The immediate past Osun State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji has disclosed that the State Governor, Ademola Adeleke lack knowledge of the state debt profile prior to taking over mantle of leadership in the state.
He added that for the new administration in the state to attribute debts in salary and pension to the immediate past administration showed that Governor Adeleke is yet to come to term with reality in terms of governance in the state.
A statement issued by the former commissioner in the state on Saturday in reaction to claim by Adeleke administration that former Governor Adegbiyega Oyetola left humongous debt behind, Oyebamiji said, “the way the PDP-led administration in the State commenced, and their manner of representations of facts relating to Oyetola’s Statement of stewardship confirm their very shallow idea about Modern-day Governance and their unpreparedness for the tasks ahead.
“As a matter of emphasis, as the immediate former Commissioner of Finance in the State, I wish to reiterate that the administration of Oyetola has no unpaid salary throughout its four years tenor. According to our records, what could have been reported against Oyetola’s administration were deductions from workers salary remittable to their cooperative societies only for the months of May and June 2019, and February 2020, amounting to =N=979,184,536.97 . This was due to occasional paucity of funds during the time. Whereas, settlement of this was eventually approved by Mr. Governor early last month, unfortunately, it was however suppressed by the State’s Accountant General (AG) despite a letter of plea written by the Association of Senior Civil Servant of Nigeria, Osun chapter on November 14, 2022. The AG is still in the office and can be interrogated further on this.
“On the issue of Pension and Gratuity, I wish to indicate that over =N=16billion was actually paid by Oyetola’s administration during its four-year tenor. The arrears however could have been further reduced if not fully taken out but for the typical dynamics of processing of retiree’s claim.
“Aside from having a functional Debt Management Office (DMO) in the State which is the appropriate agency of government for disclosure of the State’s total indebtedness at any given time, the DMO at the Federal level is another agency in the country from where information about the State’s level of exposures could be further ascertained by the Government of Ademola Adeleke if in doubts, instead of feeding the good people of our dear State with unnecessary falsehood. Time certainly will unveil all things to posterity”.