The All Progressives Congress (APC) Osun State Chapter has responded to allegations by Governor Ademola Adeleke that the party’s council officials have hijacked funds meant for local government council staff.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Adeleke, during a stakeholders’ meeting in the State, disclosed that his administration’s shouldering of LG workers’ salaries stalled some of his ongoing projects, as APC council officials have hijacked the funds to the tune of ₦300 billion.
He lamented that the state has to shoulder the responsibility of paying local teachers, health workers, pensioners and local government workers for more than one year now.
“If Osun APC lacks conscience by diverting funds meant for local workers to their personal use, I cannot do it. I cannot abandon local workers who the court sacked APC chairmen intend to punish by criminally hijacking and diverting LG funds in open violation of local government finance laws. The workers have families and their own needs. Why should a party decides to hate and punish workers for no just reason? So the state government has been footing the bills all along.
However, the APC, in a statement by its Director of Media and Information, Kola Olabisi, accused the governor of inciting senior local government workers not to release payment vouchers to blackmail the party.
“The governor’s false statement would have been laced with honour if he had disclosed to the innocent and discerning minds in the state and beyond that he is the one responsible for the non-payment of the salaries and allowances of the said primary school teachers, health workers and others by his blatant refusal to release the electronic salary vouchers of the local government staff and primary school teachers.
“The actuarial valuation registers for the pensioners, vouchers of this valuation properly audited; data showing compilation of leave bonuses; data showing compilation of co-operative investment deductions and data showing compilation of check-off dues to trade unions properly audited, despite several appeals to the governor by the reinstated local government council chairmen.
“The actuarial register contains the quantum of money due to each worker as the value of past services rendered to the government, and this is what is called Bond which the reinstated council executives are ready to back up with funds and be released to the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) to facilitate payment of money for the retirees in the various local government council areas.
“These pensioners must know now that there are enough funds to take care of their Bond Certificates if only they could plead with the governor to allow them to be free,” the party said.