Publicise how Osun Paris Fund ‘ll be spent, pensioners tells Aregbesola
Pensioners in Osun State have insisted that all their entitlements must be paid in full with the second tranche of Paris Club refund recently released by the federal government.
They said this at a press conference addressed by the chairman forum of 2011/2012 retirees, Omoniyi Ilesanmi, in Osogbo on Monday.
The senior citizens accused the state government of Impending plans to use the fund for something other that payment of pensions and salaries.
They claimed that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has not only failed to spell out how the fund would be expended, but also deceiving the people by inviting market women leaders to a meeting on how the money would be disbursed.
He said, “When the second tranche of the Paris Club refund was released, all other state governors spelt out how the refund will be expended, but Ogbebi Aregbesola made an ambiguous statement pointing to the fact that he will divert or misappropriate the fund. This is a ploy to deceive the people of Osun.
“The Invitation to Iyalojas to attend a meeting to discuss how the money will be disbursed, where he said that he will use part of the money to settle those whose houses were demolished despite the instruction given that the money must be used to settle the arrears of salary, pension and gratuity of workers and pensioners.
“The available fund from the state Internally Generated Revenue including PAYETTE and Second tranche of the Paris Club refund is enough to pay all outstanding pension and gratuity, and it must be used to clear all the debts.”
Reacting to the allegations of plan diversion, the state Commissioner for Information and strategy, Lani Baderinwa said the claim was not only baseless but unfortunate.
He explained that FG has already given, given the guidelines on how the fund should be expended.
Baderinwa, assured the aggrieved pensioners that the standing Committee set up by the state government was still in place and will distribute the money as appropriate.
