohol and raping women.
He advised them to always take their academic studies seriously to obtain good grades.
He prayed that whoever succeeds Governor Obaseki as the next governor of the state, would not let the people of the state down and would also continue from his predecessor’s good work.
Earlier, in his welcome address, Governor Obaseki, said his government embarked on the rebuilding of the secretariat because it believes that government bureaucracy must work if the state must make progress.
Obaseki said if the government must attract private sector investments, which was required to develop the State, it needed to upgrade its workplace, personalities and capacity of public servants and the public service.
He expressed confidence that wherever late General Samuel Ogbemudia of blessed memory, and all of those who worked with him during and after the civil war to build the Edo State, are today, they would be proud that their dreams of building a secretariat complex like this have been realized.