The Osun State Government has agreed to commence the payment of three months salaries to its workers as well as payment of deductions made from their salaries.
This agreement was sequel to the signing of a fresh Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties on Wednesday.
There was tension in the state that the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration had allegedly diverted the N34.988bn bailout the state received from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The agreement was signed on behalf of the state government by Chief of Staff to the Governor, Gboyega Oyetola; Head of Service, Sunday Owoeye; Solicitor General/ Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Abiola Adewemimo; Permanent Secretary, Local Government, Mufutau Oluwadare; Permanent Secretary, Finance, Leye Aina; Permanent Secretary, Human Resources, Sunday Olajide; and Accountant General, Tayo Kolawole.
The Chairman, Joint Negotiation Council, Bayo Adejumo; Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Jacob Adekomi; Chairman, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Olatunde Ogunniyi; Labour representatives: Gbenga Oyebode, Richard Oyegbami, Mrs. Toyin Idowu, Alade Amudah and Kunle Ogundepo, signed for labour.
According to the copy of the MoU, the state government will also pay balance of half payment made to the workers for January and February, while local governments’ workers and primary school teachers will be paid balance of the March and April, 2015 salaries as well as full payment of May and June.
The MoU also stated that state pensioners would be paid the balance of December 2014 as well as full payment of January, February and March 2015 pensions.
Likewise, local government pensioners and primary school pensioners would be paid their pensions up to June 2015.
The MoU read, “That bailout loan be disbursed to cover the payment of outstanding salaries for the months of January to June, 2015, as well as deductions from salaries of September and December 2014 and balance of 2013 and 2014 leave allowances for the state workers.
“That in order to ensure sustainability of payment of salaries in Osun State, the first disbursement from the bailout loan should cover the payment of outstanding September and December 2014 deductions, balance of January and February salaries and full payment of March, April and May 2015 salaries for state governments’ workers”.
