TheCable

Rauf Aregbesola, Osun state governor, says civil servants in the state will receive their salaries for the month of January, despite receiving just N6.23 million as federal allocations for February, 2016.

Aregbesola said his government had weathered the storm to pay salaries up to December.

In a statement by Semiu Okanlawon, director bureau of communication and strategy in the office of the governor, Aregbesola explained that reduced allocation was “no more news to the state”.

The state received less than N150 million from October till date, due to the repayment “obligations for the infrastructure programmes it has been prosecuting”.

Aregbesola said in spite of the heavy obligations, Osun has paid more than N5 billion in salaries between October 2015 and February 2016.

“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,” the statement read.

“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 N6million 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.”

The government said its debts, acquired over the last five years, are justified obligations spent on people-oriented programmes.

“We are aware of those whose job it is to confuse unsuspecting members of the public through their mischievous statements,” the statement read.

“The question these self-appointed critics of the Aregbesola administration should be asked is: if they demand that further funds should not be released to this government, what has happened to all the loads of lies-laden petitions they had sent to the federal government?

“We are consoled by the fact that the ordinary people -the focus of this administration- appreciate the enormous work this government has done.

“This government set out an ambitious and radical agenda to reposition our people for productivity which entailed prosecuting and funding a major human and physical infrastructure revamp.

“It has delivered 200km of rural roads in partnership with the World Bank. It delivered over 300Km of roads across all local governments, over 70 model schools across the state so far.

“It has delivered major human development programs that now places the state’s among those with the highest human development index in the country.

“The global crisis of 2013 led to a reduction of 40% in receivables and the unilateral national minimum wages foisted on states increased expenditure by average of 70%. These unforeseen challenges slowed this government development agenda and has forced government to restructure. We are prosecuting this course carefully.

“Our commitment to the delivery of development to the people remains non-negotiable. Osun will fulfill, by the Grace of God, it’s promise to the people. The current situation is akin to squeezing water out of stone, difficult but not Impossible.”