The lawmaker representing Atakumosa East/Atakumosa West/Ilesa East and Ilesa West Federal Constituency of Osun State in the National Assembly, Hon. Ajibola Famurewa, has warned the opposition parties in the state to stop their campaign calumny against Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the financial crisis of the state.
Famurewa said members of the opposition parties are giving unnecessary media hype and creating the impression that Osun State is the only state where salaries are being owed.
He described the inability of the state government to pay the workers’ salaries as most unfortunate.
According to Famurewa, it is sinful and despicable for some people to accuse Aregbesola of financial recklessness and mismanagement of the state’s resources as the reason for the current financial challenge.
Addressing a press conference in Osogbo on Sunday, Famurewa said the resources of the state are being judiciously managed for people-centered development by the Aregbesola administration.
He condemned what he described as spurious allegations against Aregbesola and hypocritical media hype of the financial incapacity of the state by members of the opposition parties, just as he warned them against disparaging the governor.
Famurewa said: “It is very unfortunate and messy for the government of the State of Osun to find itself in an irritating position of inability to pay workers salaries despite the savings during the surplus and extra effort of Governor Aregbesola to guide against the foreseen economy crisis, which was engineered by the mismanagement of the country’s economy by ousted former President Goodluck Jonathan.
“Is it not illogical to say that Aregbesola that had been paying workers’ salaries on every 25th of the months till late 2014 could deliberately deny the workers their entitled and rightful payments for months.
“A South East state owes their teachers salaries of 12 months. In Osun, the local government workers and teachers are owed four months and we can authoritatively confirm that they will get March and April salaries in a matter of days
“While I understand that the nonpayment of salaries is bound to generate arguments and uproar, it is quite loathsome to hear some people accused Aregbesola of mismanaging the resources and accruable funds to the state, which resulted to the bizarre inability to pay the workers’ salaries even when the development of the state is starring them in their ugly faces.”
The lawmaker stated that it was appalling and mischievous for the members of the opposition parties to pretend as if they do not know that more than 18 states in the country owe salaries ranging from three to 11 months.
He stated: “Osun is not the only culprit in this non-payment of salary issue and it should not be singled out for victimization. Politics should never be played at the expense and certainly not to the detriment of the people. The opposition parties cannot in anyway regained their lost glory in the state!
“The opposition politicians should stop their campaign of calumny on Aregbesola and stop disparaging the state. The sponsored calculated attempt to drag Aregbesola into the mud with the financial challenge of the state by them has failed. They should stop misinforming members of the public on the situation of things in the state.”
Famurewa maintained that with the little resources available to the state, Aregbesola has built 16 elementary model schools, 14 middle model schools and one high model school, while National Assembly lawmakers in the state have assisted in building additional eight model schools.
According to Famurewa, more than 1000km roads have been constructed, alongside numerous hospitals, many of which are Primary Health Centres, and rehabilitation of the general hospitals, 18 rural middle schools that can conveniently accommodate 400-500 students have been built.
“Despite the financial challenge, Aregbesola did not stop the laudatory Osun School feeding scheme in which over 250,000 students get fed daily during school terms. O MEAL costs about N3.5 billion per annum. Osun Civil Service has a population of about 35,000 and the monthly wage bill gulps a handsome N3.6 billion and a gargantuan N43.2 billion annually,” he added.
The lawmaker commended the state civil servants for their perseverance and support for the Aregbesola administration, pleading with them to suspend their industrial action in the interest of the state and the people that need their services.