The Ondo State Government has reacted to a claim by presidential aide, Tope Fasua that the state government is owing its workforce six months salary arrears.
Fasua made the claim in an interview on ‘The Morning Brief’, a Channels Television programme on Thursday.
In a statement, Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, Ebenezer Adeniyan described Fasua’s claim as “erroneous”.
Adeniyan said it was unfortunate that a presidential aide whose duties centre on economic affairs would go on national TV to reel out unverified information.
According to the governor’s aide, it is more disturbing that Fasua, who is from Ondo State, could not reach out to any official of the state government to get the facts and figures he needed for such interview.
He noted that although Fasua has since admitted his error and apologised, it was imperative to make a clarification for members of the public who may have been misled by those “false” claims.
“The government of Ondo State IS NOT OWING ANY salary arrears to workers. The January 2024 salary was paid to workers, on time.
“The Ondo State Government has not only paid workers’ salary up to date, it has also been paying wage award of N35,000 monthly to all categories of workers and N10,000 wage award to retirees as part of its measures to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
“The false claim of Mr. Fasua was the situation of the State when the administration of Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu took charge in 2017, meeting seven months arrears of unpaid salaries. That administration paid six out of the seven months,” the governor’s aide said.
He noted that within one month in office, Governor Lucky Ayedatiwa paid the outstanding one month (January 2017).
“Not only that, the governor also paid N1.2 billion arrears as part of gratuity owed retirees.
“Members of the public should therefore note that the government of Ondo State is not owing workers and Governor Aiyedatiwa shows commitment to the welfare of workers and retirees in the State,” Adeniyan said.