By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Ogun State Governor, Mr Ibikunle Amosun, on Wednesday, presented severance allowance cheques to political office holders who served during the administration of former Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, between 2007 and 2011 as well as those who served during his first term of office between 2011 and 2015.
While addressing the beneficiaries at the Arcade ground, Governor’s office, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, the Governor said, “it does not matter which political party or administration you have served, what matters is that you have served the state diligently.”
Governor Amosun disclosed that in order to accommodate all former political appointees, including those who served at the local government level, his administration added a total of N2.4 billion to the N10.6 billion it received from Federal Government as its share of the Paris Club loan refund.
The Ogun State government has so far used the fund to pay arrears of gratuities from November 2012 to February 2014; six months of cooperative deductions as well as severance allowance of political office holders who served between 2007 and 2015.
In all, Ogun State government has paid N13 billion as opposed to the N10.6 billion it received from the federal government.
The Governor explained that the payment of the N13 billion would directly benefit the economy and positively affect market women, traders as well as taxi drivers in the state.
Mr Amosun who used the avenue to assure the people that he would leave the state better than he met it said “Ogun State is now the industrial capital of Nigeria with about 110 multi-national companies that have opened shops in the state.”
The Governor also hinted that 2017 will witness more infrastructural development in the state, including the proposed light rail project.
Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, the former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Aare Tunde Alabi, appreciated Governor Amosun for the payment as well as infrastructural developments that he said, “have dotted the nooks and crannies of Ogun State.”
