Osun workers’ salaries problem beyond my control –Aregbesola

Firstclass newsline learnt that osun State Governor, Alhaji Rauf
Aregbesola, on Friday said the economic situation that led to his
administration's inability to pay workers' salaries was beyond his
control.
He said it was heart-rending that he had found himself in the
situation which he described as a quagmire.
Aregbesola spoke with journalists after meeting with President
Muhammadu Buhari behind close-doors at the Defence House in Abuja.
He said he was not happy the same way a head of a family would feel
when he cannot meet the needs of his family members.
The governor said, "No head of the family will be happy that he cannot
feed members of the family. It is heart-rending that I am in this
quagmire.
"But no matter how sad, no matter how unhappy I am, the truth is that
I will not fail to say that it is a situation absolutely beyond my
control.
"I led an administration in receipt of regular allocation in which I
do my budget. Unfortunately, this allocation started falling in rapid
form that totally disorganised my budget and any other arrangement."
Aregbesola, however, urged the people to appreciate that he had
transformed the state that he met it in 2010.
According to him, the transformation is a as result of effective
application of resources.
The governor explained that with the unexpected and sharp decline in
revenue, his administration had a dislocation.
He said, "Were it to be Osun State alone, probably I would not have an
excuse. I pray it does not continue. I am not sure if there will be
any state that will actually escape from the biting effect of the
absolute sharp drop which I call economic disaster that we are
grappling with.
"Since my inauguration on November 27, 2010, I had made it a duty to
pay salary on or before 25th of every month up until January 2014 when
that became practically impossible.
"I have been giving the same staff who today are, regrettably and
painfully, not being paid annual bonus that we call 13th month salary.
There was no demand for it. I just felt that workers must be
encouraged, they must be inspired.
"I did that religiously and faithfully from 2010 to 2013. The
development that led to this began precisely in July when we received
the June allocation and it was short by 40 per cent.
"Since then, what we have been receiving from the Federation Account
is less than the wages, personnel cost. It is far and not mildly less.
Firstclassnewsline.net