Osun workers to get January salaries this week

The Osun State government, yesterday, dismissed insinuations that the state would not pay salaries of workers this month owing to the paltry N6 million it received as federal allocation for February. The sum was arrived at after deductions.

It, instead, assured that the workers would get their January salaries this week.

A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy, Semiu Okanlawon, said the considerably reduced federal allocations were no more news to the state.

“As at today, the process for the payment of January salaries is at the final stages. Osun workers will receive their salaries from this week in preparation for Easter holidays,” he assured.

The statement noted that the state, by virtue of its poor allocation, has never had the opportunity of ample resources that corresponds to the humongous responsibilities of payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities as well as implementation of capital projects.

“But due to prudent management of resources, creative infrastructure financing, this government has been able to fulfill its obligations in all these critical areas of governance.

“The fact remains that Osun, under Aregbesola, did not have to wait for the day the state would get N6 million as allocation before proffering solutions towards sustainable economic self-reliance.

“This is why Osun has reduced the cost of governance, moved aggressively to increase Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), sought to attract investments into the state through provision of hitherto non-existent infrastructure and enabling environment and instituted performance-driven governance.

“It must be noted that all hands are on deck towards more convenient repayment schedule of existing loans as part of plans to free the state’s resources for critical needs of governance. This is in addition to the drive for internally generated revenues, the performance of which is very encouraging,” Okanlawon added.

Meanwhile, it was yesterday learnt that the state had received less than N150 million from October till date due to repayment obligations for infrastructural projects.

It was also gathered that the state had paid more than N5 billion in salaries within same period.