Govt disburses N5.1bn of 6.3bn Paris Refund for salaries and pension arrears

The Government of the State of Osun has explained how it disbursed the second tranche of its Paris Club Loan Refund it received from the Federal Government.

Speaking with journalist at his office in Osogbo on Monday, the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Adelani Baderinwa revealed that the sum of N5,131,680,567.59 was expended on full salaries and pensions up till this July 2017 for Level 1 to 7 Staff being the most vulnerable, balance of full salaries for the remaining staff up till August 2015, and balance of 2015 leave bonus.

It will be recalled that the state government had, in agreement with labour unions in the state, agreed to use the second tranche of the Paris Club Loan Refund for the payment of salaries and pensions.

Whilst giving a detailed analysis of the payments, Mr. Baderinwa stated that workers from Levels 1-7, which constitute majority of the workers, were never owed in the state. They have always 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 8-11 comprising of 21,624 workers showed understanding with the government to accept 75% of their salaries and full leave bonus.

"It is only workers in grade level 12-17 that receive 50% of 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," Baderinwa stated.

The commissioner also revealed that the payment formula was jointly agreed with the labour-led Revenue Apportionment Committee which consists of all the labour union leaders and representative of government chaired by veteran labour leader, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu.

According to Baderinwa, the Apportionment Committee reviews in a transparent manner, all revenues of Government, and agrees on how these are apportioned to pay salaries and pensions, a model unprecedented for governments in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the state's chapter of the Nigeria Labour Co‎ngress (NLC), Comrade Babatunde Jacob Adekomi, has given a pass mark to the state government on the disbursement of the Paris Club Loan Refund.

Comrade Adekomi gave the commendation on a radio programme monitored over the weekend.

The union leader said, "The state government has paid the salary of all workers in the state up to July, 2017 in line with the agreement made between it and the labour union."

Adekomi disclosed that the leadership of the union reached a compromise with the state government on the disbursement of the second tranche of Paris Club Refunds to offset parts of the balance of the modulated salaries.

Comrade Adekomi told listeners that the state government and the labour union had met on Wednesday 26th July, 2017 where it was decided that the state should pay July and August, 2015 balance of the modulated salaries of workers whose pay had been on modulation since 2015.

The labour union leader in the state also condemned speculations that all workers in the state are receiving modulated salary of their gross earnings, saying it is only category of workers between grade levels 12 to 17 that receive half of their monthly salaries.