Gov. Adeleke Receives Award of ‘Most Humane Gov., Priotises Workers’ Welfare. By John Dike Osogbo

Governor Ademola Adeleke has assured the people of Osun State of sustained progress of the state, while focusing on workers’ welfare as part of his administration’s priorities.

Governor Adeleke made the commitment after he received an award as the ‘Most Humane Governor of the Year’ by Osun Civil Public Servants.

The group expressed confidence that, with governor Adeleke at the helms of affairs in the state, more devidends of Democracy await the people.

Responding to the honour bestowed on him, governor Adeleke said: “Today, I am again deeply overwhelmed by the show of love and support from great Osun workers and retirees. The outpouring of affection for me and my team has further rekindled my faith in our five point agenda for which workers’ welfare is number one.

“Some months ago, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners conferred on me the award of the most workers’ friendly governor. I was told that was the first time the union would grant such honor to a serving Governor. Here we are today again with the entire workforce of the public service acknowledging our modest contributions to the development of our dear state.

“The positive testimonies from the various unions and labour leaders attested to the correctness of our original thinking when running for the state governorship. We had analyzed the political space and concluded then that the smartest way to grow Osun is workers welfare. We accept and adopt the reality that human capital is a strong foundation for integrated development of the state.

“We had also spotted the nexus between formal and informal workers in the state. Easing the challenges of the public service has the tendency to uplift the economic well being of the informal sector. These analyses were responsible for placing workers’ welfare as number one priority in our governance agenda.

Adeleke stressed that his administration had been vindicated through the validation of the state workforce with the award as a testament.

He assred that by the gestures shown his administration, the government would remain focussed and pursue a new life for Osun People, adding that government will in this regard deploy human development as a tool for societal transformation.

According to him, the state government will further innovate to meet workers at the point of their needs.

He responded further tobthe award bestowed on him, saying that, “I therefore humbly accept this award as ‘The Most Humane Governor of the Year’.

“Dear workers and stakeholders, I cherish this honour done to me and my team. You have further fired our existing strong interest in welfare issues for both serving and retired members of the workforce.

“It is in this direction that I have further approved the release of another tranche of bonds totaling Two Billion , Nine Hundred and Twenty Five Million, Three Hundred and Thirty Two Thousand, Eight Hundred and Thirty Five kobo (N2,925,332,835.75).

Howeve, the breakdown of the amount approved for the workers indicated that, the state retirees would have a share of One Billion, Three Hundred Million Naira (N1,300,000,000.00)

Similarly, the government earmarked another One Billion, Six Hundred and Twenty Five Million, Eight Hundred and Thirty Five Thousand Naira (1,625,332,835,75) for Local Government Primary School Retirees.

Governor Adaleke seized the occasion to appraise the public of government’s commitment towards Pension and Gratuities from inception of his administration to November, 2023
which include in the first category State Level (Civil Servants, Parastatals, Tertiary Institutions, UNIOSUN Teaching Hospital) Retirees, the
Contributory Pension Scheme (Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Forty Four Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty One Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighteen Kobo ( 7,444,851,618.16)

From the said amount, gratuities gulped One Billion, Two Hundred Million Naira Only (1,200.000.000.00), while the Monthly Pension gulped Five Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninety Six Million, Thirty Five Thousand Naira, Seven Hundred and Eleven Kobo (5,996,035,711.00).

According to the government, these expenditures brough the state’s total to Fourteen Billion, Six Hundred and Forty Million, Eight Hundred and Eighty Seven Thousand, Three Hundred and Thirty Kobo (14,640,887,330.15)

In another category, involving the Local Governments (Local Governments and Primary Schools’ Retirees), the Contributory Pension Scheme amounted to Seven Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty Four Million, One Hundred and Seventy Eight Thousand, Sixteen kobo( 7,384,178,016.83), while Gratuities from the same end amonted to One Billion, Nine Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (1,950,000,000.00).

Government also expended Four Billion, One Hundred and Sixty Six Million, Six Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Eighty Two kobo (4,166,609,182.61) on Pension, making the total expenditures for Local Government Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred Million, Seven Hundred and Eighty SevenThousand, One Hundred and Ninety Kobo(13,500,787,199.44)

“Permit me to use this opportunity to commend the Head of Service, Elder Ayanleye Aina. You have been a wonderful leader of the civil service with laudable delivery in public service management. I thank you for your great service.

“I extend the same commendation to top management of the service as well as middle and lower level officers. I appreciate your commitment to duty and loyalty to our common agenda for societal prosperity,” said governor Adeleke in acknowledgement of the efforts deployed by the state Head of Service.

The state Chief Executive assured that his administration would remain strongly pro-people, pro-workers and pro-development.

He emphasized the resolve of his government to combine the people’s welfare and workers with state of the art infrastructural upgrades of the state of Osun, which according to him “is targeted to be a Singapore of Nigeria.”