The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has roasted Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola for withholding bailout funds for his own personal gains rather than using it to pay salaries.
A statement by Osun PDP Spokesperson, Diran Odeyemi, stated that payment of salaries in parts by the State Government was further confirmation the money had been fixed.
He revealed that workers were paid half of their July salaries, with all allowances being hitherto enjoyed by them removed.
He added that retirees were also being treated in same manner, with many of them still being owed up to six months despite release of bailout funds to the state in August.
In a counter response the consultant on information to the state government, SundayAkere, denied the PDP’s claims.
According to him “PDP wants to use our reaction to gain relevance. I am sure they have a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, the state government signed with the workers.
- “The bailout covered up to June and we have paid June salaries, we have paid July and August.
“We signed an MoU with the workers and we have kept to the terms of the document religiously.”
Aregbesola has adopted a piece meal approach in payment of the pending 8 months’ salary, he also introduced a number of conditions to adopt before making payments, amongst which includes presentation of primary school leaving certificate.
Former State Governor, Iyiola Omisore also accused Aregbesola of incurring N480 billion loans.
- “Governor Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola has failed Osun people in all facets of human hood, particularly, the debt regime that Aregbesola plunged the state into and non-payment of workers’ salaries and retirees for period of seven to eight months now.
“It is better for Aregbesola to openly through national dailies to let the people of the state know the actual debt of the state and the financial institutions where they procured the loan as well as what they used the loan for.”
Also the executive Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice, CHRSJ, Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, described Aregbesola as a pathological liar.
Sulaiman stated that the Governor remains bent on feeding the people on lies regarding the financial position of the state.
He advised Aregbesola to publicly reveal the total figure of the debt incurred by the state Government and 30 Local Government Areas of the State and what the loan was used for.