Osun Govt Begins Payment Of Full Salary To All Workers

 

By Ismaeel Uthman

Government of Osun has paid full salary to workers on level eight and above in the state and local government service.

The payment of the full salary came as a surprise to some of the workers and people of the state as they could not believe that Governor Rauf Aregbesola would live up to his promise of paying full salary to all category of workers as soon as there is finances of the state improves.

July salary was paid in full to local government workers on level eight  and above while their state counterparts received their full salary on Wednesday.

It would be recalled that the Government started payment of ‘modulated salary’ to the affected level eight and above worker in June 2015 when economic crisis hit the country and as a result affected the finances of the state.

In the midst of the financial quagmire, after series of meetings, labour leaders and the state government agreed that a new salary structure called ‘modulated salary’ be enacted instead of laying off some workers.

Based on the modulated salary structure, workers on level seven and below are receiving their full salary, those of levels 8-12 were receiving 75 per cent of their salary, while officers on level 13 and above were being paid 50 per cent of their salary.

But the end has come for the modulated salary, as the government began payment of full salary to all its workers.

It would also be recalled that the government had also paid the salary arrears of July and August of 2015 to its workers when it got financial support from the Federal Government in 2017.

Commenting on the development, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state of Osun, Mr Adelani Baderinwa said the payment of the full salary was in fulfillment of Aregbesola’s promise that as soon and the finances of the state improve, all workers would be paid in full.

Baderinwa noted that the price of crude oil has been improving in the international market and more revenue is being remitted to the federal purse which resulted to increase in the allocation to states and in return made it easy for Osun to pay full salary to all its workers.

He said: “The welfare of all citizens and workers in particular have always been the fulcrum of all decisions and policies of Aregbesola’s administration since it came on board about seven years ago.

According to him, “Before the PDP corrupt tendencies and maladministration that brought about financial crisis and economic woes to the country, Osun had been most workers friendly and had been fulfilling all its responsibilities and obligations to the workforce in the state without any let or hindrance. It is on record that Aregbesola is the first governor to pay 13th month salary when the state was financially rosy.

“The administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is very responsive to the plight and welfare of workers. The governor, naturally, does not need to be told or put pressure on before doing the right thing for the benefit of workers.

“Government appreciates the steadfastness, the sacrifice and level of understanding of the workers during the financial crisis and we look forward to more harmonious relationship”, Adelani said.