The Osun State Government has said it has uncovered a monumental debt in salaries, pensions, and insurance commitments incurred by the immediate past administration of Gboyega Oyetola which amounted to N76 billion.
In a statement issued by Olawale Rasheed, spokesperson to the state governor, Ademola Adeleke, said the revelation was made by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Bimpe Ogunlumade, while briefing officials of the new administration on the financial status of the state on Thursday.
“The disclosure was contrary to the claim by the former Governor that he left N14bn in cash for the new government among other bogus claims that have now been found to be an outright falsehood.
“The breakdown of the salaries and pension-related liabilities as disclosed by the Permanent Secretary are as follows:
(I) Salary: N29,875,191,128.64
(II) Pension Arrears: N45,375,237,693.40
(III) Group Life Assurance Scheme: N554,644,028.97
Total: N75,805,072,851.01
“The public is advised that this is not the total debt left by the past administration as briefings on other sources of liabilities continue tomorrow (Friday),” it read.
Meanwhile, Spokesperson to immediate past Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan has described the claim by the Government of Osun that the Oyetola’s administration owed salary arrears and pensions to the tune of over N75 billion as not only outlandish but preposterous.
He also said that the said debt was owed by Senator Ademola Adeleke’s partner and collaborator, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola who ruled the state for eight years and left behind over N200 billion debt.
He added his principal apart from the fact he reduced the backlog of pensions and gratuities he inherited, he also repayed N97billion from the debt.
In a statement by Oyetola’s media aide, he said “Our suspicion is that they have gone to dig up the arrears owed by their partner and collaborator, the settlement of which they used to hoodwink some workers ahead of July 16 governorship contest.
“For the umpteempth time, let me place it on record that for four years, we did not owe a dime in payment of salaries, while we made conscious efforts to reduce the backlog of pensions and gratuities we inherited. This also explains why for four years we did not witness any industrial dispute. By their figure, what it means is that we owed salaries for close to one year. Is that possible? The Labour Union can also bear testimony to the fact that we never left any salary unpaid in our time, just as we did not take any bank loan for four years.
“The new Governor and his team want to ride on a populism mantra. Unfortunately, They do not understand the concept and philosophy of populism. That’s why they have resorted to blackmail. On the day of inauguration, the Governor said it would take time for him to pay salaries because he needed to freeze government account to enable him to look at the books. Today, he is saying he frowns at delay in payment of salary. And for November salary, we actually signed off since November 20th. I am sure we are in for more drama.”he said
