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| Gov Ibikunle Amosun |
The Ogun State Government has declared that it did not divert the
bailout funds from the Federal Government for another purpose, insisting that
the money was wholly committed to the payment of arrears of salaries,
co-operative deductions to all categories of its workers.
bailout funds from the Federal Government for another purpose, insisting that
the money was wholly committed to the payment of arrears of salaries,
co-operative deductions to all categories of its workers.
Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Taiwo Adeoluwa stated
this today in Abeokuta at separate meetings with Heads of Local Government
Administrations (HOLGA) and the leadership of the State chapter of National
Union of Local Government Employers (NULGE) in his office.
this today in Abeokuta at separate meetings with Heads of Local Government
Administrations (HOLGA) and the leadership of the State chapter of National
Union of Local Government Employers (NULGE) in his office.
Barr. Adeoluwa, who expressed surprise at the insinuations in some
quarters, that part of the funds, especially those due to Local Government
Councils were diverted, blamed the development on communication gap between
Government and the Local Government administrators, adding that anti-graft
agencies, particularly the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC),
which monitored the disbursement across the country, gave the state a clean
bill of health after the exercise.
quarters, that part of the funds, especially those due to Local Government
Councils were diverted, blamed the development on communication gap between
Government and the Local Government administrators, adding that anti-graft
agencies, particularly the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC),
which monitored the disbursement across the country, gave the state a clean
bill of health after the exercise.
Contrary to the rumour, Adeoluwa disclosed that government had to
take funds elsewhere to augment the bailout to the councils.
take funds elsewhere to augment the bailout to the councils.
“What was due to Local
Government Councils from the total package we got, was N9.1 billion, from which
we promptly cleared arrears of salaries, cooperative deductions of primary
school teachers and Local Government staff.
Government Councils from the total package we got, was N9.1 billion, from which
we promptly cleared arrears of salaries, cooperative deductions of primary
school teachers and Local Government staff.
“We are clear in our mind that
not a dime from the money was used for anything else other than Local
Government administration. We used bailout funds wholly to discharge the
obligations we got if for”, the SSG said.
not a dime from the money was used for anything else other than Local
Government administration. We used bailout funds wholly to discharge the
obligations we got if for”, the SSG said.
He explained that the confusion arose because the total amount of
money then outstanding to Local Government workers, was far more than other
categories of workers, as such, what they got was below what went for their
colleagues.
money then outstanding to Local Government workers, was far more than other
categories of workers, as such, what they got was below what went for their
colleagues.
The SSG, who noted that the meeting was at the instance of the
State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, challenged Local Government authorities to leverage on their
individual strengths to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), rather
than absolute dependence on Federal Allocation.
State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, challenged Local Government authorities to leverage on their
individual strengths to boost their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), rather
than absolute dependence on Federal Allocation.
Speakers at the meetings, including the State President of NULGE,
Comrade Ayuba Olatunji commended the government for the initiative and
submitted that such interface was long overdue.
Comrade Ayuba Olatunji commended the government for the initiative and
submitted that such interface was long overdue.
According to them, if the meeting had been in place before now, a
lot of issues would have been resolved before degenerating into needless
controversies.
lot of issues would have been resolved before degenerating into needless
controversies.
