By Tayo Joseph Lagos, Nigeria
The Oyo State Government has reiterated that concrete arrangements have been put in place to ensure that it clears the salary arrears of its workers’ and pensioners, saying that payment of October and November salaries have been made as further demonstration of its commitment to improving the lives of the people and the welfare of its workers especially in these times of economic recession.
The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the payment of workers’ salaries, explained that despite the lingering shortfall from Federation Account, the Abiola Ajimobi led administration will continue to make concerted efforts to meet its wage obligation to the state workforce.
Arulogun said the government is committed to the welfare of the people especially its workforce, noting that two months salaries have been paid for three consecutive months from December 2016.
According to the Commissioner, “The state government is committed to clearing the backlog of salaries owed its workers. In December 2016, the government paid two months salaries for the months of June/July 2016 and repeated the same feat in February 2017 to cater for August/September 2016. The government has now approved and released October/November 2016 payment this month, March 2017, which is another two months’ salary.
“We are doing a lot of financial reengineering to expedite action on payment of arrears to workers in order to cushion the effects of recession in the country. The State Government wants to start paying salaries promptly and that is why more efforts are being put in place to clear the backlogs.
“You will recall that Governor Ajimobi promised at the 2017 Interfaith service with the workers that Oyo State will survive this period. The governor is not relenting in fulfilling his electioneering campaign of welfarism, human face and improvement of lives to the people and so many cost saving measures have been put in place to cut government spending,” he emphasized.
Arulogun stated that the payment of the two months salary for October and November 2016 was in line with the governor’s commitment to the welfare of workers, reassuring that the government would continue to give workers’ welfare topmost priority.
