AREGBESOLA PLANS TO CUT WORKERS SALARY OF OSUN STATE

We've informed workers – Gov's aide
From Clement Adeyi , Osogbo
OSUN State chapter of the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) has accused Governor Rauf
Aregbesola of plans to reduce workers'
salaries. The party, in a statement issued in
Osogbo on the 21/10/15 by its spokesperson, Diran
Odeyemi, of which copies were made avail­
able to newsmen, alleged the memo notifying
civil servants of a new pay regime that would
see them forfeit all the allowances that their
colleagues in other states received, had
already been released into circulation.
"We as a party have been consistent in our
belief that Aregbesola has lost focus as he is
totally confused on what to do next to move
the state forward," the statement said.
The PDP alleged the memo informing workers
of the forfeiture of their allowances was
signed by the Permanent Secretary in the
office of the Head of Service, Mr. Sunday
Olajide. The party said the memo stated that
the allowances include 27.5per cent peculiar
allowance for teachers and 25per cent-35per
cent for other categories of workers.
It also said with the new policy, workers with
degrees in education would be transferred to
relevant education offices, while education
parastatals and agencies like TEPO would be
reviewed.
Under the new arrangement, there will be
Teachers Establishment Office and Education
Assessment Office, while elementary and
middle schools will be fully under SUBEB and
receive their salaries from local governments.
In a swift reaction, Director General of Bureau
of Communication in the governor's office,
Mr. Semiu Okanlawon said the party was
deliberately painting Aregbesola's government
in bad light.
"We are not surprised that the PDP is
deliberately painting in bad light, all the well-
thought out survival strategies of the current
administration in the face of mounting global
economic meltdown which is affecting all the
facets of national life.
"Without any doubt, the growing popular
opinion now is that governments at all levels
must look inward, review their operations
and streamline their activities if they want to
continue to maintain the welfare of their
people.
"Interestingly, there is no single reform and
belt-tightening measure that the governor and
his officials have not laid bare on the table
before the workers and other stakeholders,"
he said.