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How we disbursed our Paris Club loan refund, by Osun, Delta

By Owen Akenzua, Asaba
08 August 2017   |   3:47 am
The Osun State Government and its Delta counterpart have explained how they disbursed the second tranche of their Paris Club loan refund received from the Federal Government.

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun

The Osun State Government and its Delta counterpart have explained how they disbursed the second tranche of their Paris Club loan refund received from the Federal Government.

The state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa, who spoke with journalists yesterday in his office in Osogbo, said N5,131,680,567.59 was expended on full salaries and pensions up till this July 2017 for Level 1 to 7 members of staff being the most vulnerable, balance of full salaries for the remaining members of staff up till August 2015, and balance of 2015 leave bonus.
 
Baderinwa stated that workers from Level 1-7, which constitute majority of the workforce, were never owed in the state. According to him, they have received their full salaries contrary to popular opinion.

 
“Workers in level 1-7, being the most vulnerable and the largest chunk of the state civil service, have received their full salaries and entitlement up to July 2017. Likewise, workers in Grade Level (GL) 8-11, comprising 21,624 workers, showed understanding with the government to accept 75 per cent of their salaries and full leave bonus.
 
“It is only workers in GL 12-17 that receive 50 per cent of their salaries and full leave bonus, and so far, they have also showed maturity and understanding with the state government. The same formula applies with our pensioners,” the commissioner stated.
 
He also stated that the payment formula was jointly agreed with the Labour-led revenue apportionment committee, which consists of all the labour union leaders and representatives of government chaired by veteran Labour leader, Mr. Hassan Sunmonu.
  
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Osun State Chapter, Mr. Babatunde Jacob Adekomi, has given a pass mark to the state government on the disbursement of the Paris Club loan refund.

He gave the commendation on a radio programme monitored over the weekend.In the same vein, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, Mr. Charles Aniagwu, said that out of the N10 billion it recently received from the Federal Government as part of the Paris Club loan refund, local councils in the state were given N2.1 billion as their statutory share while about N5 billion was set aside to settle certain issues relating to certain aspect of salary arrears, co-operative deductions and pensions. The sum of N2 billion plus was earmarked for priority projects that require urgent attention and payment of contractors.

The governor’s spokesman, who stated this while answering questions on ‘Trend Talk’, a radio programme on Trend 100.9FM in Asaba yesterday, noted that the Okowa-led administration was committed to prudent, transparent and accountable management of the state’s resources just as he is committed to taking decisions that will be in the best interest of the people.

He said: “Governor Okowa has vowed to remain prudent, transparent and accountable to the people because he realises that the ultimate political power rests with the people who overwhelmingly voted him into office.”“He has assured that Deltans will get value for every money that accrues to the state at all times.”

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