- Workers bribed to support Adeleke, APC claims
Osun State workers in their hundreds declared their support for the second term ambition of Governor Ademola Adeleke, saying “No vacancy till 2030.”
Led by the Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Christopher Arapasopo and Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Bimbo Fasasi, the workers announced their endorsement of the governor, citing due consultations with labour rank and file and overwhelming positive performance of the governor.
The labour leaders, in their separate speeches, according to a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, on Thursday, “listed several landmark achievements of Governor Adeleke in support of workers’ welfare to include the following: Prompt payment of full salary to date; Prompt payment of gratuities and pension to retirees; Continuous payment of outstanding salary arrears owed by the past administration to workers and retirees; full payment of all outstanding cooperative deductions; workers promotion with pay rise; free Health Insurance cover for all Osun State Pensioners; payment of N10,000.00 to pensioners under Contributory Scheme; full implementation of National Minimum Wage of N75,554.28k for all workers and N25,000.00 for all our pensioners among others.”
Governor Adeleke in his speech announced his approval of new bond payment for pensioners which again drew wild applause from the dancing and singing workers and leaders.
“I have just approved, through the Office of the Head of Service, the payment of bonds for retirees under the contributory pension scheme worth over N4billion.
“This is across the State and Local Governments as follows: (a)State, comprising the Civil Service Parastatal, Secondary Schools, Tertiary Institutions, UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital= Two Billion, One Hundred and Seventy Five Million, Two Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira (N2,175,280,322.54); Local Governments and Primary Schools retirees = Two Billion, Ninety Eight Million, Four Hundred and Sixty Six Naira (N2,098,466,528.87)
“The total is Four Billion, Two Hundred and Seventy Three million, Seven Hundred and Forty Six Thousand Naira (N4,273,746,851.40)
“I have equally approved, through the Office of the Head of Service, the commencement of the promotion exercises for Year 2025 for eligible officers and staff across the entire public service, including the Local Governments.
“As I speak, the April 2025 salaries and allowances have been paid to all categories of workers across the State.
“We have continued unabated, the payment of a 30 months backlog of half salaries. As a matter of fact, we have almost completed payment of the 30 months half salaries in respect of contributory pensioners.
“We are pursuing vigorously, the free health care services for our senior citizens.
“We have never reneged on the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state which is one of the best in the country
“In our politics without bitterness, we cleared all outstanding deductions from the salaries of workers owed by our predecessors.
“We cleared all outstanding promotion arrears met on ground including cash backing of such promotions
“On our belief that a well trained public service will enhance our effective service delivery, we have continued to build the capacities of our public servants”, the Governor told the cheering workers.
Governor Adeleke said his government is repositioning the state economy to service the people, adding, “We are managing state resources in ways and manners that no sector is left behind. While we are not borrowing to fund governance, we have reduced the inherited state debt by over 40 percent. The Debt Management Office confirmed as much in its recent reports.
“Our administration has expanded the state GDP through a new lease of life for the business sector. Our records on ease of doing business is commendable. The business community appreciates our 45 day window for the processing and issuance of Certificate of Occupancy.
“Our government is rebuilding the state economy to benefit the people. Through our local content policies, our professionals, suppliers and artisans are fully engaged. Osun money is servicing Osun people.
“We are implementing the five point agenda faithfully with workers’ welfare as the number one priority. In all we do, we care for workers and pensioners,” the governor declared.
Meanwhile, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Adeleke-led administration of “squandering the resources of the state to fund unmerited adoption of his second term tenure by the state chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, the factionalized Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees NULGE and the Trade Union Congress TUC.”
“It has been scooped that the state government has made available the sum of N172 million for the factional leadership of the NULGE, the NLC and the TUC with the sharing formula of N97 million for the factionalized NULGE while both the NLC and the TUC are smiling to the bank with a sum of N75 million; meaning that the Governor Adeleke-led government coughed out N172 million as an inducement for the labour unions to adopt him for second term on the May Day,” a statement issued by the opposition party’s Director of Media and Information disclosed.