Fourteen days after the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, approved the payment of outstanding salaries for September and October to all the public servants in the state, none of them has been paid, Nigerian Tribune has learnt.
The workers said they doubted if Governor Ajimobi, “who graciously approved the payment of the two month salary arrears,” was aware that his directive had not been carried out.
A statement issued on October 29 by the state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun, acknowledged that the payment of the salary arrears was with immediate effect.
But some of the workers, who spoke with the Nigerian Tribune on anonymity condition, lamented that the piled up bills which they had hoped to offset with the salary arrears had continue to increase.
“We greeted the announcement of the payment with jubilation and excitement as well as hearts of appreciation to Governor Ajimobi. But two weeks after, our spirits are at very low ebb.
“We appreciate the fact that when the economy was good, the governor paid us as and when due. But when things went awry, we knew it was not his fault. We kept faith alive that things would improve.
“It came to us as a big shock that our accounts are yet to be credited two weeks after the statement from the governor directing immediate payment of our salaries.
“Our situation is not a case of money not being available to effect the payment. We know for a fact that money is available to carry out the directive of the governor. What we don’t understand is why we are yet to be credited.
“We wish to appeal to Governor Ajimobi to wade into the matter and ensure that our two-month salary arrears are set free from whatever is holding the payment,” some of the workers.”
