Osun State Government has paid workers’ salaries, leave bonuses and pensions with the N16.6 billion Paris Club refund released to the state by the Federal Government.
The payment is coming barely one week to the governorship election in the state, scheduled to hold on September 22.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, who said this at a press conference in Osogbo on Thursday added that the state government added N3 billion generated from other sources to make it a total of N19.8 billion which was used to pay the August salaries, four months salary arrears, pensions and leave bonuses to the workers.
The commissioner said it was not the first time Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration would commit such a huge amount received from the Federal Government to salaries and pensions.
Oyebamiji said, “The latest Paris Club refund released to the state by the Federal Government is N16.623,296,402.82 while Mr Governor has approved the disbursement of N19,801,328,271.22 to clear four months of salary arrears, pension arrears and leave bonus with adequate provision for full salaries.
“For the second month, we have now paid full salaries to all our workers. It is my hope and prayers that this will be sustained, and we will never have cause to modulate workers’ salaries in Osun again.
“Therefore, on behalf of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, I will like to commend and thank all the workers in Osun for their sacrifice, resilience and unflinching support to the government and dedication to duty, even in the midst of daunting challenges. I have no doubt that workers, in their demonstrable good nature and Omoluabi spirit, will reciprocate this good gesture from the government.”
