From Bamigbola Gbolagunte, Akure
Ondo State Government has said the administration of former governor Olusegun Mimiko owed workers N38.57 billion salaries. The state government also disclosed that Mimiko’s administration owed pensioners N41.5 billion arrears.
However, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said his administration will offset the salary arrears owed by Mimiko. The governor described, as unfortunate, “spread of deliberate falsehood” about an alleged plan by his government to ask workers to forgo payment of two, of the six months salary arrears owed them.
A statement by his Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Segun Ajiboye, described the rumour as “idle talks,” and added that the governor has vowed to do everything possible to offset the salary arrears owed workers in the state.
“The governor has matched words with action to make the welfare of workers his priority by ensuring that their salaries are paid since he assumed office,” Ajiboye said. He urged those behind the spread of the rumour to desist from the act, and described it as “a dangerous trend capable of causing disaffection among the people of the state.”
The statement reads “I want to state here that there is no truth in rumour making the rounds that the administration is asking workers in the state to forgo two months of the salary arrears owed them. The talk is nothing but a pack of lies and a mere imagination of the people behind its spread.
“I would love to reiterate my commitment to make workers’ welfare, the priority of this administration. They are goose that lay the golden egg and I appreciate their efforts and commitment to develop Ondo State and take it to the next level.
“While thanking the people of the state for their support, the governor maintained that his administration remains determined to implement its cardinal programmes as outlined in his campaign promises,” the statement said.
In a related development, Governor Akeredolu has said revenue inflow accruing to the state must geometrically increase for the government to be able to deliver promptly on all projections set by his administration.
The governor, who spoke while receiving the report of Committee on the Payment of Arrears of Salaries of Public Servants in Ondo State, said the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) profile has to be taken to a proportion above the recurrent expenditures for meaningful development to take place.