Ondo State governor, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has described as unfortunate the spread of deliberate falsehood about an alleged plan by the government to ask the workers to forgo the payment of two of the six months salary arrears owed them by the immediate -past administration.
A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Segun Ajiboye, described the rumour as idle talks, adding that the governor has consistently vowed to do everything possible to offset the salary arrears owed workers in the state.
The governor has also matched words with action to make the welfare of workers in the state his priority by ensuring that the workers have been paid their salaries since he assumed office.
The governor appealed to the people behind the spread of this falsehood to desist from the despicable act, describing it as a dangerous trend capable of causing disaffection among the people of the state.
“I want to state here that there is no truth in rumour making the rounds that the administration is asking workers in the state to forgo two months of the salary arrears owed them. The talk is nothing but a pack of lies and a mere imagination of the people behind it’s spread.
“I would love to reiterate my commitment to make the welfare of the workers the priority of this administration. They are goose that lay the Golden Egg and I appreciate their efforts and commitment to develop Ondo State and take it to the next level.”
While thanking the people of the state for their support, the governor maintained that his administration remains determined to implement its cardinal programmes as outlined in his campaign promises.
In a related development, Governor Akeredolu has said that revenue inflows accruing to the state must geometrically increase in order for the government to be able to deliver promptly on all projections set by the administration.
The governor, who spoke while receiving the report of the Committee on the Payment of Arrears of Salaries of Public Servants in Ondo State, said the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, profile of the state has to be taken to a proportion above the recurrent expenditures of the state for meaningful development to take place.
While thanking the state workforce for their resilience over unpaid seven months salaries by the immediate past government, Governor Akeredolu reassured the workers of his administration’s commitment to prompt payment of their salaries.
In his remarks before presenting the report, the Committee Chairman, who is also the State Deputy Governor, Hon. Agboola Ajayi, said the salary arrears owed workers by the previous administration amounted to #38.57 billion, while #41.5biliion was owed to retired personnel as gratuities.
“Mr Governor, we came in February 24th 2017, we have paid salaries for February, March, April 2017 and August, 2016.
“Right now, what is outstanding as salaries for five months is N34.5b and #41.5b representing outstanding gratuities across board,” the chairman stated.
The Committee was inaugurated on March 7 to deliberate and report on ways of offsetting seven months’ salary arrears owed by the previous administration
