Against the backdrop of fading hope of the possibility of finding any more honest Nigerian who is incorruptible, a glimmer of hope for a better Nigeria has come from Ondo State.

 

Despite biting economic effects resulting from ongoing meltdown, a Nigerian, a retired primary school teacher, still refused to melt before filthy lucre, by refusing to collect a cheque of N2 million excess pay of her retirement benefit.

 

Niran-Sule Akinsuyi was shell-shocked when he heard of the story. Akinsuyi, the Ondo State Commissioner for Special Duties, said, “this is the mark of a teacher.”

 

Same thing was the conclusion arrived at by his colleagues shortly after the state executive council meeting Thursday. The media in the state also fell head over heels, trying to see who this unique woman is.

 

She is Mrs. Leah Adesola Fasua.

 

In a rare act of honesty, 65-year old Madam Fasua last week turned down a N2 million retirement benefit paid her by the Ondo State Government because “my money is not up to that.”

 

While at the Akure designated centre for the collection of the money being paid out to all retired primary school teachers, Mrs. Fasua preened through her lenses when offered the N2 million cheque and promptly replied the attendants, “no, what is in your document is that my retirement benefit remains N815, 000. So why offer me a N2 million cheque?”

 

She simply dropped the cheque and tried walking away in anger. But the paymasters called her back, checked the document to verify her claim and behold, she was right!

 

A government official somewhere had made a mistake and that was how Mrs. Fasua would have been a million, one hundred and eighty-five thousand naira richer.

 

Ondo State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Akinterinwa, was promptly informed of Fasua’s heroic act, prompting the state government to put in proper checks with a view to ensuring that such a mistake was not repeated.

 

Sources also said Mrs. Fasua got a mention of applause during the state’s exco meeting, during which Governor Segun Mimiko reportedly remarked, “this woman’s act has done me proud.”

 

While speaking with National LIFE, however, Mrs. Fasua said, “I only did the right thing because that money was not mine and it was not proper that I should collect it.”

When reminded of the craze for money culminating in dishonest acts common with many nowadays, the woman simply responded, “I was a teacher for over 33 years and I’d taught my children (pupils) to live honest lives; so why would I deviate from what I’ve taught others?” She asked rhetorically.

 

Mrs. Adesola Fasua, incidentally, is the mother of Mr. Kayode Fasua, the News Editor of National LIFE. She is married to Mr. Gabriel Adelekun Fasua, a 72-year old journalist. She also has another son, Mr. Wale Honey Fasua, who is a pastor and gospel musician based in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

 

Although a teacher, she has also been a freelance journalist, thus sensationally presenting ‘three musketeers’ of husband, wife and son as Journalists.

 

Commenting on her rare act, Akinsuyi, the Special Duties Commissioner, said, “I’m not really surprised because that is what we are noted for in Ondo State.

 

“We always believe in justice and fairness and for these to be achievable, you require honesty. It was just like the scenario of how Governor Mimiko was robbed at the polls and he went to court and successfully reclaimed his stolen mandate.”

 

It was, however, gathered at the weekend that there were moves by the state government to honour the ‘rare teacher.’

 

Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government during the week paid out the sum of N1.4 billion to a total of1, 551 retired primary school teachers and local government staff in six designated centres all over the State.

 

The government also launched the first-ever State Residency Card project and Safe Motherhood programmes in the nation.

 

Governor Mimiko, who flagged the payment of the frail-looking pensioners who despite their pitiable conditions were full of joy at the Akure Payment Centre, disclosed that the gesture was in line with his administration maxim of ‘A CARING HEART’ and its desire to bring joy and hope into the lives of the people of the State.

 

His words: “Our Administration has resolved that instead of paying these benefits piecemeal without making the intended economic impact on the pensioners, we decided to pay out in lump sum, a total of N1.4 billion which is the total amount owed all primary school pensioners and retired local government staff in Ondo State. This is the first time this is being done in Ondo State.”

 

Mimiko regretted the plight of the pensioners “whose current unenviable condition is being dramatized by the grim statistic of the high number of those that die while still pursuing their gratuities and arrears of pension.” He disclosed that of the 1,551 retired primary school teachers and local government staff, a total number of 466 people representing about 31% of them had died without getting their terminal benefits; a situation which he insisted was unacceptable.

 

The governor also disclosed that in order to ensure that the retirees are not subjected to unnecessary hardship while trying to collect their entitlements, six payment stations had been created, two in each of the three Senatorial Districts in the state.

 

The governor also at Igbara-Oke, headquarters of Ifedore Local Government area of the state flagged off the pilot phase of Ondo State Residency Card Project (Kaadi Igbe Ayo) and the Safe Motherhood Abiye Project both reputed to be the first to be embarked upon by any state in Nigeria.

 

At the occasion, Dr Mimiko disclosed that the Kaadi Igbe Ayo Project was primarily meant for identification and not for enumeration of the residents of Ondo State and it is voluntary.

 

Said the governor: “KAADI IGBEAYO will make the identification of all residents in this state possible and also through this, collate the information necessary for planning and execution of numerous people-oriented programmes of government. It is a dynamic smartcard-based solution that will be processed for all residents of Ondo State to serve as the interfacing item for usage at all Public and Private Transaction points within the State.

 

“It allows all residents equal access to government social and welfare services, and also enables government to monitor at every point, the distribution of such services even in the remotest parts of the state.”

 

The Abiye project, according to Mimiko, demonstrates the total commitment of the administration to qualitative maternal health service delivery.

He added that it was conceived in line with “our earnest desire to reverse the unenviable record of being dubbed as the State with the worst health indexes in the South West as attested to by the World Bank recently by arresting infant and maternal morbidity forthwith.”

 

Under the Abiye programme, all pregnant mothers, the governor further explained, would have 24 hour access to medical facilities.

 

“This is to reduce to the barest minimum the incidents of pregnant women’s mortality, and eliminate complications occasioned by lack of adequate medical attention during pregnancy. To this end, all pregnant mothers will be provided with GSM phones with SIM cards to make free calls to designated medical personnel who have been tagged Health Rangers.

 

“Under the scheme, the State governments would embark on the renovation of all the Basic Health Care Centres in the State and staff them with qualified doctors, midwives and community health extension workers who will serve as Health Rangers in those communities,” Governor Mimiko, who is a medical doctor, enthused.

 

Courtesy: National LIFE