The Osun State Government has announced the payment of an 11-month backlog of half salaries owed to civil servants and retirees, a debt inherited from the administrations of former Governors Gboyega Oyetola and Rauf Aregbesola.
According to a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the payments were made to workers across all sectors, including local governments, tertiary institutions, parastatals, the core civil service, and former political office holders. Pensioners under the contributory pension scheme also received their entitlements.
Alimi said the gesture was part of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s effort to address the financial mismanagement of the past and relieve the suffering of workers and pensioners.
“Governor Adeleke is a compassionate leader who prioritizes the welfare of Osun people. He does not take pleasure in the pains of those who served the state,” the statement read. “The payment of these arrears not only brings relief to those owed but also stimulates the state economy, as the money will circulate through the purchase of essential goods and services.”
The Adeleke administration accused the previous governments of subjecting workers to hardship, insisting that under its leadership, “the hopes of workers and pensioners are being renewed.”
This development follows criticism from the Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which recently accused Governor Adeleke of abandoning his duties and being absent from the state for over two weeks without officially transferring power to his deputy.
In a statement signed by APC spokesperson Kola Olabisi, the party questioned the legality of Adeleke’s prolonged absence and alleged he had attempted to defect to the APC before leaving the state.
“The governor’s disappearance is abnormal,” the APC said. “We demand to know who has been in charge of the state during his absence and whether he followed due process by transferring authority to his deputy.”
Despite the controversy, the Osun government maintains that Governor Adeleke remains committed to righting past wrongs and restoring the dignity of public service in the state.
