The Peoples’ Democratic Party, Osun State chapter has accused the state Governor, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, of planning to divert fund from Paris Club deductions which was meant to offset arrears of salaries workers and pension of retirees in the state.
In a press statement signed by PDP’s spokesperson, Prince Diran Odeyemi in Osogbo on Sunday, the party said “rather than paying workers’ full salaries, Aregbesola opted for half pay for those at top echelon of the service and 75% for others”.
According to Odeyemi, “Osun state government recently announced receipt of over N11 billion being the state’s share of the over-deducted funds from the state in repayment of debt owed Paris Club”.
The party claimed that out of all states in the country that got over deductions repayment, only Osun is not yet paying workers’ salaries in full and queried continuous payment of half salaries by government even with hard-biting economic realities in the country presently”. It then declared that the mode of payment of salaries being adopted for the utilisation of the over N11 billion funds got by Aregbesola was similar to how he mishandled the over N34 billion he got as bailout in September last year.
The statement reads in parts: “Kogi and Plateau that got refunds of over deductions have subsequently announced that all outstanding workers’ salaries and pensions should be paid and they have been paid”
“Why is Osun’s case different? Aregbesola has been employing all manners of underhand tactics just to ensure bulk of the funds given to him is diverted again. We got hint this would happen and advised the federal government to pay workers directly”
“With this development, we have been vindicated. Osun PDP demand urgent intervention of all relevant agencies of federal government to ensure fund meant for salaries is not diverted again. We also urge the Senate to speed up the probe of utilisation of bailout funds got by Aregbesola last year and the admission that the sum of N3millions is still being kept in some Banks”
“The probe should be completed on time to serve as deterrent. Within two days, after the show of shame called probe by the state lawmakers, N3 billion was declared as leftover of N34 billion bailout.
Strangely, two days later, the figure was refuted and the left over was put at N3million. We believe with the probe panel of the Senate due in the state soon, truth will be unveiled”.
