Payment of workers\’ salaries alone gulps 90 percent of the monthly revenue allocation accruing to Ondo State, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has disclosed.
This translates to N4. 5billion of the state\’s N5 billion monthly allocation, leaving an insignificant N500 million for capital and other projects. By implication, the state spends its monthly income from the Federation Account mainly on one item of the recurrent side of the budget.
The Governor made this disclosure while explaining reasons for the delay in the payment of outstanding leave allowances to workers in the state.
He spoke at the inauguration of the Ultra-Modern Resort constructed by the leadership of the state\’s chapter of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).
He explained that the state receives N5 billion monthly allocation from the Federation Account, out of which 90 percent goes into payment of workers’ salaries, pensions and other allowances.
With this situation, Akeredolu lamented that it has become difficult to pay workers\’ leave allowances promptly, or settle the ones outstanding. However, he promised to offset them when the finances of the state improves, even as he noted other items that equally need urgent attention.
He explained that his administration had been releasing N200 million on a regular basis to offset the backlog of unpaid gratuities of retired public servants and payment of car loans to workers at the state and local government levels respectively.
He was worried about shortage of teachers in primary schools, building of new classrooms, electricity transformers for communities without power supply and construction of roads.
The current situation of things looked quite depressing for the Governor, who regretted that \”it is a tragic irony that some people now refer to our state as a civil service enclave where government has been reduced virtually to payment of salaries, allowances, grants and subventions\”
However, despite the undesirable situation, he noted that his administration has been struggling to pay workers\’ salaries regularly since he assumed office in February last year.
Visibly elated, the Governor heartily thanked the State Chairman of NULGE, Dr. Oluwabunmi Eniayewu, and his team for initiating projects that have direct and meaningful impact on local government workers in the state.
On his own, the labour chief commended the Governor for the prompt promotion of workers. He pleaded on behalf of local government workers who are due for promotion since January this year for their own elevation too.
Meanwhile, the Governor has donated equipment worth millions of naira towards the take-off of a bread bakery, an agricultural farm and other projects that would engage youth corps members deployed to the state.
He announced this donation during a visit of some members of the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, Governing Board, led by the Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Prof. Joseph Eberendu, to his office.
Renovation of hostels is ongoing at the NYSC orientation camp, Ikare. The state coordinator of the corp, Mrs Grace Apkabio, thanked the Governor for the renovation and his pledge to fence the camp to enhance security.
