Gov. Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, has said he would not renege on his promise of make payment of full salaries and pension to workers and retirees, if reelected.
Oyetola said this during an engagement programme with members of The Triangular Group of Pensioners on Sunday in Osogbo.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, the governor said those who were spreading false information that he would stop payment of full salaries and pension are enemies of progress, whose minds are not always with positive development.
The governor, who said his priority is to always see the state’s workforce happy and productive, said the era of half salaries is gone in the state.
Oyetola also assured the pensioners in the state that nothing would stop the payment of their monthly pension, adding that their positive contributions to the development of the state would never be forgotten.
The governor, who noted that his administration had not failed in the payment of the monthly stipends to the senior citizen since inception, said he will not stop putting smiles on their faces through prompt payment of their pension.
Oyetola also urged the state workers to continue to support his administration and shun those who always want to turn the labour force against government.
The governor, who noted that payment of salaries is one of the core responsibilities of any reasonable government, said he would continue to prioritise the welfare of the workers and the citizenry as a whole.
“And with God’s help, that will continue for as long as I remain the governor.
“I want to allay your fears over the insinuation that I will not continue with the regular payment of salaries and pensions, if reelected.
“Payments of workers has been a covenant I made with God and nothing will stop me from fulfilling the promises”.
Oyetola urged government workers in the state to ignore the falsehood being spread around by those he described as political jobbers, adding that he will never disappoint them.
The governor, who commended the workers for supporting his administration, urged them to show more of such support during the July 16 governorship election in the state.
He said their votes for him will ensure continued and more delivery of good governance.
In his remarks, Mr Rotimi Adelugba, the Chairman of the group, commended the governor for his usual prompt payment of pension and gratuity to retirees in the state.
Adelugba said since the inception of Oyetola’s administration, pensioners in the state had been collecting full payment of their stipends as and when due.
“We need to commend the governor for this gesture. As the workers were being paid at the end of the month, pensioners are also receiving theirs immediately,” he said.
“The governor must be commended because on a monthly basis he approves N508 million for the payment of pension and N200 million for the payment of gratuity.
“Out of the N200 million for the payment of the gratuity, N150 million goes for the pensioners under the contributory pension scheme, while N50 million is for pensioners under the old system,” he said.
(NAN)