The Osun State Government has debunked rumours in some quarters that it was planning on demoting workers and reinstating the half salary regime.
In a statement signed by the spokesperson to the state governor, Olawale Rasheed, on Saturday, the state government also described the news as outright falsehood and wicked fabrication.
The statement, while reaffirming that Governor Adeleke will not demote workers, maintained that the rumour was aimed at undermining the bond between him and the workers in the state.
“We affirm that the Osun State Government under Governor Ademola Adeleke has not and will not demote any worker. There is also no plan to introduce half salary.
“Additionally, we declare that the content of the said story and all the references to a supposed worker are mere fabrications to undermine the very strong bond between Governor Adeleke and Osun workers, both in the formal and the informal sector,” the statement read.
Olawale revealed that the rumour was a hatchet job planned by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state that the government was planning an anti-labour agenda.
Assuring that Governor Adeleke has been working to restore public confidence in government, he urged members of the public to ignore the fake news about demotion of workers and re-introduction of half salaries, adding that Adeleke is an apostle of good governance and grassroots development.
“Governor Adeleke has since been working round the clock to restore public confidence in government, to bridge the infrastructural gap, to clear backlogs of salaries owed to workers, to rebuild the public service, to sanitize public finance, and to digitalize Osun economy.
“We therefore urge members of the public to ignore the fake news about demotion of workers and re-introduction of half salaries. Governor Adeleke is an apostle of good governance and grassroots development who upholds workers’ rights and aspirations of Osun people.”
DAILY POST had reported that Governor Adeleke on May 1, 2023 during the May Day rally in Osogbo beseeched the state civil servants to collectively forgive the past.
Adeleke has also used the occasion to remind the workers that he remained committed to the welfare of the workers.
This he said is due to his faithfulness in clearing the inherited challenges on workers’ salaries and pension.
Regarding the issue of half salaries and contributory pension, Adeleke also reiterated that it must be resolved as it was an obligation of the state.
Recall that half salary regime was introduced into the state civil service by the Rauf Aregbesola administration as a means of meeting up with government obligations and maintaining the state’s workforce without laying off of workers.
The regime was discontinued by the Adegboyega Oyetola administration but the backlogs from the half salary was left unpaid.