Ogun State government, Thursday, said it has received the last tranche of Paris Club refund of N17.3 billion meant for the state.
Consequently, the state Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has directed the money be expended on the immediate payment of backlogs of workers entitlements.
This was revealed on Thursday during a joint press conference by the government and the representatives of the labour unions at the Governor's office press center, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the state capital.
Addressing the conference, the State Commissioner for Finance, Adewale Oshinowo said the money would cater for backlog of cooperative deductions, gratuity, severance allowance, furniture allowance of its workforce and other social services.
The Commissioner did not, however, give the details of how the money would be shared.
When asked, Oshinowo said the refund hit the account of the state on Wednesday and that the government would decide on the sharing formula.
According to him, the decision of the government to pay workers was a further confirmation that Amosun's administration is worker friendly and would continue to do the needful to boost the moral of the workforce.
While thanking the workers, Oshinowo said, "The administration, as you all know, is worker-friendly. This informed its decision to increase the salaries of workers in 2012 which doubled our monthly wage bill.
"It is a testament to the value this government places on its workforce that of pays the highest salaries in the entire federation.
"The Amosun government consistently pays workers' salaries as at when due. The latest payment will, no doubt, boost the morale of public service workforce and enhance its productivity."
While reacting to the development, the Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council in the state, Abiodun Olakanmi said the development is in furtherance of assurances by Governor Amosun to clear all deductions before the expiration of his tenure.
Olakanmi, while thanking the Governor appealed that the magnanimity should be extended to promotion exercises adding that workers appreciate promotion more than money.
He said, "We've listened to the Commissioner, we appreciate the Governor because he has, at all occasions, promised not to leave office until he pays all outstanding deductions.
"We don't know how far this will go but we hope it is a continuous thing, we hope another one will come after this until everything is liquidated.
"We call on the government to spread this magnanimity to promotion exercise, in the civil service, we appreciate promotion more than money."
He also appealed to the government to look at the issue of contributory pension adding that a fantastic report has been put in place to resolve the matter.
Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa, the Secretary to the State government also clarified that the state is not owing any pension and as such there's no backlog of pension in the state.
0 Comments