Calculations of reports, researched upon by our
correspondent, indicated that Ondo State under
the current administration has a debt profile of
over N17billion on gratuities for both the state
and its local government.

C ivil servants in Ondo State have continued to
grumble over yet to be paid August salaries and
entitlements owed them by the state
government.
Governor Olusegun Mimiko
Photo Credit:
Sahara Reporters Media
Employees of the state allege the governor, Dr.
Olusegun Mimiko, used their salaries for
politicking and want him to publicly address
them on the reasons for the delay in their
payment.
The workers have also vowed to take their anger
to the streets if the state government fails to do
something urgently about their salaries.
Workers disdainfully blamed the state leadership
of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) for being
hoodwinked by the administration, and accused
the union of always been ‘cajole’ by the state
government when it comes to workers urgent
plight.
Despite the tension, one member of the service
told a SaharaReporters correspondent, “its not
too bad if the government still owed them
[workers] their August salary since September
has not ended. They can still endure.”
Firing back, the workers criticized that thinking,
saying, “Anyone who said is too early for us to
start demanding for our unpaid August salary is
insane, or he or she is a politician like Mimiko,
who is now fond of playing politics with
everything in the state.”
A SaharaReporters correspondent gathered that
the state governor had met with the leadership
of the workers under the Joint Negotiating
Council (JNC) and offered them half payment of
their salary but rejected it and asked for a full
pay.
Government officials at the meeting were said
to have informed the leadership of the workers
that the dwindling allocation from the federal
account to the state is causing the delay in their
salary.
The workers said they could not verify such
government claims on the dwindling allocation.
Different sources in the government circle have
been telling SaharaReporters that a proposed
National Executive Council meeting (NEC) and
convention of the Labour Party (LP) slated to
hold in Ondo State might also be a reason for
the delay, though this claim could not be
verified.
The sources said the governor is already keeping
and saving money to host the NEC meeting,
booking several hotels in the state.
However on Tuesday, a high profile officer, who
pleaded anonymity at the governor’s office in
Akure, told our correspondent that “the state is
in serious financial calamity and has been
battling with unpaid debt.”
“What is currently on in the state is affecting
everybody because the state is in a serious
debt. Our borrowed fund has not been
completed. What I can tell you now is that the
state is in a serious financial mess and
calamity.”
Investigations carried out by SaharaReporters’
office in Akure indicated that debt deductions
were made from allocations that came into the
state from the federal account, thereby leaving
the state with little.
Impeccable sources at the State Ministry of
Finance and the office of the Head of Service
(HOS), hinted that a loan secured by the state
government around February/March 2012 to run
many of its ‘customized projects’ is also taking
its toll on the allocation of the state.
“The government is now paying back the loan
every month in the tune of billions and this is
affecting the federal allocation coming into the
state. The debt is now removed every month
immediately the money enters into the state
account,” source said.
“Many of the projects crested with Labour Party
logos and colors carried out and initiated by
government in the state were done on a
borrowed fund. Now, we are reaping what we
sow because it’s affecting everybody,” our
sources said.
Underground findings by SaharaReporters
revealed that after several debt deductions from
the allocation of the state what is left behind in
the account is not enough to ensure worker’s
salaries in the state.
Local loans from banks in the state amounting
into billions of Naira also exhausted what comes
into the state due to charges of interest on such
loans by the banks.
Calculations of reports, researched upon by our
correspondent, indicated that Ondo State under
the current administration has a debt profile of
over N17billion on gratuities for both the state
and its local government.
Despite such, higher institutions owned by the
state government receives over millions of Naira
for subvention monthly while state media
stations including the Ministry of information
also receive grants close to billions for their
running cost.
Worse, millions of Naira termed “special fund”
for the governor, with other unnecessary
allowances needed to run the offices of the
governor, deputies, commissioners, special
advisers and other appointees is contributing to
the mess in the account of the state.
Financial analysts in the state told
SaharaReporters that mismanagement and
unnecessary government portfolios with heavy
pay and costly incentives under the present
administration also contributed to the dwindling
fortune of the state.
“Just go around those major markets in the
state capital alone, some of these PAs were
given offices, personal vehicles and servants on
a running cost. These things are unnecessary
because it flouts cost in the government,” an
analyst said.
In a recent press briefing at the cocoa
conference hall of the governor’s office in
Alagabaka, Akure, the State Head of Service,
Toyin Akinkuotu, was quick to tell journalists that
close to N5billion was always budgeted for
workers salary in the state.


Abeg you are goin to save me my sch fee in final yr(500l) Private uni if this hit front page and my parents are paid
source: saharareporters.com/2014/09/18/ondo-state-civil-servants-yet-receive-august-salary

sorry you will be saving me and many other nairalanders from ondo state

Ghen Ghen!!! If to say nah APC state now, Obama go don hear for America

mistudreh: Ghen Ghen!!! If to say nah APC state now, Obama go don hear for America

The guy is jst too clever to be a good politician

aforosco:
The guy is jst too clever to be a good politician

I hear say him no employ at all during his first term

mistudreh:
I hear say him no employ at all during his first term

No employment rather he retrenched base on age falsification which I dont care abt
of all completing is 8 yrs now he neva conducted local govt election only appointed caretaker chairmen nd supervisory counsellors pay dem stipends and direct there heads.Chaii dat guy is a devil he eat d 18 LG Allocation alone