By Banji Ayoola
Contrary to the claim by the opposition, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke did not at any time promise to pay up all the half-month salary arrears owed workers by the immediate past All Progressives Congress administration within his six months of assuming office, the government has said.
While debunking the claim through the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Oluomo Kolapo Alimi, the government also cleared the air on the arrangement to pay the arrears of half-month salaries owed by the preceding former Governor Gboyega Oyetola administration.
Besides, the government warned the APC to stop peddling alleged lies rather than applauding the incumbent Adeleke-led PDP administration for being consistent in paying salaries and the backlog of salaries and arrears which the APC administration failed to pay in its four years in office.
The Commissioner spoke while featuring on a radio current affairs programme tagged ‘Frank Talk’ monitored in Osogbo, the state capital.
He asked members of the public especially civil servants to disregard the APC members and their alleged known antics, describing their stand on the matter as that of people who have lost grasp with reality after their defeat at the polls.
Stressing that Adeleke and the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state have worked out modalities of how the arrears would be paid, the Commissioner added that the present administration will continue to take the welfare of civil servants seriously.
According to him, “Yes, Governor Ademola Adeleke promised to pay the arrears of half salaries, but he did not set any timeline for the payment. There was never a time the Governor said he will pay up all the arrears in six months.
“The APC since losing the gubernatorial elections have been going about spewing lies and half truths. I am not surprised though, they are now in the opposition, but I urge them not to mislead the people by looking for cheap sympathy.
“Adeleke has paid two months, they did not pay just one in four years, should they be talking?
“This government already has an agreement with the NLC. There is already a modality on how the half salary arrears will be paid and we are not going to renege”.
Responding to questions on Adeleke’s performance so far, the Commissioner said he has started well on the delivery of his mandate to the people of Osun State, stressing that the outcome of the general elections in the state Is a testament to the fact that people are happy with the Governor.
