Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has approved the payment of N20.2bn, to offset outstanding deductions and April salaries of workers in the state.

He disclosed this while speaking at the 2019 May Day celebration and rally, held at the MKO Abiola International Staduim, Kuto, Abeokuta, on Wednesday.

The governor said this is in fulfillment of his promise not to owe any worker by the end of his tenure on May 29.

According to him, he has approved the release of N10.8bn to clear all salary deductions and that workers will start receiving bank alerts by today (May 2), adding that “in addition to the release of the salary deductions, we would also pay full April salaries with a sum of N9.4bn, to make it a total of N20.2bn.”

He also announced that outstanding leave bonus will be paid as from next week, just as gratuities of retirees till May 2017 would also be cleared by his government.

On the Contributory Pension Scheme, he described it as truly a beautiful programme that was wrongly implemented, because according to him, “there ought to be a sinking fund for it to be successful, which was never on ground”.

Amosun announced the recruitment of 1,000 applicants, who sat for the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) examination as well as the promotion of 5,000 workers.

He urged the leadership of labour unions and workers in the state to keep the flag flying, reiterating his administration’s commitment not to abandon any project.

“Though we are not where we should be, but clearly, we are not where we used to be. I am happy that we are leaving Ogun State better than we met it,” he said.

The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in Ogun State, Comrade Emmanuel Bankole, while reacting to the gesture of the governor, in an interview with newsmen, said, “this is a welcome development and when paid, it will have great effect on the economy of the state as workers would engage in buying and selling.”

On his part, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), in the state, Comrade Bunmi Fajobi, said: “We are very happy receiving the news, the governor did not disappoint us”.

Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Wale Osinowo, answering questions from newsmen on the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage by the state government, said: “Whe National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission will still come out with a circular to all states on staff emoluments and immediately we have it from them, we would work on it.”

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