This would come as cheering news for Osun state civil servants and pensioners who have endured several months of unpaid salaries as Governor Rauf Aregbesola has agreed to approve the payment of workers salaries.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state had constantly alleged that Aregbesola had diverted N34.988billion bailout released by Central Bank of Nigeria into a commercial bank to yield interests, an allegation that had been dismissed by the state government.
The state government also agreed to pay all deduction made from workers salary.
Unions in the state and representatives of government sealed this deal through a new memorandum of understanding which was aimed to doused the already heighten tension in the state.
According to The Punch, the state government has given the workers the assurance that their January and February salaries will be cleared. While primary schools teachers will also have their balance of March and April 2015 salaries offset. The government also promised full payment for May and June 2015.
The state pensioners are not left out as their balance of December 2014 as well as the full payment of January, February and March 2015 pensions will be paid. Primary school pensioners are not left out as their pensions up to June 2015 will be paid in this new arrangement.
Representing the unions at the signing of the MOU were the chairman, Joint Negotiation Council, Bayo Adejumo; chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Jacob Adekomi; chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Olatunde Ogunniyi; Labour representatives: Gbenga Oyebode, Richard Oyegbami, Toyin Idowu, Alade Amudah and Kunle Ogundepo.
The MoU read in part: “That bailout loan be disbursed to cover the payment of outstanding salaries for the months of January to June, 2015, as well as deductions from salaries of September and December 2014 and balance of 2013 and 2014 leave allowances for the state workers.
“That in order to ensure sustainability of payment of salaries in Osun State, the first disbursement from the bailout loan should cover the payment of outstanding September and December 2014 deductions, balance of January and February salaries and full payment of March, April and May 2015 salaries for state governments’ workers.”
The governor had earlier promised the state workers that he will pay their backlog salary before Sallah celebrations.
He told the workers unlike wanted is being circulated in the state and other parts of the country about him, Aregbesola said he shared in the pained of the workers hence will speed up the process of paying their salary.
Source: Naij
