By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has approved the total sum of N4.5 billion for the payment of cooperative deductions arrears to all categories of workers in the state.
Commissioner for Finance in the state, Mr Wale Oshinowo, made this disclosure on Tuesday in Abeokuta.
Explaining the source of the fund, the Commissioner said it came from the N5.7 billion Ogun State government received from the Paris Club refund, which the Federal Government recently shared to different states of the federation.
He further explained that whereas the Federal Government advised state governments to use only 50 percent of the fund for payment of workers’ emolument, Governor Amosun has decided to apportion 79 percent on the workforce because of the love he has for the workers.
Giving a breakdown of the payments, Mr Oshinowo said N3.4 billion has been disbursed for the payment of six months arrears of outstanding cooperative deductions to all categories of the workforce at the state level, while another N1.1 billion was disbursed for the payment of three months of outstanding cooperative deductions to workers at the Local Government level.
He said another sum of N1.2 billion would be expended on state expenditure.
“Ogun State is apportioning 79 percent to staff welfare and only 21 percent on state expenditure, aside the fact that the state government, in its usual practice, has paid June 2017 salary to all categories of workers at both the state and local government levels,” Mr Oshinowo said.
He therefore thanked the entire civil servants in the state for their cooperation and understanding while affirming that “the state government is ready to offset all outstanding staff related expenses, as soon as more funds are available.”
The Commissioner added that government would continue to do all within its power to cater for the civil and public servants in Ogun State.
Adedapo Adesanya