Date Published: 09/07/09

Oni reacts to criticism over salary delay

The Ekiti State governor Engr. Segun Oni has reacted to criticism over delayed payment of government workers in the state, saying that the delay would soon be over.

Governor Oni said in Ado - Ekiti that the delay was a fallout of the present world economic recession, adding the situation would be put under control soon.

The governor, who pointed out that he does not joke with workers' salary added that his government had before now adhered strictly to paying of salaries and allowances between 20 th and 25 th of the month.

Governor Oni disclosed that the delay in payment of salary will fizzle out soon as measures are being taken to ensure that workers take home their pay as at when due.

While expressing his sympathy to the workers, Governor Oni said he knows the pains the delay in payment of salary would have inflicted on them.

He appealed to the workers to bear with the government as the situation will be normalised soon.

His words; “As a responsible government, we will not deliberately do anything that can inflict pains on the people; especially those who sweat daily to see to the implementation of government policies and programmes.

“Our prompt payment of salaries of our workers and settlement of arrears of pensions and gratuities owed retirees in the State since 1994 are pointers to the fact that we hold  the workers in high esteem and will continue to protect their interests.

 “Even as we are convinced that the delay in payment will soon be over, we urge the workers to bear with us as we journey through the path of putting our State in a sound footing economically.

“We are convinced that with all the efforts that we are putting in place, our dream of Ekiti State as one of the best economies in the world would be realised soonest. “